IIHS Names 2015-16 Mercedes-Benz C-Class a Top Safety Pick Plus
CARS.COM — A long wait for the current-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class has finally paid off, as the luxury sedan two model years after its redesign earned a Top Safety Pick Plus designation by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The 2016 version and, retroactively, the 2015 version, both received the institute’s highest crashworthiness designation after making necessary improvements to pass the stringent small overlap front test that held back the previous-gen C-Class.
Related: 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Review
The 2015 and 2016 C-Class sedans earned the requisite scores of good (on a rating scale of good, acceptable, marginal and poor) in all five IIHS crashworthiness tests, including small and moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraints and seats evaluations. Like the 2014 C-Class, the latest version also received a superior rating for its front crash prevention system; vehicles must earn advanced or superior in this category for the Top Safety Pick Plus honor.
“In the challenging small overlap test, the car’s structure held up well with maximum intrusion into the occupant compartment of 4 inches,” IIHS said in a statement. “That was a big improvement over the earlier generation of the C-Class, which had intrusion of 20 inches at the footrest and earned a marginal rating.”
The C-Class’ superior-rated front crash preventions system includes auto emergency braking and is optional. A standard front crash prevention system received an advanced rating.
Among competitors, the C-Class is, well, competitive in the crashworthiness category. The 2017 Audi A4 is its toughest rival, mirroring its scores in all categories for a Top Safety Pick Plus designation. The 2016 BMW 3 Series, meanwhile, failed to earn a Top Safety Pick award, scoring only marginal in the small overlap front test. The 2016 Cadillac ATS has not been tested by IIHS in the five crashworthiness categories, but it did receive a superior rating for front crash prevention.
