Mercedes C220 BlueTEC Avantgarde saloon review (4/7/2014)

IN THE motor business, competition is generally at the heart of all things good. That is very definitely the case when it comes to the viciously competitive compact executive segment where the scrap for top dog status is fought with unrestrained aggression by Audi, BMW and Mercedes, with a little sprinkling of Lexus and Volvo thrown in for good measure.

Here in Ireland in recent years, the Audi A4 has been at the head of affairs in this segment, with the BMW 3-Series and the Mercedes C-Class locked in a mortal combat to topple it from its pedestal.

But the game is changing very rapidly and the arrival in Ireland at the end of May of a new C-Class is a precursor to the battle lines being redrawn for an unprecedented scrap between the main players for dominance of this vital segment.