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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  Great Car - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Cam-Guy - January 25 - 4:03 am

  Love it, in Mars Red, or Fire Opal in Canada. Drove a few thousand KM so far and its fantastic, AC is amazing no hot or cold spots. The ride is good and the seats comfortable. Easy in and out. Sun shade a great feature, all the electronics are useful too. Gas premium only, not so great, but OK, to get performance.

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  Lets see what happens after 100K miles - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Robert Yokley - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Overall, I like the car. However, I had to return it to the dealership 7=8 times for various problems (primarily electrical in nature). To the dealerships credit, they addressed all the problems promptly and efficiently. I must reserve final judgment on this car after attaining >100K miles.

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  All Good!! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By clk lover - January 20 - 10:00 am

  Super car and unbelievable that it could be so much better than the 99. Fun car to drive own and it does turn heads as well.

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  Great car but... - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By saul - January 19 - 1:03 am

  Great headturner, and we love everything about it, but it has been in the repair shop 8 out of the 45 days we have owned the car. Mercedes customer service, when they answer the phone timely, has been poor and disapointing. I hope customer service gets new phone lines and Mercedes gets the bugs out of the car.

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  One major flaw - 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Larry Godwin - January 17 - 3:08 pm

  The one big flaw on this car may seem petty to some, but to me its a big deal. You cannot adjust the sun visor when using it on the side. For some ignorant reason, Mercedes removed the "sliding" feature which allowed one to move the visor forward or backward based on the suns position. To me this is a safety issue and a big mistake. I hope they correct it or I will look for a different manufacturer next time.

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  6 Month Checkup From Benz Owner - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Benz Owner - January 16 - 2:00 am

  This overall still a great car, and I still have yet to see another on the road. I have dusted off just about everything you can think of that might pull up to a stop light too. [I even have the speeding tickets to prove it] The car does lag a bit froma stop before the power kicks in, but when it does. Whoa!!!! I do have to say that the car has been in for service more than I am comfortable with. I dread owning it after the warranty period. Mercedes needs to take their build quality reputation a bit more seriously. I still say "if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up." - Ferris Bueller

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  E350 review - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By cerp - January 15 - 9:03 am

  Overall very good car. But has some quality issues that I would not expect in a $50k car. Driver seat squeaks (had to take twice to dealership), screws in plate holder became loose. A/C is noisy, fan in auto mode seems stuck in position 5. Had it checked, MB said it was normal. Other than that, is it a comformtable sedan with a spacious trunk. Engine is powerful with great gas mileage. You can easily get 26 MPG in freeway driving.

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  Happy once again - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Many Mercedes - January 12 - 8:33 am

  After many Mercedes I believe that this is the best overall package. A great overall balance of ride, handling and luxury. Many people comment on the lack of leather upolstery as standard, but my experience with the MB Tex has been much better durability and appearance after several years of use. I would recommend the P2 package. You will really appreciate the visibility afforded by the Bi-Xenon headlamps. Once you have purchased Mercedes no other vehicle will do.

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  Whiplash - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By kgb - January 10 - 11:46 am

  Fastest car Ive ever had the pleasure to drive. The "Car" is well built, but dont trust Germans with electronics, thats best left the the Japanese.

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  Rolls Royce of 4x4s - 2002 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By Brabus - January 8 - 11:16 am

  It is the best truck on the road. It simply looks like nothing else, and drives like caviar on butter. I had to limo-tint my windows as this car definitely gets a lot of attention. Every time I drive someone in the G500 they WOW all the time. When I go to clubs or restaurants, valet parking would always put it up front for grabbing attention. This is a top of the line truck.