Orlando Sentinel's view

These days whenever I test-drive a luxury car sporting a price tag in the low 30s, two words come to mind: Oldsmobile Aurora.

Auto industry analysts who track buying trends say today’s car buyers want a stylish vehicle with the most features and the best performance for the least amount of money.

If that’s so, then from now on any luxury car selling in the Aurora’s $31,995 to $34,000 price range will have to measure up to the powerful new Olds.

The new small Mercedes-Benz C220 sedan doesn’t.

There’s no doubt that the C220 is – in most ways – an excellent car. But despite its solid quality, stylish interior and excellent handling capabilities, the C220 can’t compare with the Aurora.

The way I see it, history is repeating itself.

When Toyota launched its trend-setting Lexus LS400 luxury sedan in 1989, that car became the standard to which all luxury cars priced at $40,000 and above were measured.

And even though the Aurora and the C220 are worlds apart in terms of size, styling, performance and equipment, they are both luxury cars and they both sell for roughly the same money.

What it boils down to is this: If you are in the market for a $30,000 luxury car, you could buy the Mercedes and come away with a small four-cylinder import, or you could get the Oldsmobile and have a large V-8-powered sedan loaded with scads more equipment.

To be fair, there are factors here, such as the fluctuation of currencies, that Mercedes-Benz and other importers can’t control.

Ten years ago, foreign automakers could build cars for less money than the Big Three.

Now the reverse is so. You’ll see that in graphic detail when you compare what you get for your money in the C220 and the Aurora.

PERFORMANCE

With all its high-tech trimmings, you might expect the C220’s engine to have been plucked out of a fast sports coupe.

It’s a 2.2-liter four-cylinder that has double overhead camshafts, 16 valves and a computerized fuel-intake system that constantly adjusts the valve timing. This advanced intake system ensures that the engine runs at peak efficiency at all times.

But the 147-horsepower engine has a heavy load to pull.

TheC220, which is smaller and slightly heavier than a Honda Accord, is somewhat slow from a stop. However, performance improves quickly as the car reaches 40 mph. At 50 and 60 mph, the baby Benz hustles along nicely.

I’ve experienced this trait in many German cars. Most are generally unresponsive from the start, but quick once the car is rolling at highway speeds.

In Germany, the performance emphasis is not on 0-to-60 mph times as it is in the United States. Over there, it’s a car’s top speed that is important. Germany, you’ll recall, has the Autobahn, a network of roads with no speed limits.

So if you are looking for a car that is snappy at slow speeds, you won’t find it in the C220.

Also, the four-cylinder engine buzzes fairly loudly wh en it is revved to 5,000 rpm or so.

TheC220, which replaced the old 190, comes only with a four-speed automatic transmission. When passing slower traffic, downshifting tended to be a bit rough. Other than that, gear changes are generally smooth.

On the plus side of the ledger, you can expect good fuel economy. The C220 delivered 21 mpg in city driving and 26 on a road trip.

HANDLING

The C220, like every other Mercedes-Benz I have tested, feels rock-solid on the road. The suspension is fairly firm, which enables the small sedan to handle fast turns with ease.

Mercedes engineers have outfitted the front and rear suspension with devices that keep the car level no matter how sharp you turn or how hard you brake. So the body stays straight and the car remains easy to maneuver even if you push it hard in curves.

The road noise that works its way into the C220’s cabin on brick roads and as the car rolls over potholes is uncharacteristically loud fo a Mercedes.

However, the power-assisted steering and four-wheel power-assisted anti-lock disc brakes work well. The steering wheel has a firm, solid feel to it, and turns are crisp and sharp. The brakes also are very responsive, and provide quick and effortless stops.

FIT AND FINISH

With the exception of the imitation leather material on the seats and door panels, I’m very impressed with the C220’s interior design.

Most striking is a beautiful curved strip of Zebrano wood that spans the base of the windshield. It matches the wood on the dash, center console and door panels.

The inviting interior has a classy design, one that radiates warmth.

The best way to describe the interior of the C220 is to say that it is user-friendly, stylish – and somewhat tight on legroom.

The easy-to-read white-on-black analog gauges, with their orange needles, are smaller versions of the ones used in Mercedes’ larger cars.

Most of the switches for such things as the cruise control and power mirrors are easy to reach and use.

The air conditioner and radio are operated by buttons in the center of the dash and are less than an arm’s length away. I found that the design of the dash and the placement of the controls made the car easy to drive.

However, there is one part of the interior that takes a bit of getting used to. The front bucket seats are very, very hard. Initially, you feel as if you could never be comfortable in them. But on one trip, I spent two uninterrupted hours behind the wheel and I found that the seats were not uncomfortable at all.

Headroom and legroom is tight for tall people, front and rear. I noticed that the rear portion of the front bucket seats have an indentation where rear-seat passengers can put their knees.

The baby Benz has a huge trunk that is very easy to load because the lid extends down to the upper portion of the rear bumper.

After a week and more than 300 miles, the C220 did not stand out in any particular way – although I do think the interior is nicely designed. Its performance is less than best in class; handling is average to good at best; interior room ranks far behind other near-luxury cars; and our test car lacked equipment, such as a CD player, radio-controlled door locks and traction control. Such items are standard on many other cars in this price range – including the Aurora.

Specifications:

1995 Mercedes-Benz C220 Base price: $30,950 Price as tested: $32,030 EPA rating: 23 mpg city/28 mpg highway Incentives: None

Truett’s tip: The Mercedes-Benz C220 has a classy and attractive interior. But performance from the 2.2-liter engine likely will do little to quicken your pulse.