If you’re looking for the perfect daily driver, what features are top of your list? Your car of choice has to be practical and comfortable but also enjoyable to drive. You need a model with great fuel economy and something that won’t cost you a fortune. It’s not easy to find a car like that, and if you look at a brand like Mercedes, you might think it’s impossible.
The truth is, across the Mercedes lineup, there are some excellent everyday cars. Those famous models, like the C63 AMG, the S-Class, or the G-Wagon, are the Mercedes everyone knows, but what about the rest of their range?
Below, I’ve covered the whole Mercedes lineup and picked a handful of my favorite daily drivers. I’ll talk you through why I’ve chosen them and cover their cost, practicality, technology, and more.
Let’s get started!
GLA 250 4MATIC
- From: $39,500
- 221 BHP
- 28 MPG
The first Mercedes on our list is the GLA250. This is the smallest and least expensive SUV in the current Mercedes range, and although it’s not their best car, it’s got its share of impressive features.
Performance
The 250 spec is the least powerful GLA in the range, with Mercedes’ turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. You still have access to 221 bhp though, which should be enough for most commutes and everyday use. AMG versions of the GLA increase performance significantly, but you can have too much power in your everyday car.
With the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system and an 8-speed automatic gearbox, the GLA will handle most conditions with ease. It’s not the most capable SUV for off-road conditions, but it will handle bad weather much better than the front-wheel-drive version.
Fuel Economy
Even with an all-wheel-drive system, the GLA 250 averages just under 30 mpg. This isn’t terrible for an SUV, and it’s manageable for everyday use. The front-wheel-drive model is slightly better on gas mileage, but we think the AWD capabilities are worth the small sacrifice here.
Comfort
Starting with the seats in the GLA, you have the choice of MBTex (Mercedes’ synthetic material) or their entry-grade leather. The MBTex is the better choice for everyday use, as it lasts longer and it’s easier to maintain, but leather is more comfortable.
The cabin feels slightly cramped if you compare the GLA to other SUVs, but it’s comfortable enough for most journeys. Front head and leg room are fine, but taller passengers will suffer in the back. The ‘sit up’ driving position makes commuting easier too, but it takes away some of the driving enjoyment.
Practicality
As a small SUV, you’d expect the GLA to be practical, and it meets some of those expectations. The interior is well-designed, with plenty of storage spaces, both large and small. The trunk is over 15 cubic ft, and there’s no lip, so loading heavy objects is easier. Fold the seats down, and you have access to 50 cubic ft, making this one of the most practical cars on this list.
Quality
The GLA might feel dated compared to other Mercedes models, but there’s still a lot of quality here. We spoke about the seats in our comfort section, and they aren’t the best materials, but a low-spec Mercedes seat is still better than most manufacturers.
Dashboard trim choices include wood options and a carbon-style film. Personally, the wood effects look out of place in this car, but it’s still a popular option. Elsewhere in the cabin, you have a range of soft-touch plastics, well-made switches & dials, but the occasional hard plastic panel. As an SUV, you shouldn’t expect an S-Class-level interior here.
Technology
In the past few years the level of tech across the Mercedes range has improved dramatically. Models like the S-Class and GLS always had impressive features, but if you wanted a low grade Mercedes the technology didn’t meet expectations. That’s mostly changed in their current lineup, and you can see this in the GLA.
As standard, you get a dual-screen setup in the GLA 250 with a digital driver’s display. I’d strongly recommend the Premium pack; it gives you larger screens, keyless entry, and a hands-free tailgate, all features that make daily use a lot easier.
Along with the Premium pack, if you upgrade to the Multimedia package, you have augmented navigation. When I first tried this, it felt like a marketing feature, but it’s definitely useful if you need to use your satnav often. For any audiophiles out there, the Burmester upgrade is a little expensive, at $850, but it’s a major improvement.
The GLA 250 also comes with the option for a Drivers Assitance Pack. As the name suggests, you get a variety of driver assistance tools here, from lane keeping to evasive steering assist. It’s $1,700, but it’s worth considering for all the features.
Final Verdict
I’ve never been interested in the GLA; when it first came out, I didn’t like the design, and the interior was incredibly basic. The design of the current GLA is slightly better, but where it truly shines is the interior. This is a car I could happily spend time driving each day, and it could be a fantastic daily driver.
A220
- From $33,950
- 188 BHP
- 29 MPG
Next, we have the smallest Mercedes sedan, the A220. This is their entry-level A-Class model and is designed as an ideal ‘city’ sedan. For some owners, it will lack power and practicality, but it’s low-cost, efficient, and filled with tech.
Performance
With 188 bhp from a turbocharged 2-Liter engine, the A220 won’t impress anyone with it’s straight-line speed. You can get to 60 mph in just over 7 seconds, but that’s not what the A-Class is about, and that doesn’t make a good daily driver.
