The Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2019 is a luxury vehicle that has undergone rigorous testing to ensure driver and passenger safety. This article provides a detailed analysis of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class safety ratings, drawing from evaluations conducted on models from 2015-2021, with specific attention to the 2019 model year where applicable. We will explore crash test performance, headlight evaluations, and front crash prevention systems to give you a complete picture of the safety features and performance of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2019.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side
The small overlap front crash test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts an object. This test is particularly challenging for vehicles. The 2016 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door model was tested to represent the 2015-21 C-Class range for driver-side small overlap performance.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Head/neck injury | G |
| Chest injury | G |
| Hip/thigh injury | G |
| Lower leg/foot injury | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | A |
Rating Scale: G=Good, A=Acceptable, M=Marginal, P=Poor
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class achieved a “Good” rating in most categories for driver injury measures and structure. However, the driver restraints and dummy kinematics were rated as “Acceptable”. During the test, the dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag but moved to the left due to the seat belt allowing excessive forward motion. Despite this, the side curtain airbag deployed effectively, offering head protection.
Action shot from the driver-side small overlap front crash test of a Mercedes-Benz C-Class, demonstrating vehicle deformation.
Post-crash dummy position in the Mercedes-Benz C-Class driver-side small overlap test, indicating good maintenance of survival space.
Detailed view of dummy head contact with airbag and subsequent leftward roll in the Mercedes-Benz C-Class small overlap driver-side test.
Footwell area of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class driver’s side post small overlap front crash, showing well-maintained space and low risk of leg and foot injuries.
Technical measurements from the driver-side test indicate minimal intrusion into the occupant compartment, further supporting the “Good” structural rating. Injury measures for the driver dummy were also low, with minimal risk to legs and feet.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side (2019-21 Models)
The passenger-side small overlap test is crucial for evaluating protection for the front passenger. This rating specifically applies to the 2019-21 Mercedes-Benz C-Class models. The 2019 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door was the tested vehicle.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck injury | G |
| Chest injury | G |
| Hip/thigh injury | G |
| Lower leg/foot injury | G |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck injury | G |
| Chest injury | G |
| Hip/thigh injury | G |
| Lower leg/foot injury | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2019 achieved a “Good” rating across all categories in the passenger-side small overlap test. This demonstrates excellent protection for both the driver and front passenger in this type of severe frontal collision. Both passenger and driver injury measures were rated “Good,” and the structure of the vehicle held up well.
Technical measurements for the passenger side confirm minimal occupant compartment intrusion and low injury measures for both passenger and driver dummies, reinforcing the “Good” ratings.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Test (2015-21 Models)
The moderate overlap front crash test represents a significant portion of real-world frontal collisions. This test was conducted on a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door 4wd and applies to the 2015-21 model years.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Head/neck injury | G |
| Chest injury | G |
| Leg/foot, left injury | G |
| Leg/foot, right injury | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class earned a “Good” rating in all aspects of the moderate overlap front crash test. This indicates robust protection in a common type of frontal impact. The structure, safety cage, and all driver injury measures were rated “Good,” demonstrating comprehensive safety performance.
Technical measurements show minimal footwell intrusion and instrument panel movement, contributing to the excellent occupant protection in a moderate overlap frontal crash. Driver injury measures were also very low across all categories.
Side Impact Crash Test: Original Test (2015-21 Models)
Side impact crashes are another serious concern in vehicle safety. The side impact test evaluates how well a vehicle protects occupants in a side collision. The 2015 Mercedes-Benz C 400 4-door 4wd, equipped with standard airbags, was used for this test, applicable to the 2015-21 C-Class models.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Head/neck injury | G |
| Torso injury | G |
| Pelvis/leg injury | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck injury | G |
| Torso injury | G |
| Pelvis/leg injury | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class achieved the highest rating of “Good” in all categories for the side impact crash test. This signifies exceptional protection for both front and rear occupants in a side collision. All driver and rear passenger injury measures, as well as head protection, were rated “Good.”
