2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Tested vehicle: 2013 Mercedes-Benz C 250 4-door
Rating applies to 2013-14 models built after December 2012

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was redesigned for the 2008 model year. Beginning with 2010 models, an airbag for the driver's knees was added to improve occupant protection in frontal crashes. Beginning with 2013 models built after December 2012, the side curtain airbags were reprogrammed to deploy in small overlap frontal crashes to further improve occupant protection (note: information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on or near the driver door).

Two tests of the C-Class were conducted, one a 2012 model and the other a 2013 model built after the side curtain airbags were reprogrammed. In the first test, the driver side curtain airbag did not deploy; in the second test, it deployed as intended. The ratings and vehicle specifications listed are for the second test, but because the car's structure was not changed, the structural rating is based on both tests.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CEN1211	CEN1327
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm)	9	12
Footrest (cm)	32	50
Left toepan (cm)	24	29
Brake pedal (cm)	21	22
Parking brake (cm)	14	20
Rocker panel lateral average (cm)	0	1
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column	4	4
Upper hinge pillar max (cm)	9	11
Upper dash (cm)	11	10
Lower instrument panel (cm)	11	11

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CEN1327
Head
HIC-15	248
Peak gs at hard contact	no contact
Neck
Tension (kN)	0.8
Extension bending moment (Nm)	9
Maximum Nij	0.15
Chest maximum compression (mm)	20
Femur (kN)
Left	4.9
Right	3.2
Knee displacement (mm)
Left	3
Right	3
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left	3
Right	1
Maximum tibia index
Left	2.14
Right	1.13
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left	10.6
Right	4.1
Foot acceleration (g)
Left	147
Right	98

About the small overlap front test

Tested vehicle: 2010 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door
Rating applies to 2010-14 models

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was redesigned for the 2008 model year. Beginning with 2010 models, an airbag for the driver's knees was added to improve occupant protection in frontal crashes. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Mercedes-Benz.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	VTF0905
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm)	1
Left (cm)	1
Center (cm)	2
Right (cm)	1
Brake pedal (cm)	3
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm)	1
Right (cm)	3
Steering column movement
Upward (cm)	-4
Rearward (cm)	-6
A-pillar rearward movement (cm)	1

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	VTF0905
Head
HIC-15	173
Peak gs at hard contact	23
Neck
Tension (kN)	1.3
Extension bending moment (Nm)	8
Maximum Nij	0.30
Chest maximum compression (mm)	32
Legs
Femur force - left (kN)	1.6
Femur force - right (kN)	2.3
Knee displacement - left (mm)	2
Knee displacement - right (mm)	2
Maximum tibia index - left	0.36
Maximum tibia index - right	0.50
Tibia axial force - left (kN)	3.1
Tibia axial force - right (kN)	3.6
Foot acceleration (g)
Left	57
Right	75

About the original moderate overlap front test

Tested vehicle: 2009 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front seat-mounted torso/pelvis airbags
Rating applies to 2009-14 models

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was redesigned for the 2008 model year. Beginning with 2009 models, the front-seat mounted side torso airbags were modified to include an additional chamber to protect the pelvis in side-impact crashes.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID	CES0842
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm)	-20.5
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CES0842
Head HIC-15	165
Neck
Tension (kN)	0.8
Compression (kN)	0.4
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm)	44
Lateral force (kN)	1.6
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm)	35
Average deflection (mm)	30
Maximum deflection rate (m/s)	2.97
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s)	0.45
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN)	2.0
Acetabulum force (kN)	2.2
Combined force (kN)	3.8
Left femur
L-M force (kN)	0.1
L-M moment (Nm)	74
A-P moment (Nm)	40

Passenger injury measures

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CES0842
Head HIC-15	155
Neck
Tension (kN)	0.5
Compression (kN)	0.5
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm)	15
Lateral force (kN)	0.9
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm)	17
Average deflection (mm)	13
Maximum deflection rate (m/s)	2.17
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s)	0.19
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN)	1.6
Acetabulum force (kN)	1.0
Combined force (kN)	2.6
Left femur
L-M force (kN)	0.6
L-M moment (Nm)	89
A-P moment (Nm)	-48

About the original side crash test

Tested vehicle: 2010 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4-door
Rating applies to 2008-14 models

Seat type: Power leather seats AHR

Technical measurements for this test

Seat type	Power leather seats AHR
Geometry
Backset (mm)	40
Distance below top of head (mm)	36
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail	Pass
Max T1 acceleration (g)	11.7
Head contact time (ms)	52
Force rating	1
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N)	34
Max neck tension (N)	453

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.