2023 Mercedes-AMG C43 Sedan Performance

One area you don't need to have a concern about with the AMG C43 is its performance capabilities. As a benchmark, this is one of the most impressive combinations of a downsized gas engine mated to a small electric motor, and the numbers really speak for themselves. The Mercedes-AMG's C43's 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds is a phenomenal feat for a car with a curb weight of 3,893 lbs. The 155-mph electronically-limited top speed is a standard issue for most German cars in this segment, but you can extend it to 165 mph with the optional 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels. Thanks to its modern drivetrain configuration, including the electric motor, the issue of turbo lag is eliminated, coupled with the grippy all-wheel-drive system, which equates to rapid stand-still and in-gear accelerative capabilities. Unfortunately, while the figures are impressive, the C43 just lacks the traditional muscular spirit that the German performance arm has come to develop after spending years creating ridiculously overpowered large displacement cars. The C43 nails it when it comes to the numbers, but with this direction, the performance sedan feels like more of a fast Mercedes-Benz than an entry-level AMG.

The Mercedes-AMG C43's engine and drivetrain configuration is a first-of-its-kind configuration consisting of the brand's hand-built M139 electric exhaust-gas turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder unit connected to a 48-volt mild-hybrid electric motor positioned in the AMG Speedshift multi-clutch nine-speed automatic transmission. This delivers a power output of 402 hp and 369 lb-ft, but the aforementioned electric motor temporarily provides an additional 13 hp. All four wheels are driven by the brand's 4Matic AWD system which distributes 69% of the torque to the rear wheels.

The EPA has not yet provided an estimate for the Mercedes-AMG C43's gas mileage. Frustratingly, the brand also does not issue any kind of claim or estimate as to what mpg the Mercedes-AMG C43 will achieve on a combined cycle. We know it has a fuel capacity of 13.2 gallons, but without any combined mpg figure there's no telling what kind of range it'll be able to achieve as yet.