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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  Good experience driving 2016 MB E350 4Matic - 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Joe - April 28 - 8:08 pm

  Well, this is my first MB and I must say that after almost 6 months of driving my used (2000 miles when bought) 2016 E350 Luxury AWD, I am very happy with my experience so far. The car (color black) looks classy all the time, and feels like I have a business suit on every time I drive it. I must say that the interior is acceptable, but not much to write home about, but performance is great and steering is responsive. I came from a 2011 Lexus ES 350, so much of the time I feel myself comparing my MB experience to the Lexus. I feel that the acceleration is about the same between the two cars (excellent), but the MB seems to clunk into downshifting when I punch the gas (Lexus was just as responsive, but smoother downshift). No biggie, but something I noticed during my need for acceleration where the Lexus was much smoother. Electronics on the Lexus were not as advanced, so it is not fair to compare the two cars in this category, although the MBs command system is a bit confusing to me at times and is not as intuitive as it should be. Ive driven in combined highway and city and the gas mileage has been pretty much as advertised (requires premium fuel). The ride is very comfortable (something I value, thus my selection of the luxury model over the sport). I did have problems rotating the tires on this car the first time around. I typically do this type of maintenance myself and I couldnt break the factory torqued lug nuts loose for the life of me, but an investment in a breaker bar quickly solved this problem. I love getting into this car for road trips and cranking up my favorite tunes on the stereo. Very classy looking car, quiet comfortable ride, tight response. Its not a sports car, but when I want to get up and go and take corners aggressively, it delivers a satisfying experience. Looking forward to driving in the snow and ice and challenging the AWD. Hopefully I will experience continued satisfaction and high reliability going forward. Ive driven the car for over 4000 miles now and Im very satisfied with my purchase. UPDATE AFTER 9000 miles - I still enjoy driving this great looking car. A stranger commented to me a few days ago, saying "great looking car" as we exited our cars in a parking lot. Ride is still tight and quiet. The one thing I continue to experience (but very willing to tolerate) is the kind of jerky motion as you press the accelerator from a stop. Again, my Lexus ES350 was smoother in this regard, but it does kind of give you a more sporty feel in my MB, and Im ok with it. Bottom line I still really like the looks and feel of driving this car. I feel like Im in that car commercial (not a Mercedes commercial) where Im always looking for a reason to get in my E350 beauty and drive it somewhere special. My excitement for this car has not faded one bit. Ive done an oil change, tire rotation and inspected the brakes. So far tire tread wear is minimal and wear is even across the tires and brake pads all still look great. I would definitely recommend this car for someone who is looking to ride in style, with the sports car response and capability sitting there patiently just waiting for the drivers queue to engage. ENJOY !!! Update in Snow/ice: Well, after almost 9,7000 miles I had my first opportunity to ride in about 3 inches of fresh snow (still snowing at the time). WOW, this car dug into the snow like I was riding a snowmobile. On a couple of occasions, on clear stretch of road I was a little aggressive with the accelerator just to see how the AWD would respond and boy was I impressed. The car kept on the straight and narrow, dug in and just lunged forward. Im real happy with performance in the snow and Ill have full confidence in traction and safety going forward if (when) the need ever arises to drive in messy weather again. Of course you always need to be careful when stopping (even with the best AWD and anti-lock braking), so leave plenty of room between you and the cars around you in such weather.

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  Great car poor reliability - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By rudochar - April 27 - 10:00 am

  This is a great fun to drive car with lot of power. However the reliability of the ML430 has taken the fun out of ownership. In the past year I have been at the dealer six times (on average every two months). I have had to replace break pads and rotors twice (every 8000 miles). I have had problems with the navigation system, windows, power steering pump, rack and pinion.

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  Destroys Tires - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Edward Vinca - April 26 - 11:50 am

  After 17,000 miles, tires developed excessive thumping. After a couple of conversations with the dealer, the dealer, as a favor, agreed to replace the tires, but I was responsible for the four wheel alignment. After 11,000 miles on the second set of tires, the thumping came back. Dealership agreed to check the alignment. According to them, it was within specs. They told me to talk to Michelin Tires. Michelin agreed to replace the tires as a favor. However, they are no longer responsible for wearing of the tires. So at this point, the car having 28,000 miles, the third set of tires has been put on. Mercedes will not accept this problem as their responsibility. HELP!

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  Great Car to own / drive. Scheduled Service Costly - 2013 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By linwood walker - April 26 - 7:07 am

  ll and all very satisfied with exception of maintenance cost. When you go to a Mercedes Benz dealer be prepared to sacrifice a Kidney. The charges are out rages. You pay several hundreds of dollars for service like a oil / filter change. Compared to a regular car you get the feeling Mercedes is bending you over because you are driving a Mercedes. Other than the service rip off I feel this is a great vehicle and would buy the newer model when I trade in.

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  Wish I Had Known - 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By zelliesmom - April 22 - 5:13 am

  Within the first 2 yrs. of owning this 2000 C-230 Komp, bought used, I have replaced the drivers side mirror, the seal got cracked and the fluid leaked down the side of my door, windshield wiper motor went out, had it replaced for $500, 3 months later, it went out again, I find out its the transmission for the motor thats bad, $1080 for that, now both have to be replaced, cup holder broke, no cd player in a Benz? Heat & air work sometimes. Sometimes it blows, sometimes not, temperature works sometimes, sometimes not. Now I owe more than its worth and cant get out from under it.

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  SL55 AMG - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By sl amg - April 18 - 11:26 am

  Awesome power. Fun to drive. navigation system is very cumbersome and difficult to use. There is a lag when you jump on the accelerator.

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  First 230K in Mass. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By crvols - April 17 - 2:00 am

  I have 15K on it now and have enjoyed it. However, since my first service at 10K I have now: 1. Used a quart of oil 2. The rear sunshade had to be replaced 3. A switch on the steering wheel went bad 4. developed some creaks. I like drivng the car and the looks, I just hope it holds up.

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  When Mercedes was built by Engineers.... - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Paul - April 14 - 2:33 am

  Mercedes and... Ursula Andress were the objects of my fascination when I was 12. I will not comment about the (then) stunning Miss.Andress, but the Merc was the symbol of style and mechanic perfection. The new C-Class has enough refinement to lure customers: with the new design tries to convince the BMW customers to switch to a different proposition. Larger on the outside than the previous model, feels small and cramped inside. The front of the car is appealing, while the back is the result of the involvement of the accountants :- ).Driving over 60 mph brings wind noise in the otherways quiet luxurious cabin. the car handles well, but the steering is uneasily soft and un-engaging

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  9 Years and still nice - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By John - April 10 - 5:06 am

  Bought my E320 new in 2001. Overall, excellent ride, classy vehicle, virtually no maintenance until about 90K miles. Between 90 and my current 115K miles, I have probably put $3k into the car for repairs (cat covert, air, regular service) but nothing before that except scheduled maintenance. Some electrical problems started to show up at 110K miles so I may be looking again. Overall, I am very pleased with this car which looks great even after 9 yrs and 115k miles. Service at dealer has been good except for 45 minutes of shop time to replace a headlight bulb. Complained the next visit and they made it right. This is my second MB and I will probably buy another one.

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  Just Right ! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mark - April 8 - 10:40 pm

  I spent many months trying to find a fuel-efficient, 2-door sports coupe, with lots of power and room for 2 or 3 ice hockey bags. The C230 Komp was, and still is, the hands-down winner. Ive carried mountain bikes, built-in ovens, televisions, and hockey and lacrosse bags in this little gem. The versatility, fun-factor, and sporty appearance of this car are hard to find in any other car.