Technical measurements indicate minimal B-pillar intrusion into the occupant space, further validating the “Good” rating. Driver and passenger injury measures were also low, showcasing the effectiveness of the side-impact safety systems.
Roof Strength Test (2015-21 Models)
Roof strength is crucial in rollover accidents. This test measures the roof’s ability to withstand forces in such events. A 2016 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door was tested for roof strength, with results applying to the 2015-21 model years.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,522 lbs |
| Peak force | 24,642 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 7.00 |
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class earned a “Good” rating for roof strength. With a strength-to-weight ratio of 7.00, the roof can withstand over seven times the vehicle’s weight, indicating excellent protection in a rollover scenario.
Head Restraints & Seats
Head restraints and seats play a vital role in preventing neck injuries, especially in rear-end collisions. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class with power leather seats was evaluated in this category.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class received a “Good” overall rating for head restraints and seats. Both dynamic rating and seat/head restraint geometry were rated “Good,” indicating effective design in minimizing whiplash and related injuries in rear impacts.
Technical measurements confirm effective seat design parameters and low neck forces during testing.
Headlights
Headlight performance is critical for nighttime visibility and accident prevention. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2019 headlight ratings vary depending on the trim level and headlight package. Three headlight variations were tested.
Trim level: C300 with Adaptive High Beam Assist package
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating | G |
This trim with Adaptive High Beam Assist achieved a “Good” overall headlight rating. Low beams provided good visibility on straightaways and fair visibility on curves. High beams offered good straightaway visibility but varied on curves, with high-beam assist compensating for low beam limitations.
Trim level: C300 trim
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
| Overall rating | A |
The standard C300 trim headlights received an “Acceptable” overall rating. Similar to the previous trim, low beams offered good straightaway visibility but only fair curve visibility. High beam performance was also comparable, but without high-beam assist, the overall rating is lower.
Trim level: C300 with Exterior Lighting package
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | Yes |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating | A |
The C300 trim equipped with the Exterior Lighting package achieved an “Acceptable” overall rating. Despite being equipped with LED projector headlights and curve-adaptive features, glare from the low beams impacted the rating. Low beams offered good visibility on straightaways and varied curve visibility. High beams performed well on curves.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle (2019-21 Models)
Front crash prevention systems are designed to mitigate or prevent collisions with other vehicles. The 2019-21 Mercedes-Benz C-Class offers two front crash prevention systems.
System: Optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function
| Overall evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Superior |
With the optional Active Brake Assist system, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class achieved a “Superior” rating in vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention. The system successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests and meets forward collision warning requirements.
System: Standard Active Brake Assist
| Overall evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Superior |
The standard Active Brake Assist system also earned a “Superior” rating. Like the optional system, it avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests and includes forward collision warning.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day) (2019-21 Models)
Pedestrian front crash prevention is increasingly important for urban safety. The 2019-21 Mercedes-Benz C-Class pedestrian front crash prevention systems were evaluated.
System: Optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function
| Overall evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Superior |
The optional Active Brake Assist system achieved a “Superior” rating in pedestrian front crash prevention. It avoided collisions with a crossing child and adult at both 12 mph and 25 mph. It also significantly reduced speed in the parallel adult scenario.
System: Standard Active Brake Assist
| Overall evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Basic |
The standard Active Brake Assist system received a “Basic” rating for pedestrian front crash prevention. While it reduced speed in crossing child and adult scenarios, it failed to slow in the parallel adult test.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH) (2015-21 Models)
Child seat anchors (LATCH) make installing child seats easier and safer. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2019 LATCH system was evaluated for models from 2015-21.
| Overall evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class LATCH system was rated “Good” overall. It has two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with only a tether anchor. The lower anchors were found to be easy to access and maneuver around in positions 1 and 3.
In Conclusion
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2019 demonstrates strong safety performance across various crash tests and safety system evaluations. It consistently achieves “Good” ratings in key areas, particularly in crashworthiness, indicating a high level of occupant protection. While headlight ratings vary by trim, and pedestrian front crash prevention differs between standard and optional systems, the overall safety profile of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2019 is commendable, making it a safe choice in the luxury vehicle segment.
