Overview & Reviews

"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?" That's the opening line of "Mercedes-Benz," a song most famously recorded by singer Janis Joplin in the early 1970s. The tune gently poked fun at materialism and our desire for the finer things in life. It's fitting that the renowned German marque figures prominently in the lyric. Mercedes-Benz has long been known for crafting vehicles that emphasize luxury and refinement. For many, its vehicles are sleek symbols of status, success and good taste.

In January of 1886, Karl Benz unveiled the world's first automobile, a three-wheeled vehicle dubbed the Benz Patent Motor Car. A few months later, Gottlieb Daimler and his chief engineer Wilhelm Maybach rolled out a four-wheeled vehicle powered by his Daimler engine. The first Mercedes was crafted in 1901, shortly after Daimler's death. Built by Maybach, the car was commissioned by Emil Jellinek, one of Daimler's primary distributors, and was ultimately named after Jellinek's daughter, Mercedes.

In 1926, the companies founded by Daimler and Benz merged to form Daimler-Benz AG, and the Mercedes-Benz brand was born. The company's insignia was a three-pointed star wreathed in a laurel; the star was dreamed up by Daimler years earlier, and its three points signified the fact that his engines were used in vehicles that traveled land, air and sea.

Right from the start, the Mercedes-Benz name was synonymous with automotive excellence. One of the automaker's earliest vehicles, the 1931 Mercedes-Benz 170, distinguished itself as the world's first production car to offer a technology that was nothing short of extraordinary for the day: four-wheel independent suspension. The '30s and '40s saw Mercedes establishing itself as the brand of choice for car buyers seeking the ultimate in luxury, thanks to coveted cruisers like the 380 and 540K.

The 1950s witnessed the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing," a sports car that has been described as being the world's first supercar. With its dramatic styling and race-bred technology, the 300 SL reigns today as a classic coveted by collectors worldwide. The decade also saw Daimler-Benz making strides in the area of safety technology. The company's Mercedes-Benz 220 sedans were the first vehicles to incorporate its patented "crumple zone" body design, created to absorb impact in the event of a crash.

In 1963, the company cemented its reputation as the home of automotive luxury with the launch of the Mercedes-Benz 600. The elegant, luxurious sedan was also available as a limousine and featured an ahead-of-its-time air suspension system and a V8 engine that boasted 300 horsepower. The decade also saw the launch of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3. This full-size sedan went from zero to 60 in under seven seconds, distinguishing itself as the quickest luxury car is its day.

The 1970s saw the birth of the brand's storied S-Class line of vehicles, opulent sedans and coupes that coddled passengers with powerful engines and a long list of luxury features. The decade also saw Mercedes continuing on the cutting edge of safety technology, by being the first to offer antilock brakes in its vehicles.

Daimler-Benz's safety advancements continued in the 1980s. Its cars were the first to offer airbags and traction control. The manufacturer also raised the bar in terms of ride comfort and handling when it introduced multilink rear suspension. The technology debuted on the compact Mercedes-Benz 190 E, and it remains a vital component of the company's chassis engineering to this day.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles got an extra dose of power and performance in the 1990s, thanks to the manufacturer's partnership with AMG, a performance and tuning shop that was eventually purchased by the company to help produce ultra-high-performance versions of some of its vehicles. The first AMG model offered in the U.S. was the sporty C36 AMG in 1995; since then, Mercedes has gone on to offer an AMG-tuned version of almost all of its vehicles.

The company's current lineup is the most comprehensive in its history. With a variety of sedans, coupes, SUVs and roadsters filling Mercedes showrooms, it seems like the only thing missing is a pickup truck. Surely, the fact that Janis Joplin's song holds as much relevance today as it did four decades ago is a strong indicator that the brand's premier status is still very much intact.

User Reviews:

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  Diesel for me - 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By GSS - December 5 - 3:21 pm

  Wish I would have not purchased a Black vehicle -- wish it was silver.

