Early photos had me worried the C-Class two-door would look bulbous past the B-pillars, with bloated shoulders and too much empty sheet metal above the rear fenders. The coupe looks trimmer in person, though it isn�t as lean as the sedan. Up front, the nose work � which is similar to that of the 2012 C-Class sedan � is most apparent in the headlights, which lose last year�s eyelids for a more scalloped look.
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Cabin materials appear a decided step up from the 2011 C-Class. The consolidated buttons about the center stack and steering wheel make for a cleaner, less scattershot look. The climate controls still use the old C�s flimsy dials, however, and I�ll have to spend more time in the coupe�s one-piece bucket seats. At first sit, these didn�t feel particularly comfortable.
Backseat entry is simple enough, thanks to a power driver�s seat that motors forward automatically for easy entrance and returns to its original position thereafter. Coupes often incur a long reach to the B-pillars for the seat belts, though luxury models often circumvent this with belt presenters that power forward when you get in. The C-Class coupe doesn�t have that feature, but the lower anchors slide along rails that allow for easy buckling while staying out of the way if you need to get in back. It�s a simple but effective trick.
Mercedes doesn�t have legroom specs for the coupe yet, but for comparison, I hopped in back of a C-Class sedan � not exactly a paragon of rear-seat roominess itself � and the differences are significant. Rear legroom is tight in the coupe, and any passengers you put back there may beg you to adjust your seat forward a bit. Headroom drops 1.4 inches versus the sedan, and adults won�t want to be back there for long.
Few people buy luxury coupes for their backseat confines, and some competitors � the Infiniti G37 coupe comes to mind � are downright inhospitable in back. Conversely, the BMW 3 Series coupe has surprisingly reasonable accommodations.
by Kelsey Mays
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