Mercedes C-Class 4MATIC vs. Other 4WD Sedans

hunter312

Hey guys,

I was wondering if any of you could tell me how good Mercedes' 4Matic AWD system is, especially in comparison to other AWD sedans like Audi's A4 Quattro or BMW's Xdrive sedans.

It rained down here in Florida today and the day before and the streets were flooded. My dad's ML320 CDI managed to wade through unlike the other cars which failed, but his engine is playing up so we had to bring it in for maintenance. At the time his AWD system did a very good job getting him out of the water so that's why i'm curious.

I know 4Matic is good and that the Germany military use Mercedes SUVs (i'm German), but I wanted to know how good it is on the cars instead of the SUVs, especially in snow. I tried searching online but got limited comparison information.

Any input would be most appreciated. Thanks guys!

pat

You might want to also stop by the Ultimate AWD Sports Sedans discussion while waiting for some input here.

rlm51

I recently had occasion to drive home from the airport during a fairly intense snow storm (about 1 - 2 inches per hour; high wind; very limited visibility; several inches of snow on an ill-maintained road). My C300 Sport with 4Matic and all-season tires handled the conditions confidently and effortlessly. Only at the very end of the trip, with a lot of snow on the ground, did I begin to feel some (very slight) looseness. And that was probably because of the tires. I would imagine that with mud and snow tires, this thing would be a real beast in the snow.

The only other all wheel drive vehicle that I have driven was a Subaru Outback, which *was* a real beast in the snow.

Regards,

Bob in the Mile High city