AZCentral.com's view

Entry level has a distinctly different meaning for Mercedes-Benz than it does for, say, Chevrolet. Or Honda. For those less-prestigious brands, entry level denotes minimalistic compacts that barely break into the five-figure range.

For Mercedes, it’s the C230 sport coupe, a small but nicely turned-out hatchback starting at a significant $25,000. But for a company whose bread-and-butter family car, the E-Class, begins at twice that amount, it’s real progress.

As it is, there are those who scoff, who are taken aback by C230’s small size and three-door configuration, and label it “not a real Mercedes.”

Not so. Although $25,000 is a tough baseline entry point, it does provide a small automobile with the special hallmarks of Mercedes-Benz. C230 boasts the solid structure, firm and responsive steering, balanced handling, accommodating interior and promise of longevity that has made Mercedes a longtime favorite among affluent drivers.

In appearance, C230 is instantly identifiable as a Mercedes, sharing the purposeful-looking face that carries its resemblance all the way up to the mighty S-Class. In the front, C230 shares sheetmetal with the C-series sedans, but from the doors back, a short, uplifted hatchback replaces rear doors and trunk.

The view from the rear is somewhat controversial, some finding it stubby and oddly styled. I thought it was a little weird-looking, maybe a bit too abbreviated, but not bad.

Oh, and Mercedes doesn’t like to call its little car a hatchback. Sport coupe is preferred. Yes, it is sporty. No, it’s not a coupe. Oh, well.

The name C230 is followed by the word Kompressor, which in German denotes the presence of a supercharger. This is the same supercharged four-cylinder seen in the SLK230 sports car and discontinued C230 sedan. Though buzzy under acceleration, this small powerplant provides sprightly performance for sprinting onto freeways or climbing hills.

In the test car, a slick close-ratio six-speed manual transmission, also first seen in the SLK230, helps wring power out of this high-revving engine. Automatic probably would blunt the performance edge, as it did with the SLK.

The front seats are very roomy, even for this too-tall driver. That’s a Mercedes trait I favor. The back seat is small, but this is not a family car but a hatch for younger drivers, singles or couples, who use the back seat only on occasion.

The hatch is a very practical application for any small car and regaining popularity. With the back seat erect, the space under the hatch is small. With the seat stowed, it’s quite expansive. The high tailgate makes it difficult to load heavy or unwieldy objects, especially for shorter people.

An interesting and attractive feature is the dual moon roof, one section over the front seats and one over the rear seats. But the glass roof only opens in the front, sliding back over the rear glass.

Gauges and controls are the familiar Benz setup, solid to the touch, easy to master and user-friendly.

Instead of wood trim, C230 has industrial-looking stainless steel, which appeals to the aesthetics of younger drivers.

The test car was not loaded up with options, and was the first Mercedes I’ve driven in recent memory with cloth seats instead of leather. These cars can option up into the low-30s without much effort.

Options on the test C230 included $995 for the sunroof and rain sensing intermittent wipers; $750 for Tele Aid emergency service system; and $640 for brilliant silver paint.

Standard equipment includes all the desirable power, convenience and safety features, a good stereo system, electronic stability program, traction control, antilock four-wheel disc brakes, side airbags, trip computer, heated outside mirrors, and automatic headlights.

My question is, why not offer a model that is stripped down, maybe deleting automatic climate control and a few other luxury features, and ditch the supercharger?

If Benz could get the price down around 20,000, that truly would be entry level.