Not long after the 20th century transitioned into the 21st century, Mercedes Benz introduced to the world the C230 Kompressor sport coupe — a svelte, sexy automobile that one reviewer called “the nicest two-door hatchback on the market.”
So: A coupe. A hatchback. A Mercedes. Affordable, and a tad under 200 horsepower. With a manual. Is there a problem here?
Well.
Some complained that the “sport” adjective was ill-placed, and that the C230 coupe was too much show and not enough go. In fact, the car had a rather delicate aura about it, and 192 horsepower might’ve been just about right two decades ago. This “sporty” coupe was never marketed as a muscle machine, and, in fact, was the opposite of one of those. It was aspirational, but not in the way a Mustang was.
Perhaps Mercedes should have given the C230 more time to catch on: Production of the car ended in 2007.
Why is the Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor a future classic?
During its five years on sale, the C230 Kompressor attracted, besides others, the younger Golf owners who wanted to up his or her driveway profile with a Mercedes, and damn the compromises. Like, for instance, rear-wheel drive. A cramped rear seat. A supercharger, glitzy on paper but a devil to service.
But did we mention that it was a Mercedes?
In 2002 (no relation to the BMW of that name), the C230 was the lowest-priced Benz on sale in the U.S. market, at about $26,000. Critics fumed that a two-door hatchback undermined the “prestige quotient” of the brand. Buyers nonetheless were apparently impressed.
In sporty situations, the rear-wheel drive coupe made for playful driving, with 16-inch wheels and the six speed. The coupe inherited the 192-horsepower (at 5500 rpm) 2.3-liter supercharged four-cylinder engine from the SLK, with a revised fuel-injection unit and streamlined exhaust, both said to improve low-end torque. The torque wasn’t what you would call abundant, but it came on low, peaking at 200 pound-feet at 2,500 rpm.
Admittedly, the C230 was aimed at the suburbs, not at the track. Enthusiasts at the time might have considered the Audi TT or BMW 325Ci more viable options (for $5,000 more), but the target audience was pleased with the Benz aura, and apparently not badly dissuaded by the smallish rear seat and the two doors. Also, cargo space benefited from the hatch configuration: Pop it and fold down the rear seat, and you’ve got 38 cubic feet of storage for lots of stuff.
And the look was unarguably handsome, a forward-leaning wedge that would stand up to stares two decades after its arrival. Even those potential buyers who weren’t knocked out by the short rear end … well, it was the view from the front that counted: the three-pointed star on the hood.
What is the ideal example of the Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor?
Because the C230 had a short lifespan in America, what you saw upon its introduction was pretty much what you got upon its demise. Low-mileage models are fairly hard to find.
The 2002 version, which was a variant of the CL203 C-Class, was initially powered by the supercharged 2.3-liter, but from the 2004 model year on, it got a 1.8-liter supercharged inline four that dropped power slightly to 189 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 192 pound-feet at 3,500 rpm.
Because the manual transmission was short on slink, consider shopping for a coupe with an automatic, which often came with leather and bumped the sticker to about $28,000. The $995 panorama sunroof option could tilt and slide and relieved the claustrophobia for those stuck in the rear.
The interior was restrained but tasteful and comfortable, at least for those up front. Also standard were aluminum dash trim, the leather wrapped tilt/telescope steering wheel, electric windows and dual-zone climate control.
Color choices were many and varied. Shades of red seemed to fit quite well on the C230: Through the years, the Germans offered it in Paprika, Bordeaux Red and Magma Red. You might not want to check Citron Green in your search filter, though.
Be sure to check out our used vehicle listings; they can be helpful for finding a good deal. You can narrow the options down by a radius around your ZIP code, and be sure to pay attention to the deal rating on each listing to see how a vehicle compares with others in a similar area.
Are there any good alternatives to the Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor?
The above-mentioned Audis and BMWs should be high on this list. Mustang and Camaros also figure into the shopping process, especially for drivers looking for more masculinity in the shape and more grunt in the powertrain.
Certainly up for consideration should be the VW GTi and the Honda Accord Coupe.