Gas-burning C300 a real barnburner

One thing before reading on: Please put down the voodoo dolls and stickpins.

The vehicle tested this week gets less than 30 mpg highway, has no batteries hidden under the rear seat and will cost less than $20,000 only 10 years from now.

It's the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300, an entry-level sedan to invite people into the luxury segment who Mercedes hopes will stay when they can afford something at $50,000 or more.

But the C300 - or any of its Mercedes brethren - isn't a conservator of the planet's finite supply of petroleum-derived energy, though more fuel-efficient versions are coming - hybrids and diesels. We tested the 2008 C300 Sport with its sloping coupe-like roof and AMG (the performance folks) designed front end with huge Mercedes star in the three-bar chrome grille.

Length swells by 3.5 inches, wheelbase by 1.8 inches and width by 1.7 inches for more room to stretch feet, knees and elbows upfront, elbows and melon in back, where knee room still is tight and the narrow door opening doesn't help getting in or out.

Mercedes says C300 seats five adults - perhaps, if the one in the middle in back is the Invisible Man.

The trunk is spacious. Press the key fob and the lid pops wide open for easy loading/unloading. A pull of handles in the trunk lets rear seatbacks fold for more cargo room. But unless arms are mop-handle long - or you keep a mop handle in the trunk - you have to walk around, reach in the rear door and pull the backs down.

C300 comes with a 3-liter, 228-horsepower V6. Plenty energy to sprint from the light and dart into and out of the passing lane. The 25 mpg on the highway is respectable, but not as eye-popping as it would be in hybrid or diesel. At least the V6 burns cleaner E85, the ethanol/gasoline blend, though at a cost of up to 30 percent mileage.

The C300 Sport starts at $31,200 with dual-zone climate control, power sunroof, power driver/passenger seats, Bluetooth phone connectivity, AM/FM/CD player/MP3 player, antilock brakes, side-curtain air bags and power locks/windows/- mirrors.

Nice touches include the multimedia package with a 7-inch screen that pops up from the dash for the navi map and radio station settings.