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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  ML350 Exceeds All My Expectations - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By SilverML350 - April 6 - 10:00 am

  My Brilliant Silver ML350 has exceeded all of my expections. I read that these trucks were so unreliable taht I was prepared to have some problems. I have not had any problems so far.

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  First Merdeces - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By SDJim - April 6 - 10:00 am

  Ive always wanted this car and am not disappointed. It looks great in white. Have had it for three months and havent had any problems with it. Makes my 30 minute freeway commute very comfortable. Accelerates well for passing and the ride is smooth and quiet. A few ergonomic issues with interior layout. After getting over the initial thrill of owning it I realize its a starter-level luxury car, but it still makes me feel pretty fancy driving it. Love seeing the Mercedes star on the hood when Im driving.

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  So for 60k I cant get a radio that works? Really? - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By trntexas - April 4 - 1:33 am

  We replaced our 08 ML. The fit and finish are as expected, the performance for a 6cyl is good, but...I have a 2011 Jeep Compass (I wont spend the money. Its a car, its not a fashion statement) and the radio will quickly connect my phone through bluetooth for complete hands free. It downloads my contacts, it has voice recognition, it streams music from my micro sd card, and it streams music from my internet connections(pandora, slacker etc). The Merc wont do it. My wifes phone is the same as mine. Now while the average user may not appreciate this. When you pay 3x for a vehicle you dont expect customer service or the factory to make excuses for why it doesnt work. Disappointed for sure.

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  2500 miles in, so far so good - 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By glayfan40 - April 1 - 3:36 am

  Have been driving the GLK250 since the end of June 13 and have had no major complaints so far. Zero problems (mechanical or electrical) encountered and its simply a solid vehicle overall. Have been averaging 30-31 MPG after 5 fill-ups in 80/20 Hwy/City driving. Thats from my own mileage calculations but frankly the on-board trip computer is not too far off (within 0.5-1MPG accuracy). Im not exactly a lead-foot but I dont drive like a granny either (Im 28 years old). This thing just eats road imperfection for lunch - I live in the NE region so there is plenty of that around. Cant wait to test out the 4Matic performance in the snow in another month or so.

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  Off Road for Many Miles - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Kokopelli Jim - March 31 - 2:33 pm

  We have owned this car for about 60,000 miles, and had an extended warranty through last year. This car has been driven through city and country, with many miles off-road locating petroglyph and Indian ruin sites throughout the Southwestern United States. This is our third Mercedes and we have driven them an aggregate of over 250K miles, so I am somewhat biased toward the three pointed star. All of the suggested service was performed and the additional repairs required have totaled less than $1,000 which included the new platinum plugs at 100K miles. I would buy another one without a second thought.

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  C63 AMG= gas thirsty but fun and fast - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By C6 Z06 to C63 AMG - March 29 - 6:00 am

  Traded my 08 C6 Z06for a 09 C63 AMG. This car looks great, handles well,is fast and the engine sounds terrific. Gas mileage is simply pathetic, the worst car I ever had in gas mileage, I am only guessing a Hummer or a Ford Excursion are worst on gas. You must get the P2 package, definitely you wouldnt need the performance package. The seats are the best I ever seen, better than my Evo IX Recaros. Be aware that the maintenance can be expensive but overall you are getting a top notch quality car. Insurance is OK,not too bad. Again, whenever you plan buying this car makes sure you put aside a good solid $300 for monthly gas expenses. Red and black colors dont have $720 penalty. Good luck!

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  121,000 miles later... - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By realrideracing - March 28 - 4:18 am

  ... our 2004 E320 4Matic is still running like a champ! No significant mechanical issues and the car has never left us stranded. We keep it in the garage (our 2015 GLK350 gets the carport parking) and keep up on all the maintenance religiously. Get the E500 if you want a rocketship. Were happy with the trusty M112 V6 engine. Enough power for most applications yet provides decent fuel mileage. Its a much more desirable engine than the dreaded M272 in the 2006 - 2009 E350 that was prone to balance shaft failures (theres even a class action suit against Mercedes for this now). Handling is decent for a wagon but eats tires.

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  Rescent Test Drive in the new CL600! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By JSalama - March 26 - 2:00 am

  This car has got gobs of power and the turbo just doesnt quit... there absolutely NO turbo lag whatsoever... however it just doesnt have a sense of occassion in the interior as you would expect from the performance and exterior looks... the interior design is good but fit and finish/ material quality good be better. GREAT car overall.

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  I expected more from a Mercedes - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By couchmore - March 26 - 2:00 am

  I have been nothing but disappointed with this car. Exterior styling is great, but inside is nothing special. I was hit with $3,000 worth of repairs 6 months after the warranty ran out (I too have had problems with power windows). We are trying to get rid of it right now and trade value is not good. Well chalk this one up to a very expensive "lesson learned" and will never own another Mercedes again.

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  Great Wagon but the Transmission. - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By hamil65 - March 25 - 11:58 am

  Purchased this for my wife with only 20k 4-years ago and the car has been great except the transmission. The 722.6 transmission was problem in the older E320 and still is. The TCU connector seal failed which Mercedes had an updated part but then in leaked later on also. Read some forums and Im not alone. Even the new 722.9 Transmissions are having issues. I have owned 4 Mercedes and all the transmissions have had issues.