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Extra points awarded for the way that the C-class reminds its passengers to buckle their seat belts have now made it the second car ever to gain a five-star crash protection rating. Results for the C-class were published last year and it achieved four stars. But Euro NCAP has since changed its scoring system to encourage car makers to fit seat-belt warnings. Generally, the C-class proved to be a strong car that protected its occupants. The driver's door could be opened normally after the frontal impact. The head airbag curtain provided cushioning but did not deploy fully. Testers felt this could increase injury risks for some other types of accidents.

Front impact
The driver's head and chest were well restrained by the belt and the airbag. However, his chest was subjected to high forces. Mercedes' under-fascia design was praised for the way it moves potential hazards away from the driver's legs. The footwell withstood the impact well, and the pedals moved only by a small amount. The centre rear seat was fitted with a three-point belt as standard. This is safer than a two-point belt.

Side impact
Mercedes fits door-mounted airbags to protect the driver's chest, abdomen and pelvis. These worked satisfactorily but forced his arm rapidly upwards. An airbag curtain deployed o protect the heads of front and rear passengers. This worked but did not fully open. Experts feared that in other situations it might not do its job.

Child-protection
A passenger airbag is standard, posing a risk to children in rear facing restraints fitted on to the front passenger's seat. Only a poor pictogram and a removable label on the windscreen were present to warn of this danger. Neither explained the risk of serious injury or death. Mercedes said it would improve the labelling. The restraints protected well in the frontal impact but the webbing of the adult belt was partially severed by the restraint's guide.

Pedestrian protection
Protection was assessed using the old procedure and the C-class has not been re-tested using the new one. For that reason, the car's performance is not assessed here.