The Mercedes-AMG C43 Wagon Is Better the Faster You Drive It
Here are some lesser-known facts about Canada. Our national bird is the Zamboni. The ministry of external cultural affairs is run by three brothers: Ricky, Julian and Bubbles. Our official motto is "In Gord We Trust." And, lastly, Canadians can currently buy a twin-turbocharged AMG C-class wagon. You in the US can't. Sorry.
But take heart, neighbours (we can't spell "neighbour" without "U." Again, sorry). Canada isn't just America's Hat. In the automotive world, it's also America's test kitchen. Er, garage.
There are any number of examples where manufacturers test out their wares on Canadians before bringing them stateside. Volkswagen arrived here before it did in the US. So did Honda. So did Hyundai. As a relatively tiny market with tastes similar to American buyers, Canada provides an opportunity for carmakers to try things out. If it doesn't work, just blame the failure on too many bears and issue an apology in both official languages.
Here's Mercedes-Benz's current experiment, the C43 wagon. According to Mercedes-Benz of Canada, one in two C-class wagons sold here are the AMG variant. (There's also a C300 four-cylinder turbo model.)
The C43 starts at $59,900 Canadian, which, converted into US dollars, is about the same starting price as an all-wheel-drive C300 sedan down south. Currency fluctuations aside, Canadians pay a scant $900 premium for the wagon variant versus sedan. Why would you not?
If the E63S longroof available in both markets is a war wagon, the C43 is more a warm wagon. Its engine is not a full AMG product, assembled by a single technician, but more an AMG-flavored item. Mercedes-Benz continues to leverage the AMG brand onto a host of mid-range models: AMG the front-biased hatchback, AMG the crossover, AMG the breakfast cereal.
Thus, while the C43's 385-hp twin-turbo V-6 matches the power rating of the old 6.0L Hammer, it's not quite as special. Peak power for all C43 variants is up a bit this year, thanks to larger turbochargers, and arrives at 6100 rpm. Torque output remains the same at 384 lb-ft from 2000-5000 rpm.
Late for hockey practice? Throw your sticks in the boot, prod the C43's ignition button, and let 'er rip, bud. The wagon back means 16.2 cubic feet with the seats up, or 52.2 with the seats down. That's enough even for goalies.
Further, even if you've gotta chirp at Mercedes a bit for watering down the AMG badge a bit, this is still one really quick wagon. Mercedes claims the C43 is only three tenths of a second slower to highway speed (62 mph, or up here, 100 km/h) compared to a 429-hp E53 Wagon, and an irrelevant one tenth slower than a C43 sedan. This is a small family wagon that'll run through the traps at the end of the quarter mile in the mid-12 second range, at above 110 mph. Just givin' er, right?
For half the price of an E63S wagon, the C43 sure seems like more than half the car. And, considering that there's so little competition, it should be hard to muster up any complaints.
But there are a few flies in the ointment or, as we say in Canada, a few beavers in the poutine. In all three drive modes—Sport, Sport+ or Comfort—the ride is about as forgiving as Dave Semenko. When the pavement gets cracked, the C43 drops the gloves, pulls your jersey over your head, and starts feeding you right in the kidneys.
That's not particularly Mercedes-like, and a few further faults can be found in the interior. Like the standard C-class, the C43 looks good on initial viewing, but starts feeling a little less than top-quality as you get familiar with it. The rotary dial COMAND infotainment system is also less than intuitive in menu choices, and the silver steering wheel controls are hard to read.
A little more polish wouldn't go amiss here to create a vehicle slightly more in-tune with the silver star on its nose. As far as the AMG badge on the back, the C43 certainly feels worthy to wear it.
All-wheel-drive is standard, split 31/69 in favor of the rear axle. The steering isn't the equal of BMW's latest 3-series, but it is surprisingly good by Mercedes standards. The nine-speed automatic is a little clunky in low-speed, around town driving, but the transmission snaps through the gears in Sport+, responding quickly to paddle shifter inputs.
In short, less driving around like a stereotypical nice Canadian, more caning it like Gilles Villeneuve getting groceries. The C43 really only starts to make sense when you get all French Canadian with it, carving around all the slow Anglos in your way.
The E-class wagon might be the family freight train, but the C-class is lighter on its feet. It's nimble and sure-footed, and if the twin-turbocharged V-6 isn't a hand-crafted affair as in a full AMG, Mercedes has at least done a good job of teaching it to sit up and bark. The quad exhausts crackle away on downshifts.
It's a really great drive, one that we're lucky to have available up here. Mercedes doesn't offer any official figures yet to show whether their experiment is working, but the 50-percent take rate on the AMG variant for the C-class wagon does at least show that there's some demand in the market.
Which should come as no surprise. Yes, the small luxury-performance wagon market is a sliver of a niche, but it's underserved. BMW doesn't build a 340i wagon, and the Audi S4 Avant hasn't been available in North America for ages.
Mercedes' decision to offer a small AMG wagon feels like a love letter to enthusiasts who dream about an E63S longroof, but can't afford the payments. Hopefully enough Canadians snap them up such that Mercedes might loosen the wagon supply chain into the US market as well.
Until then, the C43 wagon is only available north of the border. Sorry, buds. Maybe try plying the Germans with some maple syrup? It worked for us.
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