Rugged Mercedes-Benz C-Class All-Terrain ready for the trail

A Mercedes C-Class wagon that can go off-roading

When we think of a Mercedes-Benz that can go off-road, chances are it’s the G-Class that will immediately come to mind. It is the most rugged and capable SUV in the brand’s lineup, after all. But what if you wanted something more compact like a wagon but still be able to hit the trail? That’s where the new C-Class All-Terrain comes in.

It’s based on the current C-Class Estate/Wagon but is made to handle rugged terrain. According to Mercedes-Benz, the suspension of the All-Terrain has been raised by 40mm over the standard. The front suspension knuckles were also made bigger.

To further improve off-roading handling, the automaker added two new driving modes for the C-Class All-Terrain: Offroad and Offroad+. Offroad is meant for easier terrain, such as dirt roads, gravel, or sand. Meanwhile, Offroad+ is intended for somewhat steeper and heavier terrain and comes with downhill speed regulation (DSR).

Visually, the C-Class All-Terrain looks very much like a standard C-Class Estate/Wagon with black fender extensions. But there's more to it than just that. The All-Terrain features a different grille with vertical slats and a bar with small openings through the center. At the rear, a large portion of the bumper is given the black treatment as well. Customers can also order the optional Digital Light, which adds powerful LEDs to each headlight. The LEDs automatically activate once one of the off-road driving modes is selected to fully illuminate the road ahead.

Inside, it’s very much the same as the standard C-Class. The main difference would be the MBUX infotainment system of the All-Terrain. It comes with an off-road display screen that shows incline, decline, and steering angle. The vehicle’s geo-coordinates and a compass are also displayed.

Mercedes offers the C-Class All-Terrain with a variety of engines, both gasoline, and diesel. No matter what customers choose, however, they will all be electrically assisted. Needless to say, the brand's 4Matic all-wheel drive system comes standard.

The chances of Mercedes-Benz Philippines selling the C-Class All-Terrain are slim to none. But maybe if you ask nice enough, they’ll bring in a unit for you.