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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  Marquis - 1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Marquis - May 22 - 5:30 pm

  When I bought the vehicle used, the previous owner did not take care of all the maintenance that was supposed to be taken care of. Despite that, I put money into all the maintenance that was supposed to be done, and it drives like a dream. The drive before the maintenance was nice, however now, it really drives like I expected.

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  Love my Diesel R Class - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Martha Pink - May 22 - 12:06 pm

  Love the comfort and drive of the R- Class. Especially highway driving. Enjoy the cruise controls. Love the better fuel mileage. Heavy car, little road nose. Comfort with four adults and two children. Very quiet engine, for a diesel, but powerful. Most people are surprised its a diesel, its so quiet. Would only own this car in a diesel, due to power and fuel mileage. Drives like a dream.

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  A Family Vehicle with lots of room - 2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Alison - May 22 - 8:53 am

  We needed a family vehicle that could seat 6-7 people comfortably and still provide space for baby gear, groceries or luggage. We wanted a cross-over type of vehicle, not a monster SUV, and something that still provided luxury, safety and performance. I have been an Audi driver for the past five years so comfort, performance and safety were key. After looking at a number of vehicles we decided to look at the R Class. (The Audi Q7 didnt cut it with cubic space.) I am very pleased with the key factors I had to consider and extremely happy with the space we were seeking. We chose the P1 package with a couple of extras, the I-pod hook up (I love) and heated seats.

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  What A Lemon - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By nightmare - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Trouble started 10 days past qualifying for the lemon law - met all stipulations except the time period. Towed numerous times for the same problem to the same dealership (due to a move not the selling dealership). Never could fix for any length of time. Regional service manager wouldnt return calls, Mercedes USA wouldnt help. Would NEVER recommend one.

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  What happened? - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By hslmd - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Just ask me for the list. Back to the dealer 12 of the first 18 months I had the car. Good thing it was a lease!!!

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  E430 Sport - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By hgp - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Excellent solidity and ride. Very powerful engine and firm ride. Overall, excellent build quality.

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  Just want to keep on driving - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Canoehead - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Im not a big fan of long drives. Driving is a chore. Not any more. I just want to keep on driving. I pretty much hate arriving at my destination. Ive driven lots of cars and I just cant believe how much better this car is over the Japanese competition. I cant imagine having more power. What is the use? The engine sound is wonderful. The fit and finish is fantastic everywhere. (look under the car!) Ive recently been in a top-of-the-line VW Passat and it just does not compare. This is such a fun car to drive and drive and drive.

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  First trip - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By jabbahop - May 20 - 5:00 pm

  I drove our new R350 1000 miles from the dealer in KY. I now know why the car is called a tourer. Quiet, smooth, comfortable - a great ride. It isnt a quick vehicle but has enough power. Nice surprises - the cruise control with two increments (up and down one mile per hour to tune speed) - intermittent wipers - ipod integration kit (though it would be nicer to be able to select a play list from the radio controls) - better gas mileage than I feared (22.5) Little annoyances - should have checked out the Xenon lights because on low beam, they dont have great illumination - black interior (and carpet) shows dirt, dust. Overall very happy with it and family loves the room!

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  Great car with some minor setbacks - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By joe41296 - May 19 - 8:45 am

  I love the look of the car, the more aggressive grille that comes with the 550 and the performance is exquisite. The 402 horsepower and 443 lb/ft of torque usually puts me at 60 in about 4.6 seconds. The car has a great ride quality and when in sport mode really feels like a Drivers car." When Driving the car there is a noticeable rattle the comes from the A pillar and is present even on fairly smooth roads. Convertibles are more prone to these types of issues however when driving a BMW 650i convertible this rattling was not present. Furthermore, there is a slight squeaking noise that seems to originate from the front axle or suspension and just occurs now and again and then goes away.

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  Excellent Car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Kevin - May 19 - 5:10 am

  I am loving this car more now than the day I bought it. I will probably keep this one until about 2010 or 2011 and then buy another one. Without a doubt, this is the best car I have ever owned.