Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Every model year 2016–2027: recalls, owner complaints, NHTSA crash ratings and EPA efficiency side by side, each value traced to the file it came from.
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Every Mercedes-Benz C-Class model year
Source: NHTSA · EPA · one row per year| Year | Powertrains | Safety | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | Best efficiency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Hybrid | A | 0 | 0 | — | 29 mpg | |
| 2026 | Hybrid | A | 1 | 4 | — | 29 mpg | |
| 2025 | Plug-in hybrid Hybrid | B | 2 | 4 | — | 29 mpg | |
| 2024 | Hybrid | C | 3 | 15 | — | 30 mpg | |
| 2023 | Hybrid Gas | F | 10 | 26 | — | 29 mpg | |
| 2022 | Hybrid Gas | F | 9 | 26 | — | 29 mpg | |
| 2021 | Gas | D | 7 | 17 | ★★★★★ | 27 mpg | |
| 2020 | Gas | F | 12 | 46 | — | 28 mpg | |
| 2019 | Gas | F | 18 | 78 | — | 27 mpg | |
| 2018 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | F | 19 | 130 | ★★★★★ | 30 mpg | |
| 2017 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | F | 17 | 253 | ★★★★★ | 30 mpg | |
| 2016 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | F | 14 | 321 | ★★★★★ | 30 mpg |
Which model year the record favours
Source: recalls and complaints per year on the roadOn the filed record so far, the 2021 is the cleanest C-Class year we hold, and the 2017 the one to check hardest.
Both figures are divided by the number of years the car has been on sale, because otherwise the oldest year on the page loses every time simply for having been around longer. The current model year and any year under three on the road are left out: their records are not finished.
What owners filed about the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, by system
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsEvery system, every year →The systems the federal record is deep on for this nameplate: the complaints per model year, the mileage owners reported them at, and every recall, investigation and manufacturer bulletin filed under the heading — each one linked, none a failure rate.
What changed year to year
Source: computed from the filed record- 2027: 3 → 2 EPA configurations
- 2026: dropped plug-in hybrid; 4 → 3 EPA configurations
- 2025: added plug-in hybrid; best combined mpg 30 → 29; 3 → 4 EPA configurations
- 2024: dropped gas; best combined mpg 29 → 30; 11 → 3 EPA configurations
- 2023: 8 → 11 EPA configurations
- 2022: added hybrid; best combined mpg 27 → 29; 15 → 8 EPA configurations
- 2021: best combined mpg 28 → 27
- 2020: best combined mpg 27 → 28
- 2019: dropped plug-in hybrid; best combined mpg 30 → 27; 16 → 15 EPA configurations
- 2017: 6 → 16 EPA configurations
| Head-to-head | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 C-Class vs Genesis G70 · Compact Sedan | C-Class +7.1 | |
| 2027 C-Class vs Toyota Corolla · Compact Sedan | Corolla +21 | |
| 2027 C-Class vs Volkswagen Jetta · Compact Sedan | Jetta +11.1 | |
| 2027 C-Class vs Audi A3 · Compact Sedan | Toss-up | |
| 2027 C-Class vs Audi RS e-tron · Compact Sedan | RS e-tron +28.9 | |
| 2027 C-Class vs Aston Martin DB12 S · Coupe | C-Class +17.7 | |
| 2026 C-Class vs BMW 4 Series · Compact Sedan | C-Class +15.6 | |
| 2026 C-Class vs Audi S e-tron · Compact Sedan | S e-tron +50.1 | |
| 2025 C-Class vs BMW 3 Series · Midsize Sedan | Toss-up | |
| 2025 C-Class vs BMW i4 · Compact Hatchback | i4 +18.1 | |
| 2025 C-Class vs Porsche Taycan · Midsize Sedan | Taycan +26.4 |
Common questions about the Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich Mercedes-Benz C-Class year is the best used buy?
On the recall record, the 2021 C-Class comes out top of the years before the current one: Safety Signal grade D (68/100), 7 recalls and 17 owner complaints on file. That ranks paperwork, not condition — a specific car's history and service record still decide it.
What Mercedes-Benz C-Class years should I avoid?
2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 have the weakest recall records in this range. The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists yet. Every C-Class model year ranked, with the reasons.
How many recalls does the Mercedes-Benz C-Class have?
Across model years 2016–2027, NHTSA has posted 112 recall campaigns for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. They are counted per model year in the table above, because a campaign almost never covers the whole run — it covers a build range.