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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  Alot of things break on this car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By golfgame - December 6 - 10:00 am

  Everything has broken at least once on the interior of this car, from electric windows, seat heaters, seat belts, windows, a/c, trip computer,EVERYTHING!!! However, the engine has beensuperb, and the reliability of the engine has been perfect. I love the car, except when more stuff breaks!!

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  Fun little sedan - but could stand design improvements - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bpierce - December 5 - 7:45 am

  I purchased this 2004 C230 Sedan Sport one year ago with about 56K miles on it. Within a month the CEL came on and required a new engine harness and two O2 sensors to repair. The 1.8L engine had a cam sensor design flaw which leaked oil into the harness (cam sensor seals were replaced under a MB recall by previous owner, but not the oil saturated harness). A month later a coolant pipe began leaking at the rear of the cylinder head (I replaced this myself). Since then, the car has run nicely - although I do get high speed vibration on certain stretches of highway (probably due the the low profile tires). Recently purchased an extended warranty - just in case.

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  The "Water Buffalo" Just Keeps Going Effortlessly - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By realrideracing - November 30 - 6:23 pm

  Weve nicknamed our E320 the "Water Buffalo" simply because its the work horse. She is as reliable as any car Ive owned (and Ive owned a lot!), just gets you to your destination effortlessly and smoothly, pretty comfy ride, handles well, and is all round a good solid car. Even in Los Angeles where everybody drives fancy cars, the valet still parks our E320 in the front. It just looks like an elegant and classy car.

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  great car - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By happy owner - November 29 - 4:23 pm

  The S class is one of the greatest cars ever made. It is solid, comfortable, and genuinely a pleasure to drive. I have owned mine since 1997, and I still look forward to driving it. My wife owns a new M class (2002), but I greatly prefer my car.

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  Not what I expected from MB - 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By oldcentrist - November 27 - 6:00 pm

  I leased a 2013 E350 sport sedan about 7 months ago. When I picked up the car the door had a scratch in it. Great, band new car, already repainted. TThen the car developed a pronounced rattle at idle. The dealer fixed it by adding felt tape along side the "fuel line". (!?) 6 months later I test drove a C300 and noticed it had less exhaust system noise/drone. I took the E350 in and they compared it to other E350 sedans and agreed my exhaust system was make an unusually loud droning noise. They contacted MB and were told that there were other complaints on this issue and that a "case" had been opened but there was no resolution yet. I was told to check back in 6 months!?

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  Grey Ghost aka GL450 - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By terp97 - November 24 - 12:51 am

  Turned in 08 for a new 11 and once again very happy. Navigation is improved but still short of Acura/Lexus. Rear Entertainment screens are nicer but placement is horrible. They should have stayin the headrest. DVD in the center counsel is great location and it would be nice to control the DVD playback from the command not just from one of two remotes. It would be nice if the 550 grill and fender flares could be had as in option. The grill is massive and really sets the GL off with out sucking up all that gas like the 550 not that the 450 is any better.

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  Still Looks & Drives Great! - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By realrideracing - November 23 - 9:58 am

  It seems that the W208 class (1998 - 2002)Mercedes Benz CLK has built up quite a following. Whenever I browse through the Mercedes Benz forums, theres no shortage of diehard W208 fans. Weve had ours for a few years and love it still. With nearly 125,000 miles on the odometer, she seems like shell do another 125,000 miles easily. Keep up on maintenance and youll have no problems with the car. Acceleration is better than our newer E-Class. But the short wheel base of the CLK makes it a harsher ride. We have the AMG wheel package so that doesnt help. Like all MBZ cars, steering response isnt very sharp but once you get used to it, this car just corners like its on rails!

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  Well-engineered and poorly assembled SUV - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Miguel K - November 22 - 6:03 am

  It is not an extreme off road machine, or a full time all wheel drive hot rod. It is a tall minivan; so don’t expect a smooth ride like any MB sedan. Gas mileage is in the mid 20s, which is not bad for such a heavy car. The poor off road capability is due to the OEM tires. Once I replaced the stock 255x65x16 with a set of off road tires, my ML will go most places just like other mid size 4X4. MB needs to cut corners in materials to keep the sticker low. My only complaints are the doors. MB must have sub contracted the door design to Chrysler. ML door does not shut like German automobile at all. Driving lights could use some improvement. I added a set of driving lights to aid visibility.

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  Not too bad... - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JuniorBigShot - November 20 - 5:23 pm

  Wanted the new SLK350, but not enough to wait for it, so I settled for a 2005 C320 4MATIC (back in August) and saved a few $s. Its a good solid car - relatively comfortable, drives well, brakes exceptionally evenly/smoothly. Looks nice in metallic silver with the ash interior - seems to shine a little bit brighter than most other silver cars (of which there are too many these days). Quality sound system. Limited back seat room when taller front seat passengers move em back. Generous trunk space. Ive had better AC systems in less expensive cars; the center arm rest/storage console is a strange size, limiting its uses. Im happy w/the car, but not blown-away. Kind of expected to be...

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  Stay away - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By NAVEEZEAL - November 19 - 6:23 pm

  I have had many mechanical issues and the to fix the cost is an arm and a leg. I have spent so much money trying to get it up to par to no avail. Every time something is fixed another problem comes up!