Make winning a habit they say. And here is one fine example of a brand thats been known for doing that consistently. The Mercedes C Class had the last laugh as it sailed past the Mazda2 and Ford Mondeo to win the prestigious Wheels magazine car of the year award.

The finalists list included the Skoda Roomster, Volkswagen Eos, Audi A5 and BMW M3. The Merc emerged the winner, topping the 20 member list.

Wheels editor Ged Bulmer described the C-class as an exceptional car and disagreed with the remarks made by few that the $57,000 machine was unattainable for many. The editor also said that the car surpassed its competition in various departments including safety features, electronic driver aids, dynamic ability, ride comfort, build quality and design.

"It has a very good range of engines, four different engine options and it's got outstanding fuel efficiency across the range," said Bulmer, adding, " Mercedes has done a good job in containing costs and presenting a real value proposition in what is a luxury car set."

All four C-Class models including the two diesel engined ones, were driven in the week long tests by Wheels judges before they came to one common conclusion. This one is for the C Class fans out there!