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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  Reliable family car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ahering - January 10 - 8:00 am

  Bought it with 35,000 miles and I have just put 37,500 more miles in 4 years. It had brand-new tires and brake-pads when bought and it is just about time to replace them. I have spent about $500 a couple of time extra for repairs (not regular maintenance) and my only complaint would be that I have to keep an eye on the engine oil level. If I drive over 70 miles per hour on a hot day, it will surely burn oil. Other than that I am pleased with this SUV.

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  2003 C230 - 5 speed automatic - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Michael Maddox - January 9 - 2:00 am

  My first Mercedes. So far so good. The car is very quiet. It drives like an improved version of my 99 Passat. Considered an Acura RSX, but for a few dollars extra, you get a lot more car.

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  Good effort for new model, recommend - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mike in LA - January 1 - 5:40 pm

  I like my car, having owned it longer than many cars in the past. I have improved HP through new supercharger pulley, put AMG wheels and 17" tires in place of the silly Michelins, but otherwise, it was well designed out of the box. Its fun to drive, the automatic transimission works well, and manual mode is useful. I like the nav system, and generally most everything works as advertised. I know resale isnt great, but there is nothing Mercedes can do about that. Resale comes from perception. But my first car was a VW Corrado, and this car is the closest thing to an upscale Corrado anyone has ever made. Would love to see AWD as an option.

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  First diesel - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Chartist - December 31 - 4:30 am

  I wanted the performance of an 8 cylinder at the cost of a six and found it with the E320 CDI. Fantastic appearance and acceleration. Not crazy about Mercedes service. Warranty work seems hard to get unless their computer shows a fault even though mechanic diagnosed problem during test drive. The car "bucks" briefly when pulling out from a stop.

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  its a Chrysler - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By flipside - December 29 - 10:00 am

  repairs so far - differential whine - replaced p Gears; rear seals leaked - replaced; 4 new shocks; OE Micehelin sports dead after 9000 miles; replaced computer; replaced CD; replaced cupholder. Interior squeaks and rattles will drive you nuts. Engine is crudely loud and exhaust note is tinny. Gear shift is notchy. However - handles very well, has good power and gets great gas mileage. My first and likely last MB.

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  Extremely slow parts delivery - 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By dsimar - December 25 - 12:06 pm

  i bought a new 2012 gl450 end of august 2012. i was in an accident on jan 14th 2013. took the car to the liberty mutual authorised body shop here in town on the same day. its been 11 weeks now and im still waiting on my car. reason- i have been told since early feb that they are waiting on the bumper. have called mercedes customer service several times, have a case manager there who updates me. first i was told that 60 bumpers were on back order, then a few days later i was told that 34 are still on back order. frustrating beyond belief. i dont think i will ever trust this car maker again.

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  Great Car - Bad Tires - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By D. Parent - December 24 - 10:50 pm

  I love the car. However, in spite of the fact that I drive it less than 12,000 miles a year, and always on well-kept expressways, I have had to replace 4 of my Continental tires in the past 15 months for bulges in the sidewalls "caused by pot holes" according to my MB service rep!

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  Great - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By bgswm1 - December 23 - 10:00 am

  what an amazing car. could not be happier!!

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  Interior Electrical Problems - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Michael - December 21 - 10:00 am

  This was my first purchase of a Mercedes. Ive always been a Toyota man. Even though this was a used Mercedes C280 I thought the car was a great investment. However, Im having electrical problems. First, the car unlocks when Im driving. This is dangerous as I have my grandkids in the back seat many times. Also, the moon roof will not close all the way. I have to hold the button down until the window is closed. Im bring this car back to New Country Motors hoping they can fix these problems.

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  Great family car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Crocker Highlands - December 20 - 9:53 pm

  We purchased our ML with 42000 miles as a CPO vehicle nearly two years ago. Since then weve been to the dealership only twice for scheduled maintenance. The car is incredibly dependable, performs well on most surfaces, handles well, and hauls just about anything you can throw at it. We love it and would buy another in a heart beat.