Recently, I had the chance to drive an Abarth and a McLaren on Royu Driveway, and got to experience firsthand that there are plenty of wonderful cars out there beyond Porsche. Ever since, I’ve been even more keen to get behind the wheel of cars from a variety of manufacturers.
Test-driving different cars should help me assess them more objectively. And as a woman, I think it would be fun to report on cars that are enjoyable to drive from a mother’s and wife’s perspective.
For context, the situations in which I usually drive are:
① Around town (picking up the kids from preschool or daycare, shopping, and so on)
② On the highway (mid-distance trips of up to 100 km round trip)
I rarely push hard on mountain roads like Royu Driveway, and I never go to the track. So, for now, I want to focus on whether a car is comfortable and fun to drive without stress around town and on the highway. I suspect that’s how many wives and mothers use their cars, too.
To get a little more specific, here are the things I look for:
【What Matters to Me】
✓ Ride comfort (I like a firm but smooth ride)
✓ Rear-seat comfort (If it’s too cramped, I can imagine the kids in the back complaining nonstop)
✓ Handling (I want responsive handling and steering that has a moderate amount of weight—not too light)
✓ Throttle and brake response (I want the car to respond in proportion to how much I press the pedals, rather than doing little at first and then suddenly lurching into action)
✓ A decent amount of power (I don’t need an outrageous 500 horsepower, but I want the car to accelerate properly when I press the throttle—not just make noise without going anywhere)
✓ High-speed stability (I want it to feel secure cruising straight and changing lanes at highway speeds)
✓ Driving enjoyment (It’s hard to put into words, but does the car make you want to keep driving?)
✓ Simple, beautiful design (I’m not a fan of designs that sacrifice natural elegance just to stand out)
✓ Enough room for luggage (At a minimum, it should fit shopping bags, a suitcase, and a stroller)
That’s roughly what I’m looking for. Though I have a feeling there aren’t many wives out there quite like me (lol).
On the other hand, I don’t need a luxurious interior, and if a car is fun to drive, I don’t mind if it’s not especially nimble in tight spaces. I don’t worry much about fuel economy, either. Sorry for making no effort to save on gas (lol).
So, once I started thinking, “I want to test-drive all kinds of cars,” I signed up for the car-sharing app Anyca and looked into test-drive events at dealerships near me. Then I remembered: “When I visited Mercedes me the other day, they invited me to come back soon to try the C-Class.” So I decided to head back to Mercedes me in Grand Front Osaka.
I booked the previous evening and arrived at Mercedes me right on time. On display was a car I didn’t recognize: the EQC 400 4MATIC. It was the first production electric car from Mercedes-Benz, unveiled in Japan just recently.
The display car was listed at ¥10.8 million and up, which made me think, “That’s so expensive!” But I guess that’s the going rate. In any case, once the EQC becomes available for test drives, I’d love to come back and try it.
After the staff checked my driver’s license and took care of the other formalities, it was time to head to the parking lot. When I test-drove the A-Class last time, I happened to book a highway test-drive slot, so I got to drive on the Hanshin Expressway. But there are no highway test-drive slots for models other than the A-Class, so this time I’d be driving around Osaka for about 40 minutes.
The C-Class I was about to test-drive was:
【C 200 4MATIC AVANTGARDE】
■Options: Radar Safety Package, AMG Line
■Exterior color: Polar White
■Right-hand drive
■Facelifted in fall 2018
■Price: ¥6.9 million
On the way to the parking lot, I mentioned, “I was surprised by how light the steering felt when I drove the A-Class before.” A staff member replied:
“We feel the A-Class steering is a little too light, too. This time, you’re trying the C-Class, and people say that ‘Mercedes really starts with the C-Class.’ I think you’ll get a true taste of Mercedes’ DNA this time!”
That’s exciting to hear—it made me even more eager to get behind the wheel!
Next page → The C-Class test drive: How are the engine and ride?