I was fortunate enough to be supplied with a 2001 model C200 Kompressor for two weeks of business travelling in the UK. This was a standard car with automatic transmission.

Well, looks are very subjective. The rump has been smartened up to mimic the more expensive models, but the front still looks a little 'chubby'. This is one of those cars that has to have metallic paint if it isn't to look like a barge.

Inside, two things stand out. 1) How easy it is to get comfy in the multi-adjustable electric seats, and 2) How quiet the car is when cruising on motorways. All the controls are there, although things like demist & heated rear-window are tucked away at the bottom. Everything else works as it should, and the multifunction computer controlled from the steering wheel is a bonus! Visibility wasn't too bad, but the front pillars are a tad wide for my liking.

The 200K engine seems equally at home wafting you about, as it is when driven more sportily, with the soft-ish suspension only really letting go when pushed hard. The Mercedes automatic box very refined and is hard to beat.

Overall, a very accomplished successor to the C-Class of old. Still stodgey, but that's expected from a car of this type. Is it worth the money - I'd say list is about £2k too much.