THE navigation system onboard the new Mercedes-Benz C350 tells me that Princess Alice Avenue in Monte Carlo, Monaco, is 11,712km away.

An arrow on the screen points in a general westerly direction, and a voice announces nonchalantly that the journey will include ferries.

Helpful. But all I wanted was the fastest way to Neo Tiew Road.

Monaco is just one among a long list of destinations in the system's memory. In its rush to launch the C-class, Mercedes hadn't had time to install a Singapore map.

Just as well. Getting lost in a car has never been so pleasurable.

Mercedes' new C-class is clearly the best BMW 3-series contender Stuttgart has produced. It is dynamically closer to the ideals of a sporty luxury compact than any of its predecessors, which date back to the 190E in the 1980s. And yet, it rides like a far bigger car.

On the road, the C200 Kompressor equipped with an "agility" pack is vastly more enjoyable than the BMW 320i. The optional pack, costing over $4,000, includes a lowered chassis, Sport button and paddle shifters that are the best ones Merc has come up with.

The car is poised, fuss-free and is in possession of a certain cohesiveness that sets a driver's car apart from a commute. On this front, the new C-class has done well.

The C200K could, however, do with a less wooden throttle. As with Mercs of old, it requires elephantine pressure from your right foot to get it to a gallop. Speedy overtaking and cornering are best enacted with the help of the steering-mounted paddles.

Unlike the C200K, the C350 is utterly effortless and sumptuously refined. So different it is that it could well pass off as a separate model.

For one thing, its speed-sensitive steering is a joy to use. Light at a leisurely pace, chunky at higher speeds, and always precise. And its seven-speed transmission is satiny.

Lip-smacking responsiveness, balanced handling and silent operation make the C350 a worthy rival to BMW's 330i.

In true Merc fashion, the car has the ability to convey an unhurried state of being even when slicing through traffic like a hot knife through butter.

It has immense shove without the grunt, sharpness without the edginess, and pace without the haste.

Indeed, it is this ability that sets it apart from its arch-rival. Whether that's good or bad depends on your personal taste.

Other differences abound, like a fresh yet familiar cockpit, generous equipment list and a roominess that belies its actual dimensions. Sometimes,
you feel like you're in an E-class.

The new C-class hits the spot on all fronts, except one. It looks better in pictures than in the metal. Although it shares some design DNA with the S-class flagship, it comes across as a little gawky. Asian, even.

The C350's bodykit in particular appears to be a tad aftermarket.

Here's a comforting thought, though. German cars which resemble ugly ducklings at first have a way of becoming swans over time.

Besides the C200K and C350, there are three other variants available here. The basic 156bhp 1.8-litre C180 Kompressor ($141,888), 204bhp 2.5-litre C230 ($179,888) and 231bhp 3-litre C280 ($191,888). The C180K is a four-cylinder while the others are V6's.

But if you want a C-class that will take you to Monte Carlo, I recommend the top-end C350.

Price: $156,888/$219,888 with COE
Engine: 1,796cc 16-valve inline-4/3,498cc 24-valve V6
Transmission: Five/Seven-speed automatic with quick shift
Power: 184bhp at 5,500rpm/272bhp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 2,800rpm/350Nm at 2,400rpm
0-100kmh: 8.8/6.4 seconds
Top speed: 230/250kmh
Fuel consumption: 11.7/14.2 litres/100km (city)
Agent: Cycle & Carriage