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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  If you want and SUV... keep looking! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By cjahr - January 2 - 10:00 am

  If you are looking to forge a strong bond with your Mercedes service advisor, then this car is for you! The ML is a far cry short of the quality that one expects from an automobile manufacturer such as the venerable Mercedes-Benz. This car has had more problems requiring shop intervention than I care to share, and ironically, when I shared my feedback with their national call center, they seemed completely complacent and offered no real advice other than to "lemon law it." So my advice, if are looking for an SUV, dont stop with the ML... keep looking!

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  2003 ML 350 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By WLK - January 2 - 10:00 am

  Solid unbeatable safety features. Best snow vehicle you can buy. Typical poor fuel economy, SUV. Only average power from the 3.7 l motor. Limited color selections. The interior layout better than previous years. A womans vehicle unless you are only 150 lb. male. Narrow and short seats, too harsh a ride. Build quality below average for Mercedes.

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  okstatus - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bradsbenz - December 26 - 10:00 am

  weak performance cheap interior materials expensive repairs terrible remote lots of looks

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  Dissapointed - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Dissapointed - December 26 - 2:16 am

  First and last Mercedes. In less than 2 years of ownership car had many major problems. AWD had to be repaired. Power Steering repaired, intermittent wiper replacement. At 25,000 mile service (which cost $600) was told tires were wearing and would need to be replaced soon! The transmission is sluggish .. going uphill it doesnt shift properly. Fairly noisy drive. Handling is good and interior comfortable. Trunk size is also good. AWD (when working) is great on icy roads. Overall will go back to BMW.

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  Finally gone! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Vehiclist - December 24 - 2:00 am

  This car was bought from a Cadillac dealership - it had been traded for a Cadillac. That should have been our first clue. Though fun to drive, at times, the car is extremely unreliable, falling apart around us, very expensive to repair, and one of the most uncomfortable luxury or near luxury vehicles I have ever driven. The C class is the epitome of over engineering, poor quality build, and a manufacturer currently resting on a mythical reputation. This was our families second and last Mercedes. We just traded it (for a pittance) on a Lincoln MKZ. It might not be German and for that, we are truly grateful. Perhaps the only thing to miss is the sound the MB door makes when closing.

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  MY LAST MERCEDES - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Frankfurt - December 21 - 2:00 am

  This was my 4th and will be my last Mercedes. With fond past experiences I didnt mind paying the extra cash for the 3-pointed star. Replaced many parts during the warranty period and got to know my repair service rep very well. When the warranty period expired, the true pain commenced. Replaced: the ESP/BAS unit twice at $1600 each time, one fuel pump ($870), two window electronic control sets ($400 each), interior panel lights went out twice, the steering wheel cover is loose and interior/exterior trim pieces keep coming loose. The wind noise is like a Mack truck. Now there is a whining noise under the hood. Enough is enough!!!

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  needs redesign - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By CRhooff - December 19 - 10:00 am

  The use of a spacesaver spare moves this car to a nonreliable vehicle status. The tire used for this vehicle is not readily available from a tire dealer, and must be ordered. Delivery: 2 to 7 days. If you trash a tire on your vaction trip across the USA you wont be able to pick up a replacement along the way, and you cant drive an extended time on the toy tire. Bad move on the part of the manufacturer. Also the location of the spare: under the vehicle has problems. Can be damaged, and hard to get to except in ideal conditions.

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  so many problems - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By A patel - December 19 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my fully-loaded C320 for a year and a half. I had ordered it before it even started shipping or without looking at the demo because I had placed my order way in advance. I like the car, however the minor annoyance and problems are too numerous to mention. Probably my first and last Mercedes.

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  Disappointment - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Clemanto - December 17 - 10:00 am

  I got this car in May, 03 when my leased was ended with BMW 3 series. The CLK is powerful and hot looking. However, the quality is no comparison with BMW. The car engine is noisy, lack of cup holder, electronic problems like my navigation will suddenly go blank, the cd changer cant detact my cd and etc, AC is not cold, the stereo is not as good as i expect from BOSE ( Harmon kardon in BMW is better ). I am just wondering what Chrysler has done on this car and didnt expect paying over 58k would get this kind of car. After a year driving this car, i am swtiching back to BMW.

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  over priced, I got taken - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By maxey - December 17 - 10:00 am

  Over all, I well I was taken for a ride,the purchase was a headace, back and forth over pricing. Car is to over rated. This will be my last mercedes