The moose test is not just about avoiding these massive quadrupeds standing on skinny legs. It's also an evaluation of a vehicle's handling in emergency situations. This time, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz C 300 e gets to swerve through the cones, and the plug-in hybrid sedan performs quite well.
For the first run, the C-Class has an entrance speed of 48 miles per hour (77 kilometers per hour). The car hit two cones, but the driver reported that the steering reacted well to the rapid change in direction.
The sedan's highest successful speed is 45 mph (73 kph). The suspension keeps body roll under control.
The C-Class also goes through a slalom in 24.2 seconds. The best performer in this channel's test is the Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack with a time of 22.8 seconds. The BMW i4, Lexus NX 350h, and Peugeot 308 Hybrid all do this challenge in 24.0 seconds.
The Mercedes-Benz C 300 e uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with an electric motor. This setup makes a total of 308 horsepower (230 kilowatts). The power goes to the rear wheels through a nine-speed automatic, but there's also a 4Matic all-wheel-drive variant.
The sedan reaches 62 mph (100 kph) in 6.1 seconds. The top speed is 152 mph (245 kph).
The charging system supports up to 11 kW on AC and 55 kW from a DC charger. Going from 10 percent to 80 percent on DC takes 20 minutes.
The C 300 e is not part of the current C-Class lineup in the United States. Americans get the C 300 and C 300 4Matic. Both have a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 255 hp (190 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque. There's also the AMG C 43, which arrives later this year, with a 2.0-liter turbo making 402 hp (300 kW) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm).
Next year, the C 63 S E-Performance joins the lineup with a plug-in-hybrid 2.0-liter turbo that makes a healthy 671 hp (500 kW) and 752 lb-ft (1,020 Nm).
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