“THAT’S a bit swish,” my friend said as he spied me on the school run.

I mused on his description.

Posh, elegant and refined would be the dictionary definition.

I had to agree the C-Class Coupe was all of these things.

If he had said sporty, ostentatious and flash he would have been wrong, for despite the letters AMG on the boot, this is a car best suited for touring, rather than lighting up the asphalt.

Conservative in its styling, even when shod with 18ins alloys and fitted with the luxury adornments courtesy of the company’s aforementioned luxury arm, the C-Class Coupe doesn’t shout from the rooftops, preferring to go about its business in a more mature fashion.

Powered by a 2.1 litre diesel engine, the only time the ‘class’ in its name seems misplaced is when you floor your right foot under acceleration. There are undoubtedly more raucous powerplants out there, but there’s no denying this one does boom a little.

However, if driven in a more regal fashion, complaints will be, like fuel stops, few and far between. At one point on a drive down to Birmingham and back the range on the computerised display read 1,000 miles til the tank needed filling. Admittedly, that tank has a 66-litre capacity and you’ll run out of road before you achieve its proclaimed total, but even so our stat makes impressive reading. During our time with the car our average mileage fared well with Mercedes’ own stated claim of 52.3mpg combined, although our journeys were, in the main on congestion free dual carriageways and motorways. Around town might be a different proposition, but the engine start-stop system will help to counter its effects.

The six-speed manual gearbox is not my favourite to use and getting into reverse sometimes requires a degree of elbow grease, but thankfully there’s not a lot of changing that needs to be done once you are underway. It takes seven seconds to reach 62mph and if allowed you could achieve a fraction short of 150mph, but as mentioned earlier, this does not feel like a sporty car. It’s as an accomplished overtaker when its power is best utilised.

The Coupe’s suspension is lowered and stiffened, but it could never be described as harsh. In fact, in common with most Mercs I have driven, the C-Class is a posterior’s delight. The leather seats cosset you in a way that few others do and if, like me, you have the luxury of electric adjustment and still can’t get comfortable I doubt you ever will.

Stretching out is easy to do, but you may want to be generous and create more room for those in the rear. What you can’t do is increase the headroom, which is restricted somewhat by the sloping of the roof.

Getting into the back is not as difficult as in some coupes, which can bring on lumbago if you have to strap in your kids. Firstly the seats move forward of their own accord and secondly the door opens wide enough for you to lean in and secure the belts.

The cockpit layout will be familiar to anyone who knows their way around a Merc. It’s tasteful and classical in nature and there’s no confusion over which buttons do what. The central control for the mult-media device is easy to use, allowing you to navigate quickly between functions with the minimum of fuss. One other neat touch, which I must mention are the reading lights that allow passengers to browse the papers at their leisure without the need to light up the cabin like some unseemly boudouir.

The C250 Coupe is not without its faults, but if swish is your wish then this should be near the top of your considerations.

SPEC ENGINE: 2.1 litre diesel.

MAX POWER: 201bhp MAX TORQUE: 229lb/ft MAX SPEED: 149mph 0-62MPH: 7 secs AVERAGE FUEL CONSUMPTION: 52.3mpg (combined) CO2: 143g/km EQUIPMENT (includes): Six-speed manual gearbox; 18ins AMG alloys; Adapative brake system; Agility control suspension with Adaptive damping system; Alarm with immobiliser; AMG bodystyling ; ABS with brake assist; Automatic climate control; ESP with acceleration skid control (ASR); Leather seats, electrically adjustable in front; Reversing camera; Bluetooth; Harman Kardon Logic7 surround sound system with six CDs; Electric windows; Heated and electrically adjustable mirrors; Sports suspension; Tinted glass.

.