Model year 2026 · Compact Cars

2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class at 22–29 mpg combined across 3 versions. NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 4 owner complaints for this model year.

Safety recalls

1

EPA combined mpg

22–29

NHTSA overall rating

—

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as AMG C43 4MATIC, AMG C63 S E PERFORMANCE 4MATIC+, C 300, C 300 4MATIC.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Mercedes-Benz dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 1 safety recall for the 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, newest first.

Electrical system: Instrument cluster/panel

NHTSA 26V281000 Reported May 1, 2026
Filed by
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (manufacturer recall no. 2026050004)
Units affected
144,049 (estimate)
Problem
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2024-2026 AMG GT, C-Class, E-Class, SL, CLE, and GLC vehicles. The infotainment control unit may reset while the vehicle is in motion and cause the instrument panel display to go blank.
Risk
An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer and warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will update the infotainment control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 29, 2026. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2026050004. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 8, 2026.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
AMG C43 4matic2.0L 4-cyl turbo hybridAutomatic 9-spdAll-Wheel DrivePremium19/27/22 mpg$3,750405
C3002.0L 4-cyl turbo hybridAutomatic 9-spdRear-Wheel DrivePremium25/35/29 mpg$2,850307
C300 4matic2.0L 4-cyl turbo hybridAutomatic 9-spdAll-Wheel DrivePremium24/33/27 mpg$3,050329

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2026 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS 4 DR N/A AWDNot ratedNot ratedNot ratedNot rated—No
2026 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS 4 DR N/A RWDNot ratedNot ratedNot ratedNot rated—No
2026 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS PHEV 4 DR PHEV AWDNot ratedNot ratedNot ratedNot rated—No

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class owner complaints

Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, most recently on Sep 21, 2026. 0 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Electrical system2
Vehicle speed control2
Air bags1
Engine1
Exterior lighting1
Power train1
Structure1

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Mercedes-Benz C-Class model years

Mercedes-Benz C-Class by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2027 C-Class27–29 mpg———
2025 C-Class20–29 mpg24—
2024 C-Class23–30 mpg315—
2023 C-Class19–29 mpg1026—
2022 C-Class22–29 mpg926—
2021 C-Class20–27 mpg7175/5
2020 C-Class20–28 mpg1246—
2019 C-Class20–27 mpg1879—
2018 C-Class19–30 mpg191305/5
2017 C-Class19–30 mpg172535/5
2016 C-Class20–30 mpg143235/5
2015 C-Class15–28 mpg144515/5

All Mercedes-Benz C-Class years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2026 Mercedes-Benz models

2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz E-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz EQE2026 Mercedes-Benz EQS2026 Mercedes-Benz G-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz S-Class2026 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Mercedes-Benz.