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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  Pocket Rocket - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By rgd - July 16 - 9:00 pm

  Although a little pricey, this car is worth every cent. After owning other Mercedes, a BMW, a Corvette and a Ferrari, I can honestly say that this car is the most fun and the most practical to drive. It has excellent road manners whether in the city or out on the highway. Even after opening it up on the road, it still gets around 20 mpg. The engine is a masterpiece in sound, speed and appearance. The suspension is fantastic and the tires work very hard. I can only begin to imagine what the C63 will be like.

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  Not that bad for a 10 year old car - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By K.W. - July 16 - 8:33 am

  Okay, I read a lot of complaints about this car, but its not really that bad if you take care of it. Maintenance costs are fairly high if you dont know how to do simple maintenance yourself. Its not only the labor that is expensive if you have to bring it in, its also the parts. The best fuel economy Ive gotten on this tank is 27mpg driving from Minneapolis to Chicago in the summer. If youre trying to be frugal, dont buy this car. Otherwise, I pray every day that nothing breaks on it. Meanwhile, I really enjoy driving this E320 4matic. Just take good care of it, do all the maintenance in advance and itll run fine.

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  An brief unbiased review - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By xiaoz - July 15 - 11:18 pm

  Pros: *Very nice fit and finish for the exterior and especially, the interior. *Smooth ride, quiet cabin, no vibration noises. *Excellent Harmon Kardon sound system *Good driver all around visibility. *Good head room and leg room. *High resolution command or navigation screen that maintains readability even with sunlight shining directly on it. *Quick and effective blindspot warning system(a must have option) *Bluetooth connectivity is easy for the use of phone and audio devices. Cons. *Average performance: engine works hard for acceleration, heavy car feel during quick maneuver. *Time consuming use of the MB command controller(address entry for navigation)

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  It owns the road - 2007 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By Julesh - July 15 - 5:50 am

  in 07 the G was upgraded with xenons and a 7 speed transmission. It looks like a huge car, but its actually smaller than full size suvs like the Expedition, Navigator and Escalade. It is quite tall though. You either like the look or you dont. Inside, the interior is top notch. The controls are easy to operate, but the car needs steering wheel mounted volume controls. You have to reach over a ways to get to the radio. Plenty of foot room, lots of cargo room. Get moving and the doors lock with the sound of a 12 guage cocking, the car turns very tight, handles well at low speeds, on the highway it loves rough roads. It doesnt handle too well on turns at speed, its a huge tall SUV after all

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  Perfect mix of sportiness and luxury - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By blaupunkt - July 15 - 2:56 am

  Just upgraded from a 2010 Acura TSX which is an amazing car, however my only complaints were that the 4 cyl offered too little torque (only 170 lbs/ft) some road noise and despite the handling was pretty good I had to battle between the FWD and its heavy nose while cornering. While looking for more torque I made the resdesigned C250 my choice. 201 HP, 229 lbs/ft torque, RWD and 7 speed blend decent performance and a quiet cruiser. This is not sluggish, its fast enough for all around driving. Its not a performance machine like the 2012 328i, S60, Regal GS or G37, not as powerful as the TL but not boring as the A4s CVT tranny or the IS and CTS floaty ride. A perfect blend for me.

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  Experience and Love - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Chris Lochmann - July 14 - 9:43 am

  It took only a trip around the block to realize that this car has the true response of a sports car, but the comfort of a sedan. The size is very adequate for taller people such as we are, but it manuevers with the response of a two seater roadster. We just LOVE IT.

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  Mercedes Extreme - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By gohome - July 14 - 2:00 am

  This is the best car

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  Crappiest Mercedes - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Ron mashrouteh - July 14 - 2:00 am

  Ill never by another Mercedes-Benz no matter what model.

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  So Far So Good - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By psdesertrat - July 13 - 6:36 pm

  I traded my 08 CTS4 and never looked back. Both vehicles had the same price. I just wished the GLK was out then. Owning mostly GM vehicles, my deciding factor was the availability of Teleaid. Its like power windows, once you have it you never go back. There are so many things to love about this vehicle, especially the ride. After driving the C Class, Im amazed that they are even relatives. I averaged 21.8 mpg today on a 257 mile trip, with a 1600 ft climb (love the altimiter), head winds and averaging 70 to 80 mph. My 24 mile city loop to work averages 19. I dont think that is bad for 2 tons of fun! Biggest Gripe: No A/T tires available for 19s on a AWD.

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  Awesome suv - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By ceezeeman - July 13 - 12:23 am

  This is a great truck. Looks great, well built, fun to drive. But it is an suv, not a luxury sedan and handles accordingly.