2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Four-Cylinder C 250 Drive Report

The onslaught of four-cylinder engines into vehicles that previously wouldn’t have had anything lower than six cylinders continues.

It’s in the service of gas mileage, and the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C 250–with a 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injected four putting out 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque–is rated at 21 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, giving it a combined rating of 25 mpg.

That’s a useful boost over the 228-hp 3.0-liter V-6 in last year’s base C-Class model, the C 300, which was rated at 18 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined.

Mercedes-Benz expects 40 to 45 percent of its C-Class buyers to opt for the four.

Over 220 miles, how many mpg? Read more…