2025 Mercedes C-Class facelift spotted with fancy new headlights

The fifth-generation Mercedes C-Class is about to undergo a mid-life refresh, as we’ve spotted an updated version of the premium compact executive car testing for the first time.

With the BMW 3 Series getting its own revamp in 2024 and the Audi A4 transforming into the A5 this year, the time seems right for Mercedes to give its saloon and estate – which have been around since 2021 – some tweaks to ensure their competitiveness against its German rivals. 

These first images showcase a car that is heavily camouflaged, although other recent Mercedes models provide strong clues as to the visual changes in store for the C-Class. 

At the front, the outline of the C-Class’ panamerica grille has been turned up and been made taller, effectively taking up more space. This should have a knock-on effect for the side air vents, and above we can see a redesigned headlight signature with an integrated three-pointed star light (as on the Concept CLA Class). 

There’s not much to be revealed at the rear of the new C-Class, although we expect it to gain a similar rear light signature to the CLE coupé and a reshaped rear bumper. The overall design changes should also mirror those on the upcoming entry-level Mercedes EV, the CLA. Expect new alloy wheels to arrive as well. 

The interior of the current C-Class is pretty much identical to the CLE, which launched earlier this year. As a result, we don’t expect Mercedes to overhaul the C-Class’ cabin design, and a 11.9-inch central touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital display will take up much of the dashboard space, joined by a head-up display on higher-spec models. 

A range of four-cylinder units make up the C-Class’ petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrain offerings, and we’ve had no indication that this will change with the 2025 model.

The range currently starts with a 1.5-litre petrol mild-hybrid in C 200 guise with the C 220 d gaining a 2.0-litre mild-hybrid diesel, the C 300 e utilising a 2.0-litre petrol plug-in hybrid combination and the C 300 d doing the same, but with diesel power. There’s also the C 300 petrol and C 300 d diesel, which feature more powerful four-pot mild-hybrids.

The upcoming CLE 63 was initially set to use the same four-cylinder petrol plug-in hybrid as the current C 63. However, as sales of the C 63 PHEV have been so poor, Mercedes extended the development time of the hottest CLE to give it V8 power – although there’s no word yet on whether this change of tack will apply to the facelifted C 63.

Given this is our first sighting of the updated C-Class, we don’t expect a full reveal until late 2025. Sales remain strong for the model however, rising to 88,800 in the third quarter of 2024 compared with 82,000 during the same period last year.

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