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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  The Large MB - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By TEDS M.B. - May 2 - 10:26 pm

  I found the auto to be overall very nice, but I think more detail to operating directions would have been better, such as a video tape or a small book like past models had. The explanation of operation needs upgrade.

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  SL500 - Good and Bad - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Boybuddah - April 29 - 10:00 am

  The SL500 is my dream car...and also my nightmare. The car looks and drives awesome. But I have had it 3 weeks and it has been in the shop 3 times because the front xenon headlight continues to stop working...which makes its dangerous for night driving. The service dept. has yet to figure out a solution. But like a Jaguar, it looks great SITTING in the garage!

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  Whats Wrong with the 97 Mercedes 320? - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By gwendolyn Phillips - April 29 - 7:16 am

  I enjoy my car on the highway but in the city, the gas mileage is terrible. The car is designed so that the heat only comes in from the sides and not from the front which makes it cold in the winter. The center dash contains the windows buttons and trunk buttons and will short out if you have spillage. The leather is not the best either. It is hard. In addition, the car is hard to drive since it is only power assisted. There is only a cassette in the car. The styling is beautiful. It looks very much like some of the newer cars. I purchased it used with 38 thousand miles.

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  Stylish compromise - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Sailor - April 28 - 7:23 pm

  This vehicle is the perfect compromise for people like me who want carrying capacity, but dont want an SUV. It drives like a car, which is what I want, but has lots of carrying capacity. It is big, inside and out. What dont I like? I would like to see a split bench seat in the 2d row, to allow 7 passengers. And the navigation system is really user-UNfriendly. You basically have to stop the car to input info or make changes. And why is there no Bluetooth capability?

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  Awsome ML320 y2000 - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Doug Thomas - April 23 - 10:00 am

  This SUV (2000) is by far the most outstanding vehicle in the SUV class. I have been in, driven, and tested others both on and off road. The ML320 has the most outstanding combination of off- road and on-road, convenience, safty, and comfort. Did I mention safty? The ESP is awsome and has proven itself to me (no details). Everything in this vehicle is quality. From the wheels to the door knobs. The electronics are also awsome and never fail. kudos...

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  E320 2003 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Stefano Vranca - April 23 - 10:00 am

  I had my e320 for just over 5 months and I had to sell it. Car feels heavy on accelaration but performs fine after you reach about 40mph. Gas mileage is horrible especially if you live in LA (like myself). Interior are beutiful and elgant. I had a lot of electrical problem related to my CD and on board computer. Had to take the car in four times! I do not recommend this car.

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  Jays review - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By JayMB - April 17 - 2:00 am

  All in all excellent car

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  No regrets - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Carlos - April 11 - 10:33 am

  Have never really been a fan of Mercedes Benz, too boxy looking. Thought it was like driving a good truck. Must say this new 2007 E350 is awesome. I love the new redesign. Finally Mercedes is on the right track. Drives like a dream and really hugs the road and with the sports package. It has nothing to envy compared to the BMW. I just upgraded from my Lexus 430 smooth ride, but the Mercedes is a lot more fun to drive. Especially impressed with the 268hp V-6. Excellent pick up and go!

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  Great but not so great - 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Rick Banister - April 11 - 3:41 am

  Steep learning curve for the instruments in general and navigation system in particular. Wish they had just used CarPlay, which has native smart phone integration. Programming the nav while driving is extremely distracting. Voice recognition is terrible. Lacks alternate route capability. No advice on traffic avoidance. I do like the freeway advices on services available at oncoming off ramps, but google maps or apple maps are much better. Headrests are superb -- all the other cars these days have head rests far too forward in response to recent federal standards, including the E-class, giving me a pain in the neck just sitting in the parking lot. But the seats are VERY firm. Park bench firm, and not comfortable for long drives. Steering and handling are very light and precise. Fold-down seats make for cavernous cargo capacity. Ive lost $10,000 in resale value the first year, which is ridiculous, as this car seems like its built to last forever and is very high quality.

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  awesome - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By awesome - April 8 - 5:33 pm

  It has a gorgeous sporty, sleek body and more space in the cabin. People in the street are pointing to the car! Two thumbs up!