Verdict
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is the sharper Malaysian daily driver: its 201 hp, 300 Nm mild-hybrid petrol powertrain reaches 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds, against the Subaru Outback’s 185 hp, 245 Nm and 9.6 seconds. It also carries just RM90 annual road tax versus RM878. But the Outback is the more practical cross-shop, with all-wheel drive, a 522-litre boot and a 63-litre tank, where the C-Class has rear-wheel drive, 455 litres and 50 litres. Choose by use case, not badge alone.
Pick the Mercedes-Benz C-Class if you want stronger 201 hp/300 Nm performance, 7.3-second acceleration and far lower RM90 annual road tax.
Pick the Subaru Outback if you need all-wheel drive, a 522-litre boot, 63-litre fuel tank and five-year/100,000-km warranty coverage.
Key differences
- Price: Mercedes-Benz C-Class RM292,888; Subaru Outback RM279,000.
- Performance: Mercedes-Benz C-Class 201 hp, 300 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 7.3 seconds; Subaru Outback 185 hp, 245 Nm and 9.6 seconds.
- Driveline: Mercedes-Benz C-Class rear-wheel drive; Subaru Outback all-wheel drive.
- Boot space: Mercedes-Benz C-Class 455 litres; Subaru Outback 522 litres.
- Annual road tax: Mercedes-Benz C-Class RM90; Subaru Outback RM878.
- Warranty: Mercedes-Benz C-Class two years with a further two-year extension; Subaru Outback five years/100,000 km.
C-Class
- 201 hp and 300 Nm, with 0-100 km/h in 7.3 seconds.
- RM90 annual road tax and a rated 6.6 L/100 km.
- 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic, auto parking and 64-colour ambient lighting.
- 455-litre boot trails the Outback’s 522 litres.
- Two-year manufacturer warranty is shorter than the Outback’s five years/100,000 km.
- Rear-wheel drive lacks the Outback’s all-wheel drive.
Outback
- All-wheel drive, 522-litre boot and 63-litre fuel tank.
- Five-year/100,000-km manufacturer warranty.
- Adaptive cruise control, 360-degree camera and 11-speaker Harman Kardon audio.
- RM878 annual road tax is RM788 higher than the C-Class.
- 185 hp and 245 Nm deliver a slower 9.6-second 0-100 km/h time.
- No front parking sensors or auto parking, unlike the C-Class’ six front sensors and parallel/perpendicular auto parking.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM292,888 | RM279,000✓ |
| Body type | Sedan | Wagon |
| Segment | Compact Executive | D-Segment |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM90✓ | RM878 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC, Turbocharged with Direct Fuel Injection and Variable Valve Timing | Direct Fuel Injection, Horizontally Opposed, 4-Cylinder, DOHC 16-Valve, Boxer Engine |
| Capacity | 1,496 cc | 2,498 cc |
| Horsepower | 201 hp✓ | 185 hp |
| Torque | 300 Nm✓ | 245 Nm |
| Fuel | Petrol Hybrid/REV | Petrol |
| Bore | 78 mm | 94 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 10.5 | 12 |
| Number of Motors | 1 | — |
| Motor Horsepower | 20 hp | — |
| Motor Torque | 200 Nm | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | CVT Automatic |
| Transmission Name | 9G-TRONIC | Lineartronic CVT |
| Gears | 9 | — |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Mercedes-Benz | Subaru |
| Driveline | Rear Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 7.3 seconds✓ | 9.6 seconds |
| Rated Economy | 6.6 L/100 km | — |
| Top Speed | 246 km/h✓ | 206 km/h |
| Co2 | 151 g/km | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,751 mm | 4,870 mm |
| Width | 1,820 mm | 1,875 mm |
| Height | 1,437 mm | 1,682 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,865 mm | 2,745 mm |
| Weight | 1,650 kg | 1,756 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 50 litres | 63 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 455 litres | 522 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 225/45R18 | 225/60R18 |
| Rear Tyre | 245/40R18 | 225.60R18 |
| Spare Tyre | — | Space Saver |
| Factory Tyres | Pirelli Cinturato P7 Run-flat | Bridgestone Alenza H/L33 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Germany (CBU) | Japan (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | Multi-Link | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-Link | Double Wishbones |
| Front Wheels | 18" 5-spoke 2-tone Alloy | 18" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 18" 5-spoke 2-tone Alloy | 18" Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Assist) |
| Chassis Notes | Agility Control Suspension | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Driver's Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain | Driver and Passenger, Driver Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | — |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | Manual for rear doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 5 three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for 2 Outer Rear Seats | Available for Two Rear Passenger Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes (7 to 250 km/h), with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection (7 to 80 km/h) | Yes |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | For All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | Blind Spot Collision Prevention, Rear Cross Traffic Collision Prevention, Active Bonnet | — |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projector with Auto High Beam | LED Projector |
| Taillamps | Full LED | LED Combination |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front Foglamps | — | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory Function and Adjustable Lumbar | 10-way power adjustable driver with memory, 8-way powered adjustment front passenger |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | 60:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Rear Vents | Rear AC vents |
| Sunroof | — | Front, Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | 4 Front USB-C | — |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights (64 Colours) | Map Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | Powered Rear Sun Shade, Manual Rear Door Window Sun Shades | Sunroof Shade |
| Audio | 11.4" Touchscreen Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) with Voice Control, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 8 Speakers | 11.6" HD Touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 11-speaker Harman Kardon Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation and PIN Code Access |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Passive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | — | ✓ |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | — |
| Boot Operation | Powered Boot, with Contactless Operation | Powered Boot |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | — |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor |
| Auto Parking | Yes, Parallel and Perpendicular | — |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | — |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Backlit Analogue |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | Auto-dimming Mirrors, Qi Wireless Charger, Fingerprint Scanner | — |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited✓ | 100,000 km |
| Warranty Mileage Extended | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 5 years✓ |
| Warranty Extended | 2 years | — |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used C-Class & Outback for sale
C-Class vs Outback FAQ
Is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class or Subaru Outback better?
The C-Class is better for performance, lower annual road tax and urban parking assistance. The Outback is better for all-wheel-drive traction, load space and longer manufacturer warranty coverage.
What is the price difference?
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class costs RM292,888 and the Subaru Outback costs RM279,000, so the C-Class is RM13,888 more expensive.
Which has the bigger boot?
The Subaru Outback has the bigger boot at 522 litres, 67 litres more than the Mercedes-Benz C-Class’ 455 litres. Its 60:40 split-folding rear seat also differs from the C-Class’ 40:20:40 arrangement.