In the real, everyday commuting world, is 188 bhp enough? For most situations, it easily will be, and this is a fairly small car, so Mercedes don’t need to fit a V6 here.
Fuel Economy
With a small engine, the fuel economy of the A220 is ideal for daily driving. A claimed 29 mpg combined makes for great reading, and you should comfortably hit mid 30’s for highway gas mileage. The A-Class can’t compete with the efficiency of some electric models in the Mercedes range, but it’s one of the best gas-powered cars for avoiding the fuel station.
Comfort
As the smallest car in the Mercedes range, the A220 isn’t the most comfortable vehicle. Sports seats come as standard, and they offer a good amount of lumbar support, but taller drivers will feel uncomfortable on longer journeys. One impressive area is the option for heated & ventilated front seats, which are rarely found on cars in this segment.
You get MBTex seats as standard here, and like the GLA, you can upgrade to leather for slightly more comfort. Overall though, like any small sedan, the A220 is built for shorter trips in the city, and it’s an ok place to be for those kinds of journeys.
Practicality
Practicality isn’t amazing here, but it’s better than you think. Inside the A220, you have over 40 inches of front headroom, and as a tall driver (6 ft 5) I’ve managed in cars with less space. In the rear, that headroom figure drops to 37 inches with the roofline, so most taller adults will find this uncomfortable.
The trunk can hold up to 8.6 cubic ft of storage, but you can fold the seats down for additional space. Even for a small sedan, this does feel like a letdown, and rivals like the BMW 2 Series GC and Audi A3 both have more space.
Quality
Where the A-Class starts to redeem itself as a great daily driver is when you look at the quality. Interior styling is similar to what we covered in the GLA, and that’s no bad thing. Dashboard materials and soft-touch plastics help to give the cabin a premium feel, and the upgraded ambient lighting system is something you won’t see from ‘lesser’ brands.
For a car starting at just under $34,000, the A220 features an interior that would feel at home on a $50,000+ vehicle. It’s not the best Mercedes has to offer, but even if you drive this car every day, it’ll take you a long time to find faults with the quality.
Technology
Mercedes is in the process of updating the A-Class, so we don’t know how this will change the available tech, but the current model is packed with features. It’s not all perfect; the ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice control system got old quickly for me, but the rest of the features are excellent.
You get the same screens as the GLA and the same upgradable option through the Premium pack. With five USB-C ports, you can charge everything you’ll ever need, and Apple CarPlay & Android Auto come as standard.
Final Verdict
The A220 won’t be for everyone, but if you need a car for city commuting and want change from $40,000, an upgraded A-Class is one of your best options. We’ll be interested to see how Mercedes improves the A-Class in their coming model change, but this current version is excellent for short commutes and trips.
CLA 250
- From $39,350
- 221 BHP
- 31 MPG
Our next Mercedes is the CLA, in its lowest spec, the CLA 250. Mercedes calls this a coupe, but it’s really a blend of different designs, with a sloping coupe-style roofline and the four doors of a traditional sedan. As a result, it’s a car trying to be a few different things at once, but is it any use as a daily driver?
Performance
With a 2.0-liter engine, the CLA 250 produces 221 bhp and a claimed 0-60mph time of 6.3 seconds. From what we’ve seen on other Mercedes models in this list, the CLA’s performance is right where you need for a daily driver.
The CLA comes in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive setups, and we’ve gone for the FWD version here. It’s not as practical as the AWD system, but you have better fuel economy, and in a car like this, FWD is going to be fine for most owners.
Fuel Economy
The fuel economy of the CLA 250 is one of this car’s best assets. With a claimed 31 MPG combined, the CLA 250 offers you the best gas mileage of any gas-powered Mercedes Benz. It might not match the numbers from other manufacturers, but when you’re shopping for a Mercedes, you should be treating fuel economy as a bonus, not a major factor.
Comfort
I’ve driven the previous generation CLA model, and judging by how similar this current car looks, I’d expect it to be as comfortable. My experience in a CLA was brief, but I’d put it alongside the A-Class in comfort levels. Both models use the same seats, and the CLA-250 includes the option to make those seats ventilated for extra comfort.
I’ll cover this more in the practicality section, but like the A220, your rear passengers are going to have a worse time than anyone sat up front. For everyday use, the driver will be fine but don’t expect adults to be happy in the back on long journeys. Kids should have no problem, but the coupe styling doesn’t help.
Practicality
This takes us nicely onto practicality. Headroom in the front is only 38.5 inches, which is borderline for a car like this. In the rear you have less than 36 inches, so it’s not a fun place for any taller passengers. Legroom in the rear is poor, too, the result of a coupe styling choice with four doors.
Trunk storage helps the CLA reclaim some honor. You have 11.6 cubic ft, which is a noticeable amount more than the A220. It’s still lower than most sedans, but if you were put off by the lack of trunk space in the A-Class, this should help.