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  ML350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ram - December 2 - 10:43 pm

  The only problem I have had is one of the chrome wheels had a crack in it. It was replaced with no problems, except that it took 2 days to get a replacement. But the dealer gave me a replacement vehicle so there was really no problem. Another problem (but not with the car) is it is very easy to go very fast in this car and not feel like you are even moving, its so smooth for an SUV.

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  sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By alex crim - December 2 - 2:00 am

  Best Suv I have ever bought. I have never had anything but a Benz and will never change. The G500 is brand new and is the best Suv I have ever owned. For great info go to mbusa.com

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  320 Bluetec - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By New diesel rocks - December 1 - 10:46 am

  Bought an 08 Bluetec with 15,500 miles in March 2010. Excellent vehicle. Smooth, quiet, excellent mileage, plenty of power. Very smooth shifting vehicle. This is my 3rd Mercedes, by far the best (previous was an 83 300td (junk), e300 (pretty good). I have owed Lexus (IS300) and 5 series BMW and like this better. Many other vehicles along the way and this is the best. Package 2 with keyless go, fold down rear seat and the full moon roof. 19 miles one way to work, mostly freeway with some stop and go downtown and I see 36 mpg routinely. Not a big NAV user but have found this nav system to be a challenge. Logic is not intuitive but you do figure it out with some focused effort.

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  My dads c250 sport sedan - 2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By j_barnhill99 - November 30 - 8:02 am

  My dad bought a c250 sport sedan used with 8900 miles from RBM north. He has put 21 thousand miles on it in least than a year, he loves it. It is like driving a go kart its a true sport sedan. The brakes are outstanding, the handling is sublime, the acceleration is great. The build quality is top notch the door panels are solid the gaps between the panels are practically invisible, no other car is built as good as a MB. Average 23 mpg, maintenance is inexpensive , hasnt given any problems. The interior is well designed, luxurious and looks interesting with two tone MB tex. Dual exhaust should come standard as well as 18 inch wheels. Back seats are cramped and narrow.

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  Love this car - 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Car_Guy - November 29 - 5:50 pm

  Just bought the ML350 4Matic - I love this car. Im over 6feet tall and this car is the only crossover thats built for tall people. Looks sexy and drives great - what more can you ask for.

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  MUST READ!!! - Cash Test - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By usarmy89delta - November 26 - 4:21 pm

  After reading some review Ive decided to write my own. In 2008 I bought for my spouse an R350 4Matic. We drove it and took it on trips all the time and never gave us any trouble (except a few blown lights) and eventually put close to 40k miles on it. On June 2010 my wife was driving in the city with both our kids when an elderly lady wich had a suspended licence drove right into her lane (she crashed head on). When I arrived I saw the car totalled but my wife and kids with out a scratch on. The cars crash alert system had been activated (it moved the drivers seat all the way forward, it moved the steering wheel, cut the engine and even placed the hazards lights on).

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  great car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By trip - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Had this car for a while now, enjoy it thouroughly. We did have a couple of issues, such as, power window switch going bad, power streering hose coming off. However, got an immediate first class service to address the issue.

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  new owner - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By luv2lof - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Just got this car 2 weeks ago. Have put on 1200 miles so far. Very responsive, quick when needed, very stylish, great gas milage. Does need to improve cup holders,cruise control lever,and the front window always seem to fog up no matter what setting I put the ac controls on. Should be able to keep this car many years.

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  Die hard 4 - 1994 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Nishan - November 26 - 7:26 am

  This is my 3rd MBZ, one of the best, I love it and I intend to keep it as long as I live. Has 210,000 miles now. Engine runs very quiet and smooth. The soft top just gave up. At the same time some electronic parts and sensers are started giving up. All the aging problems surfaced when we had 110 F temperature days this year. I know what the problem was and need to be fixed but the MBZ test unit never found the problem, the tester always reports as no issue, it is like taking the car in and getting back unfixed. Anyway I told the mechanic just change the part I pointed out and that was it. Runs like a champ, no more heat related malfanction. I want to get at least 300,000 miles life.