Is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe Really an Accord Coupe Rip-off?

By Tony Markovich - July 15, 2016

comparison

Well, to be short, nah. If you really think Mercedes-Benz and AMG designers are looking at Hondas for inspiration, well, that’s an interesting take. And by interesting, I mean highly unlikely. That said, I completely understand why you’d see the Benz and think of the Accord Coupe. A side-by-side shows that there are a lot of similarities.

Long-time Honda-Tech member George Knighton is the originator of this idea. On the forums, he created a thread titled “2017 Mercedes Accord Coupe” and posted up photos of the Benz, along with the caption, “Hilarious. Just…hilarious. :-).”

It’s fair. I’ve surely made plenty of car design comparisons that are way more of a stretch than this. The fact that the shape of the greenhouse is nearly identical plays a lot into it. The beltline on the Benz is much flatter, but the second crease below is almost the same. Even the rear is extremely similar.

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The biggest difference is the nose. The wheelbase on the C-Class is 111.8 inches compared to the Accord’s 107.3 inches. That’s a huge difference, and the design reflects it. The Accord has a much more sloped and bigger nose while the C-Class is stubby and small. The bigger wheels on the C-Class also give off a much different feel.

So, yeah, they look similar. Are they the same? No. Is it a copy? Ehhh, doubtful. Are they both nice cars? Sure, but one costs a whole lot more.