Mercedes-Benz

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Model families

Model	Segment	Generations covered	Variants	Price span
C-Class W204 · S204	compact executive	2	8	€2,600–€16,000
E-Class W212 · S212	executive	2	20	€4,000–€24,050

Only families with researched data appear here. See coverage for what is planned next.

Brand-wide ownership notes

The W204 is the generation where Mercedes recovered from the rust and electrics reputation of the W203, and it shows: bodies hold up, interiors wear well, and the drivetrains are conservative. What it did not escape is the era's emissions hardware — the OM651 diesel's injectors and the balance-shaft problem on early M271 petrols are the two faults that decide whether a given car is cheap for a good reason.

Chassis

Chassis	Body	Years	Character
W204	sedan	2007–2014	The quiet one of the three. Softer and less involving than an E90, better built than a B8 inside, and the one whose faults are concentrated in the engine bay rather than spread across the car.
S204	wagon	2008–2014	The saloon with a useful boot and no real penalty — the estate rides marginally softer and costs a few hundred more.
W212	sedan	2009–2016	The quiet, comfortable one of the executive class — softer and more isolating than a 5 Series, built to cover distance, and almost always a diesel.
S212	wagon	2009–2016	One of the largest estates in the class and the reason many buyers choose a W212 at all — with standard rear self-levelling air suspension that is a genuine running-cost item as it ages.