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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  Sunroop Shatters While Driving on Highway - 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By fitness151 - October 22 - 5:24 pm

  Hello, I would like to share my review regarding a newly purchased 2013 GLK 350 4 Matic. I made my first long distance road trip on 18 December 2013 from Virginia to Tennessee, then Louisiana and to return back to Virginia after the Holiday. As I was making my drive through Charlotte NC on I 85, at approximately 4:23 pm on 27 Dec 13, I heard a loud pop. I thought my tire had blew. I heard wind like noise and looked up and there it was. My sunroof had shattered. My shade was covered so no glass entered the car. The outside of the sunroof had spider lines. Nothing had fallen...it just popped. So now the SUV is at MB of Alexandria. I read reviews of issues with other cars and MBs as well. Wow!

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  Not perfect, but were enjoying it so far - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By RLinSeattle - October 21 - 7:40 pm

  Weve had our GLK350 AWD for a few weeks and are pleased overall with the purchase. The car inspires head- turning everywhere we go, and the driving experience is top-class. Seat comfort is exceptional, as are the quiet ride and visibility on all sides. Build quality seems excellent, other than a finicky rear liftgate. Sometimes it stops after raising about 6 inches - could be user error, but everything else is working great. Fuel economy is abysmal, as advertised. Hopefully rumors of a diesel version are true. Other minor complaints include the spongy brakes (you really need to lay on them, unusual for a German luxury car), lack of PDA holder, cruise wand placement and lack of RT traffic.

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  Great car. But poor engine quality - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mbzpain - October 19 - 12:43 am

  Love this car, great cruiser, comfortable, great mileage and power. BUT, Mercedes has delivered a car with a poorly designed engine. At 62K, I got check engine light and taking to the dealer was informed that I have to replace the balance shaft of my engine for a cost of close to $6K. According to the advisor and validated by the many articles you can find on the web. Mercedes, E350 engine (this affects E350, ML350 and many other C class cars using the same engine) was built using a balance shaft that was not tempered properly. This affects 10% to 15% of the cars between 2006 and 2007 Worst of all Mercedes will not stand behind the poorly manufactured engine !!!

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  Best Ride! - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By accumulator - October 18 - 2:00 am

  This car drives the best of any comparable cars! Smooth and stable cornering, solid feel, and impressive acceleration. Having owned Lexus for many years, I believe the quality of the details are more superior on the Lexus but the LS400 cannot compete with this one on the quality of the ride. Get used to more stares and attention driving a Mercedes compared to other luxury cars!

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  Buy the BMW or Lexus - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By LLT - October 17 - 2:40 pm

  Overall, its a fun car to drive, but quality is poor. Its had much lower quality than any other car Ive owned (Pontiac, Jeep, Buick, Datsun) and maintenance costs are significantly more.

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  E-Class Not a Real E Class - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Viyes - October 12 - 9:13 am

  Traded in my fully loaded 2002 BMW X5 for a 2008 E350W. Should not compare apples to oranges. First Impression : After few weeks of driving the E Class, corner of my heart the BMW wins. As the saying goes, when you dont have it anymore is you will miss it even more.

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  Luxurious street legal racecar - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mel - October 12 - 8:33 am

  I found this luxury beast by accident. I have been looking for a comfortable, safe "luxurious race car" for years. Recently I had looked at all competitors and decided on the ISF. While I was deciding on color I visited the salesman who sold us our 1st Mercedes, a C-300 for my wife. I mentioned I was getting an ISF. He just pointed at a C-63 on the showroom floor. I said what is that. He said lets take it for a spin. That was it! FINALLY a luxurious, comfortable monster. I am constantly looking for excuses to drive it.

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  ELECTRONICS PROBLEMS ON CL - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By CLAUDE - October 12 - 2:00 am

  ABC FAILT TWICE WINDOW GLASS HAD DIFFERENT COLORS SOME NOISE UNDER HOOD

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  ILovaMyBenzs - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JoshsBenz10 - October 8 - 12:53 am

  I bought this car for myself on my 21st birthday. I traded in a 2004 SLK320 that I loved!Its a beautiful looking car of course just like all the other Mercedes. Anyhow the car had just under 30k when I bought it and now has almost 40k. No problems at all.Tires stink and need to be changed to something better. Xenon headlights I think should be standard in a MB. Maintenance costs is of course expensive but your not driving a Honda after all. I love the ride and tight feel of the car overall. I feel safe and secure.Mine is black on black with limo tint so its pretty sexy. Rims are really nice too. Rain sensing wipers are very annoying but otherwise great car.Benz all the way. Buy one youll love it!!!

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  Not bad - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By rfarnum - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Took a few months for me to figure out that everyone isnt looking at you because youre driving a Benz. This is my daily driver, its a great, solid car. Gas mileage is good to very good (26-27 average). Any time I drive a rental or a friends car, I get back in my Benz and smile. Its a very well built car. The heavy, solid feel of the door shutting is ample justification for the price of a Mercedes. This car is pretty wimpy for its weight. I have to do manual shift-drops for passing--the throttle tip-in is too slow. We have put a great deal of money into maintenance and repairs, but thats a price of driving a German car, no matter the make.