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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  Fast and Responsive - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Nodeew - May 31 - 10:00 am

  Small problem with cruise control. It will shut off after 200-300 miles and engine has to be restarted to turn back on. The satellite system offers little value and a chare is incurred for each contact.

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  First MB - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By TomB - May 29 - 10:00 am

  The S55 AMG was the only MB car I would buy, it has everything I want, but there are some annoyances such as: 1)cooled seats are a joke 2)no touch screen NAV, current unit is out of date 3)dash gauges are boring/outdated 4)key fob remote is IR(short distance) and not radio waves, so I have to go to the drivers door in order to unlock it, then go to trunk to put items in. 5)need to find an independent mechanic, otherwise you will have a miserable time at OEM dealerships, and pay 2-3x more per repair. 6)no back up sensors as standard equip!!, This car is over engineered and exp.

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  Cool in Black - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By John - May 29 - 7:33 am

  Its a very good looking car in black, I have not seen a better looking car on the road. Im glad we didnt choose silver. Its a little sluggish when you punch the accelerator, but we bought it for looks only.

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  S-500 sedan - 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By jcfalt - May 24 - 6:26 pm

  Fun and fast car to drive, would buy another one soon

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  Lease is up in May! - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By PatR - May 22 - 2:00 am

  During the first two years this ML was in the shop 13(not a good #) times. The next two years were flawless except for routine service. I can purchase the ML for $24,000, but I am worried about long term reliability. Considering a Toyota Highlander or a Chevy Trailblazer to replace the ML. How has everyones ML been after the first two years?

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  Good car overall -- a few bugs - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By presta_presta - May 22 - 2:00 am

  The C240 is a great road car. Absolutely wonderful on a long road trip. Comfortable, powerful--it rides like its on rails. Its fine in the city too, but fabulous on the open highway. Ive had a few problems. It had to be towed once because the electronic key failed, and currently the sunroof wont work properly. When I press the sunroof button, it opens a little way, not entirely. If press the button about 20 times I can get the sunroof open. Annoying little bugs like that are bothersome when youve paid this much.

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  defects - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By jvs - May 21 - 8:53 am

  The front seat broke. The xenon head lights broke. The window wipers broke. The sun roof failed. Simply put, the car is an electrical nightmare. Will never go with Mercedes again.

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  defects - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By jvs - May 21 - 8:03 am

  The front seat broke. The xenon head lights broke. The window wipers broke. The sun roof failed. Simply put, the car is an electrical nightmare. Will never go with Mercedes again.

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  Rag top in the snow belt - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Skaneateles, NY - May 18 - 2:06 am

  A great year-round car. With snows on in winter drivability is excellent - we get 100" of snow a year. The top is very well insulated & quiet. On any sunny day above 55 degrees I have the top down. The wind screen does a great job of keeping the cabin serene and the heated seats keep you warm, that way you can focus on the excellent exhaust note. Mileage is good at 24MPG and 27MPG highway. This is a cruiser-not a sports car. Performance is adequate, not stellar. High speed cruising is addictive and one can blast to high speed and beyond without realizing it, even with the top down - Its that well designed. I targeted this car specifically over the new model as this one is designed by Bruno Sacco.

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  Amazingly fast but amazingly expensive to maintain - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By MarkMelbourneFl - May 18 - 2:03 am

  In short: - purchased fall 2014 as 2015 model - C400 with some upgrades (Burmeister, LED, but no advanced assistance) - one recall (steering) - one issue with radio (reboots every 2-3 hours) - one door handle light died - one rear bumper replaced due to discoloration - two services - 10K miles and 20K miles. 10K miles a bit expensive but within limits ($270). 20K miles service outrageously expensive ($680) - front tires are pretty much gone after 20K miles, rear tires look like new. - mean dealer - implying I painted bumper myself and this is why it changed color. Worst experience of my life Overall - the car is surprisingly reliable, but my Mercedes dealer sucks. Will have to drive to Orlando for future service.