Quality
There isn’t much to say here that we haven’t covered already above. The build quality of the CLA is solid, with an almost identical layout to the A220. You have the same choice of seat colors & materials and the same dashboard trims. If you’re coming from an E-Class or a GLE then you’ll notice the shortcomings, but the CLA still shines when up against its main rivals.
Technology
This is another sector where we see a mirror of the A220. There’s everything here for a daily vehicle, from driver assistance tech to automated parking and sound system upgrades. There’s also the option for heated & ventilated seats we talked about earlier.
Final Verdict
Overall, CLA250 offers a slightly different experience than the A220, which will suit some drivers and put others off. The CLA has almost everything you need in a daily driver; the fuel economy is good, there’s plenty of technology, and the cabin is an enjoyable place to be. It lacks practicality though, and for some of you, that will be a deal breaker.
C300
- From $44,850
- 255 BHP
- 31 MPG
Our final Mercedes is the entry-level C-Class model, the C300. For most of you, the perfect daily driver is a sedan, and the C-Class has been one of the most successful premium sedans of the past few decades. With over 50,000 sold every year since 2000 in the US alone, this is a popular model, so what makes the C300 so good?
Performance
As the entry-level C-Class, you get a 2.0-Liter engine in the C300. This is the most powerful car on our list, with 255 bhp and a 0-60mph time of 6 seconds flat. Those aren’t performance car numbers, but as we’ve said before, anything over 200 bhp is enough for everyday use.
The C300 comes in rear-wheel or all-wheel drivetrains. We’ve picked the RWD version here, saving $2,000 off the MSRP. For some of you, the AWD option will be tempting, so consider that extra cost.
Fuel Economy
With a claimed 31 MPG combined, the C300 matches the CLA250 for fuel economy. Part of this is thanks to the mild hybrid technology in this car, allowing you to coast fuel-free. Mercedes have put work into this system specifically for the gas mileage benefits, and for everyday drivers, it makes the difference.
Comfort
The C300 isn’t the most comfortable premium sedan on the market, but it’s close. The standard MB-Tex seats are comfortable enough, but the AMG-Line leather is a step up. Unlike the seats in the A220 and CLA250, the C300 includes better support for the head and shoulders too.
As a sedan, the C300 offers the best rear passenger comfort out of any car on this list. The seat position is comfortable, and as we’ll see in the practicality section, there is enough space for most adults.
Practicality
With over 40 inches of headroom in the front and 37.5 in the rear, longer journeys will be manageable with a car full. The C300 has the most legroom of any Mercedes on this list too, so passengers shouldn’t have any complaints.
With 12.6 cubic ft of trunk space, the C300 is surprisingly practical for storage. It’s not going to beat a BMW 3 Series for practicality, but the sleeker design of the C-Class isn’t a major issue here.
Quality
The C-Class has just received an updated interior, and this has stepped up the already-high level of quality materials in this car. Compared to the models we’ve already covered, the interior of the C300 is simply a better place to be, with more fabric materials and metal instead of the usual plastic.
We’ve talked about the seats already, with nine different materials and color choices. You also have a choice of six dashboard trims, with wood and metallic options. The Walnut finish is our favorite, although it does clash with the high-tech feeling you get from the rest of the interior.
Technology
Mercedes seem to be improving their tech at a lightning pace recently, and this shows in the C300. The other models we’ve covered in this article featured a twin-screen setup across the dash, but the C300 now features a giant central touchpad fit vertically along the center console. This control screen replaces almost every physical button, and while I’m not a fan of the screen-only approach, it’s an impressive feature.
Options and packs work differently on the C300. Your extra features are now included as trim levels – the basic premium trim includes features like ambient lighting and heated front seats, with extra features locked behind higher trim levels. The Exclusive trim includes an upgraded 3D sound system, 360-degree camera, and parking assist, and the Pinnacle trim includes a HUD and augmented navigation.
Final Verdict
For me, the C300 is the ultimate Mercedes daily driver. It’s expensive and has more technology than you’ll need, but this is an excellent car. It’s comfortable, has impressive gas mileage, and is a practical sedan. There are higher-quality Mercedes models, but the C300 offers a great balance.
Other Choices
The cars above represent our favorite Mercedes models for everyday use, but there are a few more on our shortlist:
EQB 250: This larger electric SUV is far more practical than the GLA, and great for anyone needing the extra space. It’s expensive though, starting at over $52,000, and slightly too much for a daily driver.
E350 Sedan: The E-Class is essentially an upgrade to the C-Class range, with more tech, better materials, and more space. It’s over $10,000 more than a C300 though, but the E350 represents one of the best premium sedans on the market.
GLB 250: Like the EQB, this gas-powered SUV is incredibly practical, and offers you the option for 7 seats. Starting at just under $40,000 it’s also an affordable choice, if you need that extra space from a mid size SUV.
If you found this article helpful, you can find out more about all things Mercedes from our other articles below:
