The stunning Rs 30 lakh new Merc C-Class

While the C-Class was sporty and comfy, it didn't really get the attention of as many people as Mercedes-Benz would have liked.

So they went back to the drawing board and came out with the new C-Class.

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For starters, the headlamps are new and a bit oriental in appearance.

The bumper and air-dam have been revised to incorporate new daytime LED lights, while a marginally revised tail lamp cluster, smarter looking alloys on 17-inch rubber and a new panoramic sunroof round off the list of exterior changes.

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The biggest changes, though, are on the inside.

The dashboard now feels better finished, the instrument cluster now has some colour and new silver finished dials for the air-con and multimedia system enhance the overall feeling of richness.

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A new steering wheel with different controls is nice to touch and falls well to hand.

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Attention Assist, the system that we have so far seen in the E and S-Class, makes its debut in the C and so does a new Start-Stop system that aids efficiency.

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Mercedes-Benz have also put in a USB port, which music lovers will truly appreciate.

The model we drove was the C200, which was earlier badged the CGI but now is simply called the C200 Blue Efficiency.

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This four-cylinder, turbocharged direct-injection petrol produces 186 bhp@5600 rpm and a very healthy 29 kgm@2400-4000.

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What's new with the powertrain is the gearbox - the four-cylinder engines so far have had a five-speed automatic, but now benefit from a modified version of the 7-GTronic which has been available on the six-cylinder engines.

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What it has done, in combination with Start-Stop, is improve efficiency to the tune of 31 per cent.

More importantly, it has helped improve driveablity.

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Whether it was pottering around town or generally going hell for leather, the new 7-speeder really does make the car much livelier.

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While there are no paddle shifters available, the gearbox in sport mode lets you discover the redline more often than before.

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Handling and overall dynamics haven't changed much, so it's still quick to turn-in, though the steering wheel has been lightened to make it easier around town.

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That doesn't however detract from the sportier driving experience of the C-Class, with the steering weighing up rather well.

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We wish that Mercedes had done something about the brakes, which feel soft during the initial travel and only bit when stepped on much harder.

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Priced at Rs 29.79 lakh (Rs 2.3 million), ex-showroom Delhi, there hasn't been a significant change to the price-tag.

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And what you get is an executive sedan that has become better without losing out on its strengths.

It strikes that balance even more beautifully than before.