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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  Nice car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By RRR - March 12 - 10:00 am

  This purchase was made after considering the BMW 325xi. BMW was overpriced versus what the new car quotes from the car reviews on the net, and a use C320 was lower priced with a more confortable ride for passengers. The trunk is also larger making it acceptable for short road trips.

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  Beautiful but extremely inconvenient - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Jack - March 12 - 5:16 am

  The CLS is the most stylish 4 door sedan ever! But extremely not user- friendly. Navigation entry relies on arrow keys and enter button to choose words from list instead of touchscreen keypad. It is maddening! I find myself avoiding using it. Headlight control/indicator placed too low and out of sight. When in full on position, it does not turn off automatically when engine is shut off. Center console storage too small. No coin holder. Door pockets blocked by seats. Wiper control on turn signal lever requires twisting instead of simpler up/down motion. No rear view camera available. I am very disappointed by my first Mercedes. I will not buy another Mercedes again.

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  Presets in Steering wheel - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By WilliamMann - March 9 - 10:00 am

  I cannot believe the IDIOTS at the top of Mercedes, they made a decision that someone should be fired for! The comfort steering wheel is ANYTHING but that. The Sterio arrows in steering wheel just Scan the stations and do NOT skip to your presets as THEY SHOULD! The dealer said they changed this for this years model - ARE THEY NUTS!!! Im So upset that I spent 70K & I also have to hold the preset for Memorie seating too instead of a One touch like the Caddys. Really silly stuff that could have been great! SHAME to the executives making BONE HEAD decisions.

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  Heavy Duty Fagility - 2002 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By Devon - March 5 - 2:00 am

  The G500 is a great eye catcher and off- road performer. The materials and and weight are reminiscent of the Mercedes of yesteryear. When you close the door... it CLOSES. All the major problems come from the advanced electronic systems. Seems as though Mercedes rushed it into production before bringing it to the States. Itll be better in 2003 or 2004, hopefully.

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  Tough Coupe - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Devon - March 5 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this car since Oct 98 and havent had one day when I was tired of its performance. All trips to the Service Department were reletively small or regular maintenance. I drive hard and my CLK keeps a smile on my face and me out of danger (thanks ESP). Still not tired of the looks, even as the new 03 CLKs arrived this fall.

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  I paid for the EMBLEM - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By kjbroker - March 1 - 12:06 pm

  My 2010 c300 is stunning to look at and has a smooth ride. However, some design features are stupid. Examples: dual climate control cannot be controlled using drivers knob (you have to turn both), there is no trunk pass through or fold down seats, the I-pod integration stinks - almost impossible to use, actually the entire sound system is difficult to use (radio presets must be accessed through the steering controls instead of the console joystick), drivers view of the windshield wiper controls are obstructed by the steering wheel, turn signal and Cruise control stalks are in weird positions. Engine needs more power and not very responsive when you Punch it. Beautiful car but needs improvement!

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  Mercedes Aint What They Used To Be - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Dennis Hupp - February 28 - 2:00 am

  First year or 2 had very few minor, but annoying problems -- glove box wouldnt close properly (still does not) and loose knob for adjusting the drivers seat back. Then fuel pump broke in 3rd year at 24,000 miles. Defective dealer workmanship resulted in 2nd fuel pump replacement less than a year later. At 31,000 miles and 4 1/2 years (after warranty expired) the fuel tank started leaking and needed to be replaced ($1,500.00). What do the commercials say about Mercedes quality engineering???? Give me a Toyota Highlander, Acura MDX, or a Lexus RX- 300 instead.

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  A Beautiful Tank on the outside, Harsh on the inside - 2008 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By danielk1974 - February 26 - 8:53 pm

  My wife got this car as her ultimate SUV dream vehicle. She had wanted one for 15 years. We got a good deal and she traded in her Lexus LX 570. We went from a peaceful cocoon of luxury to a rough and randy tank. She absolutely loves it. There is truly nothing else like it on the road. However, it is not very comfortable to drive. Steering is heavy. Acceleration is slow. The engine is loud. The seats are not comfortable. And yet everytime she looks at it, she loves it a little more. I dont like driving it at all, but thats why she tells me its her car, not mine.

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  Thirds MB, but I miss my GL450 - 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By H Shah - February 26 - 4:58 pm

  The care has a great ride and is fun to drive. I have 3000 miles on the car, but my wife drives it more than me now. I miss the drive and comfort of the GL450. My next MB will like be back to the GL450. But I recommend this car.

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  VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By DOMINIC - February 20 - 10:06 pm

  Bought this car new. Thought I would keep it for 10 yrs. Or 200,000 miles. It might last but the repair bills after 100,000 miles is way out of line. Had many problems with this car. Front end work, gear selector replaced, auto doors repaired, all items you would not expect to break, could not lock doors, many other items. I made the mistake in keeping this car too long. I have had many Mercedes this was the worst for repair. Do not think I will be buying another one.