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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  Stay away - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Moe Kabiri - December 15 - 10:00 am

  The car was in shop in total for over two months out of 18 months we owned it. Do not buy the convertible. It is a major problem car. You name the problem the car has it. Some of Cryslers technolgy has managed to slip in the CLK.

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  Not As Good As It Should Be - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Nomorebenz4me - December 14 - 10:06 am

  This vehicle has been nothing but trouble since I purchased it brand new. Electrical problems followed by coolant and fuel line problems. It has been in the shop at least once every 2-3 months since purchase. Since warranty expired it costs $500 per visit minimum and sometimes up to $2000. The mileage has never been more that 29 mpg and it is a diesel! I will never buy another Mercedes because of this experience.

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  VERY UPSET WITH MERCEDES - 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By TOM PAPPAS - December 8 - 2:00 am

  THE CAR HAS GONE THRU 5 BATTERIES 3 MAIN COMPUTERS ALTENATOR DAMPERS, VARIUS WIRING.2 SUSPENSIONS 2A ARMS INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT WORK WHEN HEADLIGHTS ON NAVIGATION GOES ON WHEN YOU PUT ON THE RADIO STEERING BELT BROKE AT 18,000 MILES WOUND UP ON I SIDE WALK WITH MY WIFE IN CAR COMPUTERS WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING THRU LINCLON TUNNEL AND WHILE I WAS ON THE ROAD .SILVERSTARMOTORS IN QUEENS MAINTAINED THE CAR FOR 2 YEARS AND THEY MAID THE CAR WORSE THAN IT IS I PURCHASED THE CAR FOR SAFETY AND RELIABILITY BUT THE CAR DID NOT DELIVER I AM UPSET WITH MERCEDES AND THE DEALERSHIPS FOR SELLING THESE JUNK CARS A

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  company car ok - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Newtoca - October 29 - 10:00 am

  It is okay for a company car. I would not purchase this car for personal use.

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  Not as hot as you may think - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Thatdude - October 23 - 1:46 pm

  For the first year I owned this car, it was amazing. It was fun to drive, got decent gas mileage, and of course it performed well in all types of weather. However, it was all downhill after the first year. Brakes needed to be replaced after only ten thousand miles. The whole car rattles, and the car decides to jerk back and forth at a red light. The radio decides to turn off whenever it feels like. Please tell me how a Mercedes needs a new transmission after only 15 thousand miles? Since I owned this car, it has been in the shop over ten times. Good thing Mercedes has a good service plan, otherwise it would have been hell. It was such a pain to keep bringing the car in though, such a waste of time.

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  C230 Problems problems - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By uhBenz - October 21 - 2:00 am

  Poor quality vehicle, not up to Mercedes standard. In the 14 months Ive owned it, replace r/f bushing, new sunroof bracket, reset ECU, replaced fuel guage, new transmisson, driver windows sometimes closes, sunroof doesnt open/close all the time. How do u turn the a/c off? Its the same temp. with auto on/off. Steering wheel is squeking now. I would never buy a Benz again..look for Porsche or BMW.

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  Disappointed - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By disappointed - October 18 - 1:10 pm

  I had always wanted a Mercedes, (who doesnt) The first six months were great, then things started to go wrong. The lighter never worked ( Im not a smoker so it took a while for me to notice) Ive needed a new catalytic converter, starter, spark plugs, vacuum hose, plus it makes a squeaky noise sometimes, not too loud but annoying just the same. Its a new car. I should not be on a first name basis with the people in the service department, though they do wash my car after every visit

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  Shame on you Mercedes - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By alcrawjr - October 13 - 4:22 am

  2007 E350, this is my second Mercedes and my last!! Transmission went into limp mode at 71k miles. Called MB headquarters and was told that there had not been enough reports of this issue for MB to recall. Hard to believe because its being reported all over the net. The local MB certified mechanic says he cant get the repair part because MB has a lock on them. I see 1980 models driving all over, but 2006-2014 are not even making it to 70k. I was told that the speed sensor fails around 52k miles. Where is the QUALITY ??? The car is DOA in the driveway while I drive my Jaguar... Go figure

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  A real lemon... - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By KAW - October 9 - 10:00 am

  During one year of ownership...this car was in the shop on an average of one week per month for the same problems + others. New ones continue to develop and the next one will prompt me to cover it in yellow stick- on lemons. Although MB is currently negociating an exchange, much to their credit IF they follow through...(E me for updates)I am not sure if I will feel safe or enjoy another MB.

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  What a Mistake!!!!! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Rick Groughlin - October 9 - 10:00 am

  After being with Lexus for 7 years, I wanted to try something different. I purchased a well-serviced E430 Sport, with 48K miles. Other than the minor issues, the ABS went out at 52K (common problem). At 58K, I thought I needed of a new transmission, but it turned out that I had to replace the transmission mounts, driveshaft joint, and a transmission sensor. For the 60K mile service, the car needed engine mounts and a power steering rack on top of the routine service. The result: No warranty = $4200 out of pocket. Right now, at 70K miles, the car is in for a rear main seal and A/C compressor replacement.