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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  Not as good as advertised - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tom - October 26 - 7:50 am

  The MB television ads for the 9th generation E class said they put everything the knew into this car. They must have lost a lot of knowledge dealing with Chrysler. The car is sluggish, the transmission shifts to slowly for the paddle shifters to be of any use, the exterior design looks stolen from the Accord, Sonata and Genesis. I bot the car 7 weeks ago, have about 3100 miles on it and already 3 trips to the dealer for "fixes" (not what I expected at all). I also didnt expect such poor gas mileage (17/23) when I got 19/26 with my Lexus 430 V8. The MB-Tex seats are horrible; leather covering should be standard, as should tilting & fold in outside rear view mirrors. E is overrated, alot.

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  Avoiding Pot Holes and Manhole Covers - 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Buck Buchanan - October 24 - 10:52 pm

  My wife loves this car and is her main form of transportation. I leased this car primarily because of all the advanced technology and was concerned that maybe there would be lots of maintenance issues. None so far, but to my surprise the run flat tire system got my attention--no spare! Prior to leasing I drove the car up and down the freeway that was close by and the ride was as expected. I did not look in the trunk and had no idea there wasnt a spare. (Ive owned E350s for 30 years and never was there not a spare.) Living in San Diego county you get used to driving on roads with pot holes and when you hit one with this car it is really jarring and even though the car was probably engineered for these tires, there is a marked suspension bounce and a slight bit of skipping if you happen to be in a turn. You feel EVERY bump in the road with the run flats. (I also purchased a battery operated tire inflator just in case the pressure ever drops on the tires when Im traveling in the hinterland as you are only guaranteed 50 miles running flat. Research indicates you may even have to replace the tire, which are very expensive and according to reviews are somewhat hard to find, and in worst case you wipe our the rim too--really expensive.) It is very obvious that a lot of effort has been made to reduce the weight of the car by eliminating some enhancements that used to be on the 2014. I have had almost zero maintenance issues in the 3000 miles the car has been driven, the only one is that the trunk lid does not spring fully open as it did when new causing a few head bumps. Otherwise we are very pleased with this machine--plenty of horsepower for us (85 years and counting). The ambient lighting, massaging seats, USB/Phone capability all are very pleasing. Wished they had stayed with the same navigation software as the 2014. Yes, the seats could be fully covered as before, but again that is probably a weight thing. Have not yet decided if I would purchase this car primarily due to my issues with the run flats.

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  coup no more... - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By silver coupe - October 24 - 10:00 am

  this is my 2nd cl 500 ,as the first one (2003), was deliverd to me demaged from merceds benz... and after some"persuation" was bought back from me and replaced. this car is beautifull to look at ,inside out but very quirky on many levels--- ride is mushy ,handling is ok but its no beamer, too many rattles and noises coming at you from all directions. this is not what youd expect from $100k car! my first(or shall i say second)mb ,and the last one! please ,drive me to the nearest bmw dealership!

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  2003 ML 500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By disappointed - October 23 - 1:36 am

  Very comfortable seats. Very good gas mileage for engine and type of vehicle. 15 in town; 19-21 on road. Very good handling and drivability. Ride slightly harsh. Excellent turning circle. Poor brake wear. New rotors and pads every 18-22 M miles at a ludicrous cost. Front shocks needed replacement at 47,000 miles. Thank goodness car is still under warranty. Dealer cost to replace $850. Power steering hose clamp blew at 40,000 miles. BAS went at 42,000. Reliability poor for a premium brand.

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  Excellent SUV -Unfortunately made in USA - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By wayphun - October 22 - 10:00 am

  This is a great SUV but as an owner of other MB vehicles it is very upsetting the lack of quality control of the US plant.

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  Mercedes on a Budget - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mateshinai - October 19 - 9:13 am

  My very first Mercedes. So far so good. Drive is solid compared to other Japanese vehicles I had including Toyota and Nissan. It is just tight inside. Not for the big fellas. But the electronics bells and whisles are nice. Loaded with gadgets. This definitely gets looks and attention. Feels classy and yet sporty.

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  Good enough - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By al - October 16 - 4:06 am

  If you want a sports car you do not want to look somewhere else. However, for a family vehicle it meets all the needs: safety, comfort and interior capacity. It is a pain to park, but what large family vehicle is not. The space between the second row of seats and the front is generous and can accomodate the space needs of growing children. It is a solid crossover vehicle.

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  Look elsewhere.....Mercedes has lost its edge - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By mabcpa1 - October 15 - 11:43 pm

  Recently leased the new 2012 ML 350 and what a disappointment. Interior fit and finish not up to usual Mercedes quality and required replacement parts.....on a new Mercedes. Ride is terrible. There is a problem with the rear suspension that makes this car bounce like crazy over any little road bump and the dealer claims there is nothing wrong. The precise handling I have read about in other reviews of this car is completely lacking in the car I got......my Honda minivan drove with less effort!!! I am so sorry I got this car and especially at over $700 per month for the lease. The BMW X5 drives much, much better. Maybe I should just go back to my Honda!!!

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  Go Baby Go - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Sam - October 13 - 11:23 am

  Unassuming power with effortless acceleration. Its sleek and comfortable enough to drive daily, but it can fly whenever you want. Its only a matter of time before my first speeding ticket.

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  The Performance is Surprising - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By ramon - October 10 - 10:06 am

  I had mixed feeling when I first saw this "thing". At some angles, it looked good and the front looked so-so. We were in the showroom looking for a CLS but it was the introductory party so they had several model available for testing. I couldnt believe how much easier it was to drive around the backroads of MD. It was confidence- inspiring. More so than my CLK430. It turns out that it has AWD which gave it the more neutral handling. The clincher was the legroom in the 3rd row. Ive sat in the last row of SUVs and theyre only fit for children. I did not feel any claustrophobia whatsoever. The bonus is I can go to Home Depot and haul some stuff with the back seats folded.