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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  Dont let the star fool you! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mikegh323 - November 21 - 2:40 pm

  This car is very overrated, and not reliable. Exterior paint is substanderd for MB product. I find that the paint chips easily and faded prematurly. The engine is very noisy and unrefined. The supercharger needs more psi boost. The climate control system is confusing and doent work well after a few years. The rims are undersized and the lug nuts rusted after a year. The electrical system seems below realiablity for a MB. Maintenance is overly expensive. Most repairs occure after the warenty and are usually in the thousands. Resale value is very low. 12k as of today. A lot of buyers remorse on this purchase!

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  I Expected More From Benz - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Don O. - November 20 - 2:00 am

  Bought this 97 E320 used in early 2002. I now have 180,000 miles on it. Engine remains reliable, but thats about it. My entire instrument panel is not functioning (dealer replaced ignition switch, which did nothing!!). AC died 2 years ago (dealer replaced dash heating unit, which did nothing!!) Car is rusting badly.

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  Problems - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By c-class no good - November 19 - 5:43 pm

  So my fiance got a C230. Had 400 miles when we met. But noticed a weird noise so took it to dealer and they replaced power steering assembly and that was at 400 miles! Then at 5000 miles idler pulley was replaced and sunroof needed reprogramming. Then now at 7600ish miles annoying rattling noise started to appear. This is a fun car but not really reliable vehicle. I cannot imagine drivng this vehicle without a warranty.

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  Like A Dream - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By SoCal - November 17 - 5:36 pm

  One word: WOW! This car is amazing. This was my first Mercedes and I was somewhat skeptical of its performance capabilities before I test drove it. After that first drive, I was an instant fan. This car gives my 2004 400 hp Ferrari 360 Modena a run for its money in the acceleration category! It really threw me back in my seat...something I was not expecting for a car manufacturer more known for their luxury than performance. I would definitely recommend this car to anyone looking for a performance jolt while offering more luxury and options than more exotic sports cars.

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  I Traded 06 Porsche 911S for CLS 63 AMG - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By MooseinJaxFL - November 11 - 11:40 pm

  I traded my almost new 2006 Porsche 911S for my new CLS 63 AMG for THREE reasons; 1. My kids were getting too big for the back seats in the Porsche! 2. The CLS 63 AMG is MUCH quicker than the Porsche! 3. My CLS is a much nicer daily driver than my Porsche -- and its still a head-turner, especially in black!

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  Fun to drive but problematic - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JOMD - November 11 - 10:00 am

  Bought the 2003 C240 in August 2002 currently 5000 miles. Its now been in service 5 times but does not qualify as a Lemon. On the first day at home it leaked oil all over our driveway due to a defective seal. That was replaced. Then the rear screen lost a screw and it had to be dismantled. The power moonroof failed and a new motor was replaced. But the wrong motor was installed and it had to be replaced again. Now the break fluid is leaking due to another defective part. I love driving it but these problems are annoying. Will a major malfunction occur on the freeway with the whole family in the vehicle?

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  Luxury and rattles - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Alex - October 31 - 8:56 am

  Leased car; good for business, ensures an image of success. Front of the car very sexy, though a little bit too aggressive. The back needs serious rethinking/redesign. Pleasant drive, extremely quiet at low speed. The interior looks well put together and quite refined, though Audi and Lexus still better. There are some rattles at 60-65 mph from the passenger seat. Maybe this is a subtle invitation from mercedes for car pooling.

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  Love my ML500 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By jrayer - October 26 - 11:53 am

  This is my second V8 ML; I had a 1999 ML430 and this one is considerably improved. The 430 had many quality issues but this one has been solid as a rock. I opted for the Sport package and this V8 haulsthe mail! The handling is quite amazing for a vehicle of this size. The driving position is great; you sit just high enough to get a good view of the traffic ahead. The only negatives are the goofy controls on the radio/navigation system, although you get used to it, and the fact of when these things are out of warranty, they are expensive to fix.

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  Hot Car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Rick_MB - October 23 - 1:00 pm

  Excellent handling and stability with an almost surgical attachment to the road when cornering a little too fast for those hairpin turns. Pickup very good although I debated between the 320 and the 500 won out, I almost wish I went for the E55 AMG which would have taken my horses from 302 to 467. Reliability as compared to my 2002 ML is far in away better although Ive got under 10k miles and have yet to see the yellow ! go on for any AWD action. Contour seats seem to breathe around you and those bladders fill and empty whenever you take a curve at high speed and it senses the g forces to hold you firmly in place. And the girls seem to like it also.

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  Very happy CLK 350 cabriolet owner - 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By ellefritz - October 23 - 4:55 am

  This is my first MB and Im in love; in fairness Ive owned mostly Toyotas and Hondas so its my first luxury ride but Im very impressed. After 6 months Ive had no mechanical issues (though my miles are very low). It looks great standing still and very very fun to drive. Wasnt sure how much Id use the convertible but I use it all the time, especially with the heated seats. I mostly drive in the city but am getting about 20 mpg combined city/highway.