Faults:

Lurch from auto when shifting into drive on occasion.

Power steering pump failed at 106,000km.

Condensation on inside of windows almost every day, even when not on other cars in the same area.

Aircon/heating smells like vinegar, suspect air con needs replacing.

Radio display screen loses stations, they are still there but the text is missing, seems to come back after driving for a bit.

Sensor on one of the lights keeps warning of a failure, but it’s actually the sensor that is failing.

General Comments:

Pros:

Looks well, classic design has lasted.

Plenty of power from the diesel engine.

Lights are probably above average quality.

Best cruise control I’ve used, with easy control from a single stalk rather than lots of buttons.

Seats have good adjustment.

Good visibility all around.

Good manoeuvrability at slow speeds, like most rear wheel drive cars.

Being able to open the boot with the button on the key is great.

Fuel consumption is good considering the year and class of car.

Steering is light and turning is precise and easy.

Handling is much better than other Mercedes I have driven, keeps completely flat on bends, but this can affect comfort over rough surfaces and bumps.

Some good sound proofing such as strips of fabric around the door seals.

I really enjoy driving the car, but some of the problems listed and cons below mean this will likely be a short-term ownership.

Cons:

Side mirrors are typical small square Mercedes items and show very little.

Some hard plastics in the cabin, particularly the centre console where your leg might rest (automatic version).

Foot brake with lever is getting a bit old fashioned.

Steering wheel is very thin, like a cheap car from the 90’s and there is a circular ridge that digs into your hand.

Not very comfortable over speed humps (could be the setup of my particular car); Mercedes I drove before always had a more forgiving ride.

The switch for turning on the lights is not illuminated, seems a bit of an odd area to cut corners and means fumbling around if you are not used to it.

The model I have allows Bluetooth for phone calls but not media.

The power windows don’t work as expected; if you open them and the pull up switch to close them they open more; you have to pull it again to get them to close, very annoying when it's raining or you are going faster etc.

The screen for the radio displays a warning screen for ages before showing radio stations, and you can’t change the station during this warning screen stage.

No cup holders, seriously. I had to buy an aftermarket bracket.

Rear seats don’t fold and there is no pass-through area, so the boot is of limited use.

Brakes are okay at best, but not really sharp despite passing all local safety tests.

Faults:

Idler pulleys, belt, thermostat, sunroof regulator, A/C compressor, alignment issues causing abnormal tire wear, sideview mirror turn indicator, tears in seat, chrome trim chipping on interior, brakes, intake butterfly gets water pooled and freezes in winter causing limp home condition, cheap interior made of inferior materials.

General Comments:

I used to have faith in Mercedes, built on my positive experience with older 190s, but this thing has sullied the experience. It constantly requires attention. It's incredibly slow and ham-fisted. For the lack in performance, there are no efficiency gains either. Interior is comfortable, but cheap materials are everywhere in this car.

Chrome trim around cup holders are chipping off and constantly cut or scrape my hand. The car handles like a chuck wagon, but seems to stick to the ground nonetheless. Dynamic suspension is tangible and you can tell it stiffens up steering and suspension travel, but unnecessary as the "sport" mode is still too compliant in the corners and "comfort" mode is too stiff over bumps.

This car eats tires, as the castor/camber is constantly out to lunch and requires adapter plates to correct. This is a known problem with W204 chassis cars that MB doesn't seem to mind charging you to correct.

Holds oil well, doesn't leak a drop anywhere, but washer fluid tank has a huge leak and spritzers are super underpowered.

Sunroof regulator snapped the spur gear because the rail cable seized and is erratic in operation post fix, despite reprogramming.

AWD system is quite good in winter, but not better than any others I've owned.

All idler pulleys and the serpentine belt were changed three times!

I put a lot of miles on my cars (200km commute each day) in a short period of time, but it's all highways and shouldn't eat components this fast. The interior panels and trim rattle and the A/C compressor is garbage after only 150K km.

This car makes me feel like MB has been resting on its laurels for far too long, when a Kia is far better value for the money. Unfortunately, I think this is end of the road for me and MB until they start realigning the quality of their products, with the pedigree of the original company.