I've just got back from Louisiana, where I was tooling around in my Brother's c230k compact.
I liked it. Very smart, and seemed very well built - in contrast to most of the reports I'd seen. The interior is lovely, and the Komand system we found to be extremely helpful, having spent the earlier part of the holiday getting hopelessly lost around the bayous in a peachy Lexus LS400
The steering is good, linear and accurate.
The engine I wasn't so fond of. It has useful grunt from low revs, but fails to live up to that early promise in the higher ranges, I'm afraid. It also sounds rather uncouth; coarse in a way the V6 option would not be. Almost diesel - like, even.
I turned the ESP off every time I got into the car. I'm silly like that, I suppose; and I can't begin to tell you how funny this car was in the wet with no traction control. Ridiculous, and I think I know why: Bro' ordered huge wheels with rubber band tyres.
If you get such a car then I'd strongly advise you not to tick that option. The unforgiving rubber meant that the car was almost skipping sideways on every highway expansion joint. Quite scary, in fact.
If you like the style, go for it. This was a very smart car that attracted a number of appreciative comments from the jazzfest ravers; the whole thing oozes quality, and while I wouldn't buy one for myself I can certainly see the appeal.