The 2020 Mercedes-benz C300 stands as a beacon of luxury and performance in the compact executive car segment. For prospective buyers and current owners alike, understanding its safety credentials is paramount. This comprehensive guide delves into the safety ratings of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz C300, providing an in-depth analysis based on rigorous testing standards. We will explore various crash test evaluations and preventative safety features, offering a clear picture of how well the C300 protects its occupants.
Comprehensive Safety Evaluation by IIHS
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a leading authority in vehicle safety testing. Their evaluations are crucial for consumers in making informed decisions. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class, including the 2020 C300 model, has undergone extensive testing by the IIHS. Let’s break down the results across different categories:
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side
This test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end (driver-side) impacts a barrier. It’s a demanding test that assesses how well the car’s structure and safety systems protect the driver in a severe frontal crash.
Rating: Acceptable
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good |
| Chest | Good |
| Hip/thigh | Good |
| Lower leg/foot | Good |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Acceptable |
The 2016 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door model was tested for this evaluation, which applies to 2015-21 models. The structure and safety cage of the C300 demonstrated “Good” integrity. Injury measures for the head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot were also rated “Good,” indicating a low risk of significant injuries in these areas.
However, the “Driver restraints and dummy kinematics” received an “Acceptable” rating. The test details reveal that while the dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag, it rolled to the left due to excessive forward movement allowed by the seat belt. The side curtain airbag deployed effectively, offering head protection from side structure and external objects.
Technical measurements from the driver-side small overlap test provide further insights:
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 5 |
| Footrest (cm) | 10 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 5 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 8 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 2 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Steering column | 1 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 4 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 4 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 4 |
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 161 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.0 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 5 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 21 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 1.2 |
| Right | 1.3 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 2.8 |
| Right | 2.4 |
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side
Introduced later by IIHS, the passenger-side small overlap test evaluates protection for the front passenger in a similar crash scenario.
Rating: Good
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good |
| Chest | Good |
| Hip/thigh | Good |
| Lower leg/foot | Good |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | Good |
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door model was tested, with the rating applicable to 2019-21 models. The C300 achieved a “Good” rating across all categories in this passenger-side test. This indicates robust protection for the passenger in a small overlap frontal crash.
Technical measurements for the passenger-side small overlap test:
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 6 |
| Footrest (cm) | 12 |
| Right toepan (cm) | 8 |
| Center toepan (cm) | 5 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 3 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Center dash (cm) | 1 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 5 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 4 |
| Right lower dash (cm) | 4 |
Passenger injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 109 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.9 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 12 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 25 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 0.2 |
| Right | 0.0 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 1.8 |
| Right | 1.7 |
Driver injury measures (also assessed in passenger-side test)
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 68 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.6 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 4 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 20 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 0.3 |
| Right | 0.7 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 0.6 |
| Right | 2.4 |
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Test
This is a more traditional frontal crash test where a larger portion of the vehicle’s front impacts a barrier.
Rating: Good
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good |
| Chest | Good |
| Leg/foot, left | Good |
| Leg/foot, right | Good |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Good |
Tested on a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door 4wd, this rating applies to 2015-21 models. The 2020 Mercedes-Benz C300 earns a “Good” rating across the board in the moderate overlap front test, indicating excellent protection in this common type of frontal collision.
Technical measurements for the moderate overlap front test:
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 1 |
| Left (cm) | 1 |
| Center (cm) | 1 |
| Right (cm) | 1 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 2 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 0 |
| Right (cm) | 0 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 3 |
| Rearward (cm) | -7 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 0 |
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 148 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.1 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 11 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 22 |
| Femur force – left (kN) | 1.6 |
| Femur force – right (kN) | 1.3 |
| Tibia axial force – left (kN) | 2.3 |
| Tibia axial force – right (kN) | 2.5 |
Side Impact Test: Original Test
The side impact test assesses how well the vehicle protects occupants in a side collision, simulating a vehicle being struck by another vehicle.
Rating: Good
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good |
| Torso | Good |
| Pelvis/leg | Good |
| Driver head protection | Good |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good |
| Torso | Good |
| Pelvis/leg | Good |
| Rear passenger head protection | Good |
Tested on a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C 400 4-door 4wd, the rating is applicable to 2015-21 models. The 2020 C300 earned a “Good” rating across all aspects of the side impact test, demonstrating excellent protection for both front and rear occupants in side crashes. The vehicle was equipped with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front seat-mounted torso airbags during the test.
Technical measurements from the side impact test:
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | VTS1417 |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -20.5 |
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 228 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.0 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.3 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 35 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 3.6 |
Passenger injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 225 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.1 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 22 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 4.2 |
Roof Strength Test
This test evaluates the structural integrity of the roof in a rollover scenario.
Rating: Good
| Overall evaluation | Good |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,522 lbs |
| Peak force | 24,642 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 7.00 |
Tested on a 2016 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door, the rating applies to 2015-21 models. The 2020 C300 achieved a “Good” rating, with a strength-to-weight ratio of 7.00. This indicates that the roof can withstand over 7 times the vehicle’s weight, providing strong protection in rollover accidents.
