GALLERY: W205 Mercedes-Benz C180 Avantgarde Gets 9G-Tronic ...

The W205 Mercedes-Benz C 180 isn’t exactly new to the market, having been introduced here since March 2016. With a price tag of RM228,888, it brought the entry price of the C-Class down by RM20k, thanks to local assembly.

However, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia quietly rolled out an updated version of the C 180 last November, bringing about some updates to the car as a whole. Changes include fitment of a new nine-speed automatic (9G-Tronic) transmission, illuminated door sills, ambient lighting, reverse camera and new wheels (twin five-spoke that was previously on the C 200 Avantgarde).

The nine-speeder gearbox was first introduced to the W205 model range in April 2017, but at the time its only recipients were the C 200 and C 250. When updated, both models came with a price hike of RM5,000, but the C 180 here retails for the same price as when it was first debuted. The C 350 e plug-in hybrid is the only C-Class that’s currently sold with the 7G-Tronic.

On the inside, the C 180 Avantgarde gets real leather (in black, grey or beige), as opposed to the man-made Artico leather from before. However, the single-zone air-conditioning remains, and the powered front seats do not include a memory function. It still doesn’t come with keyless entry, as that’s only on the C 250 AMG Line and above.

A basic piano black trim forms the centrepiece, furnished with an Audio 20 CD infotainment system (pre-installed with Garmin Map pilot GPS) with a seven-inch media display screen. The Mercedes-Benz Touchpad on the centre console is also present.

To recap, the C 180 is powered by a 1.6 litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine that makes 156 hp at 5,300 rpm and 250 Nm between 1,200 and 4,000 rpm. This enables it to perform the century sprint in 8.5 seconds — a shade slower than the 184 hp/300 Nm 2.0 litre turbo C 200, which performs the feat in 7.3 seconds. Top speed is rated at 223 km/h.

If this piques your interest, find out what we think of the C 180 in our in-depth review. For a detailed breakdown of its specifications and equipment, click here. To compare all C-Class models, head over to CarBase.my.

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