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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  Ill never buy another Benzo - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By DeanNY - June 27 - 2:00 am

  like the ride,handling,power and interior.Reliability is lacking.MB unresponsive to numerous correspondence.17k miles, brought it back 4 times.Was told thats why you have a warranty.i own a 12yr old BMW, brought it back twice/both times BMW main office called me. MB doesnt care. Would never buy another one. Service Pickup is a joke/have to wait 2 weeks for a loaner car.not worth paying a premium.build quality is below par for a MB.

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  No Dream Come True - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Bernd - June 23 - 8:23 am

  This was my first car. Im in high school and even though Im young I love and research cars nonstop. It was my dream car until about a month ago. My sunroof cable broke and that was the only part that the extended warranty didnt cover. Less than a week later, my engine started shaking and the check engine came on. Took it in and there is a flaw with Mercedes and something in the cylinders can get stuck open and dont bet on your insurance/warranty place to cover anything. Cost for new cylinder: $5000. Too much maintainance, in shop too much, need a more reliable car so Im selling. Overall, I love the car to death but not worth the time in the shop

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  Can I get heat with that - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By BRP - June 22 - 3:36 pm

  Picked up our new C240 8hrs after arrival at dealer Thurs. Wasnt ready as promised. Heater wouldnt work. Called at 10am next day as instructed. Car ready. Arrive 12:30pm and pick up car. Minutes away from dealership, turn heater on full blast. Thirty minutes later arrive at my office and cold air still flowing. Therefore, can assume one of two things: dealer never fixed heater; dealer fixed heater and it broke a second time before driven off the dealers lot. Lemon?

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  Going back to BMW - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By flightgo - June 17 - 10:00 am

  Thought Id go for the best and trade up to a Mercedes. Like the lines, fit/finish and the little star on the front hood, but stops there. As others say, Mercedes doesnt know how to make competitive price car w/quality. Electrical problems in and out of shop. 2 new computers, joke of a phones system, alarm goes off driving down small town main street, different lugs for spare, radio is aweful, computer locks up all the time requiring a park, off engine and restart to clear. Auto transmission is a dog and engine should show more strength. Sorry, but thats the way it is...

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  Poorly design and manufactured vehicle - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By duel1013 - June 2 - 7:01 pm

  Nothing but failures, suspension, AC/Heat, computer, sensors, on and on. When running the car is a joy to drive. However, the maintenance expense before and after the warranty is the worst I have ever experienced in all my years of owning cars. The experienced has been nothing but a let down of my expectations of owning a certified pre-owned vehicle with less than 20,000 miles when I purchased it. Definitely has lowered my opinion of the franchise.

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  Regret this choice! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By BeemerShopper - May 28 - 10:00 am

  150 days of ownership, 29 of those days in the shop. I get to live through a slow and painful rebuild of my new car. Doors removed/replaced, all window & door rubber replaced to stop howling wind(still to loud for a conversation) rear door handles replaced, wood trim delaminated, headlights not adj.,glove box door and latch replacement(2), door pocket replaced(Fabric felloff),sunroof leaks,hood misaligne(cant be fxd)bad brakes, auto adj. for seat/strng wheel does not work, teleaid does not work, instrument cluster replaced, wipers replaced (BANGING across windshield) buzz/rattle from every corner. Dont buy this car.

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  6 Years of Maintenance Headaches, but still Own It - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Jim A. - May 27 - 7:46 am

  Original owner, vehicle serviced 100% by Mercedes repair/maintenance facilities in San Francisco & Monterey CA. After 50,000 miles, the maintenance problems began, and they are common to many other postings I have seen on the web. Engine oil cooler seals go ($4,000), front wheel bearings leak/go ($3,000), AdBlue Heater goes ($3,000), vehicle loses speed and requires multiple repair visits to finally repair fuel system problem ($2,500), plus regular maintenance that has averaged $1,500 per visit. Vehicle has locked me out twice, battery has unexpectedly drained on several occasions requiring jump-starts, "Check Engine" light goes on way too often, requiring dealership visits. Vehicle itself is a pleasure when its working properly, but those intervals are getting shorter and shorter. Bought the diesel for power, efficiency and reliability but its not turing out that way.

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  Good looks - Inferior Quality Electronic - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By ChildsPlay - May 26 - 10:00 am

  My spouse & I both own SUVs. He drives a Lexus GX470 and I the GL450. The GL450 is a competent vehicle with ample cargo capacity for transporting our large dogs & medical equip. However, I have had to make numerous trips to the dealership to remedy electronic and suspension issues. I do feel very safe inside the vehicle. However, I must admit that my husbands Lexus seems to handle the snow better than my GL and his vehicle has been completely problem free. I have trepidations regarding the cost of maintaining and repairing this vehicle once the warranty expires. The Navigation system and bluetooth integration are vastly inferior to the Lexus.

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  Skin deep beauty - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By jp_BucksCo_pa - May 13 - 1:56 am

  Facts: Shop service average is every six weeks since purchase. Repeat problems = air bag, trunk open/close harness, radio, suspension, wheels & tires, pressure sensor, brake pad sensor, windows. While many under warranty, the fun this car is to drive has been ruined by poor construction, unreliability, giving up almost a day a month to repairs. Dealer offers no solution despite complaints, though loaner (other make) is always available. After only 4 years, window seals and interior chrome are failing. My 7 YO F-150 has held up better. Too bad. Car looks and drives great, but car is a family joke. We leave it home for long trips never knowing when "Drive To Shop" light will come on mid-trip.

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  meh - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mark H. - May 7 - 11:20 am

  I test drove one of these and wasnt very impressed. The engine under load sounds like an overstressed rental car. If you dont need the space, the BMW 3-series diesel is a much better car for less money. Or take a look at the A6 TDI.