Head Restraints & Seats
This evaluation assesses the effectiveness of head restraints and seats in preventing neck injuries in rear-end collisions.
Rating: Good
| Overall evaluation | Good |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | Good |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | Good |
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz C300 with power leather seats received a “Good” rating for head restraints and seats. Both dynamic rating and seat/head restraint geometry were evaluated as “Good,” signifying effective protection against whiplash and related injuries in rear impacts.
Technical measurements for head restraints & seats:
| Seat type | Power leather seat |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 38 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | -14 |
| Seat design parameters | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 16.1 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 57 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 21 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 464 |
Headlights Performance
Headlight performance is critical for nighttime driving safety. IIHS evaluates headlights based on visibility and glare. The 2020 Mercedes-Benz C300 has been evaluated with different headlight variations.
Trim level: C300 trim equipped with Adaptive High Beam Assist package
Rating: Good
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | Good |
This trim, featuring LED reflector low and high beams, curve-adaptive functionality, and high-beam assist, achieves a “Good” overall rating. While low beams had fair visibility on curves and some glare, the high-beam assist compensates for low beam limitations on curves.
Trim level: C300 trim (standard)
Rating: Acceptable
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | Acceptable |
The standard C300 trim with LED reflector low and high beams (without curve-adaptive or high-beam assist) receives an “Acceptable” overall rating. Similar to the “Good” rated headlights, low beams present some glare, and curve visibility is fair.
Trim level: C300 trim equipped with Exterior Lighting package
Rating: Acceptable
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | Acceptable |
Equipped with LED projector low and high beams, curve-adaptive functionality, and high-beam assist, this trim also earns an “Acceptable” rating. Despite curve-adaptive features and high-beam assist, glare from low beams is noted.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Forward collision prevention systems are increasingly important for avoiding accidents. The IIHS tests vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention systems at 12 mph and 25 mph.
System: Optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function (Driver Assistance Package)
Rating: Superior
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
|---|---|
| Forward Collision Warning | Meets requirements |
| 12 mph test | Collision Avoided |
| 25 mph test | Collision Avoided |
The optional “Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function” system in the Driver Assistance Package earns a “Superior” rating. The system successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests and meets forward collision warning requirements.
System: Standard Active Brake Assist
Rating: Superior
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
|---|---|
| Forward Collision Warning | Meets requirements |
| 12 mph test | Collision Avoided |
| 25 mph test | Collision Avoided |
The standard “Active Brake Assist” system also achieves a “Superior” rating. It also successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests and meets forward collision warning requirements, demonstrating a high level of standard preventative safety.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
Pedestrian detection and prevention systems are crucial for urban safety. IIHS tests pedestrian front crash prevention in daytime conditions.
System: Optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function (Driver Assistance Package)
Rating: Superior
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
|---|---|
| Crossing child (12 mph & 25 mph) | Collision Avoided |
| Crossing adult (12 mph & 25 mph) | Collision Avoided |
| Parallel adult (25 mph) | Impact speed reduced by 24 mph |
| Parallel adult (37 mph) | Nearly avoided collision (warning issued) |
The optional system shows “Superior” performance in pedestrian detection. It avoided collisions in crossing child and adult scenarios at both 12 mph and 25 mph. In the parallel adult scenario at 25 mph, impact speed was significantly reduced, and near collision avoidance was achieved at 37 mph with a warning issued.
System: Standard Active Brake Assist
Rating: Basic
| Overall evaluation | Basic |
|---|---|
| Crossing child (12 mph) | Impact speed reduced by 8 mph |
| Crossing child (25 mph) | Impact speed reduced by 16 mph |
| Crossing adult (12 mph) | Collision Avoided |
| Crossing adult (25 mph) | Impact speed reduced by 18 mph |
| Parallel adult (25 mph & 37 mph) | Failed to slow |
The standard “Active Brake Assist” system achieves a “Basic” rating for pedestrian front crash prevention. While it avoided collision with a crossing adult at 12 mph and reduced speed in other scenarios, its performance is less robust than the optional system, particularly failing to slow down in parallel adult scenarios.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
The ease of use of LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) systems for child seat installation is also evaluated by IIHS.
Rating: Good
| Overall evaluation | Good |
|---|---|
| Number of rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware | 2 |
| Additional seating positions with tether anchor only | 1 |
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz C300 earns a “Good” rating for child seat anchors. It has two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with a tether anchor, offering good flexibility for child seat installation.
Conclusion: 2020 Mercedes-Benz C300 Safety Performance
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz C300 demonstrates a strong commitment to safety, as evidenced by its IIHS ratings. It achieves “Good” ratings in most crashworthiness evaluations, highlighting its ability to protect occupants in various collision types. The availability of advanced front crash prevention systems, both standard and optional, further enhances its safety profile.
While the driver-side small overlap test resulted in an “Acceptable” rating due to dummy kinematics, the overall safety performance of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz C300 remains commendable. Prospective buyers can have confidence in the safety features and crash protection offered by this luxury vehicle, especially when equipped with optional safety packages. For detailed safety information and to compare ratings with other vehicles, always refer to the official IIHS website.
