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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  Nice Luxury - Lacking in Sport Dept. - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jimmy Boy - August 19 - 2:00 am

  A nice comfortable car with lots of electronic goodies, however the suspension is a little soft and their is a significant amount of body roll. I drive it on a 40 mile comute, it is very comfortable and safe. Very quiet and cruises nicely at 80. When I hit the backroads it doesnt match a BMW. The car is quick and gets about 27 mpg on my commute. The Kompressor is a nice engine but again doesnt match BMWs inline sixes.The automatic is smooth with a little Kompressor lag if you are driving mildly but you get used to it. The radio isnt the best but with the CD changer it is more that adequate. Made by Alpine. Seats are firm and comfortable.

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  New 2003 C240 Sedan - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JohnN757 - August 19 - 2:00 am

  All in all, I love my new Mercedes Benz C240. Its comfortable with both short distant stop and goes, and long distant trips. Luxury abounds.. which is a nice change from the older more spartan Mercedes. Definately a good buy in my opinion. With 4 years of service included from Mercedes, you cant go wrong.

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  By Far The Best Car Ive Owned - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Brandon - August 18 - 6:43 am

  This is my third Mercedes-Benz, but my first E Class (I am coming from owning two C Class 4Matic models). While the C was reliable and comfortable, I now understand why the E Class is always described as THE quintessential Mercedes-Benz. Even in the 350, there is an abundance of power, yet the car shifts and rides so smoothly; this car is consistently comfortable and enjoyable in which to drive and ride. As far as styling, I feel like Mercedes nails it. Other cars in this class either seem to go too modern, and the interiors end up looking like some Frankenstein monstrosity, or too conservative and stodgy. The E Class is a perfect blend of modern tech amenities and understated elegance; I love little touches like the analogue time piece in the center dash. I have seen others complain about the use of the COMAND system, but personally I find it very intuitive and user-friendly. While I am averaging about 29.0 MPG, I have achieved as much as 36.0 MPG on the highway, a nice perk I was not really expecting when buying the car. Also, even though I bought CPO with 28500 miles, the car looks, rides and smells brand new (always a great idea to find a CPO that was a personal lease; at 3 years old and with much of the depreciation hit already taken, I saved about 30K off MSRP). Ive had this car for about a month now, and I continue to look forward to each time I get behind the wheel.

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  Excellent vehicle - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Marcus - August 17 - 7:53 pm

  I have had this car for almost one year and have not had any problems with it. Great car, good power, fun to drive and definitely a head turner.

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  e320 cabriolet - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mercedes Cabriolet - August 17 - 10:00 am

  This has to be the finest 4 place cabriolet ever built. I have had mine for right at 5 years now and every time I get in it to drive it I have to smile. Great gas mileage and once you upgrade the tires and wheels to 16 or 17inch it handles wonderfully. I have the sportline and would highly recommend that option. Not great rear leg room but it will do in a pinch. Engine is a great machine, I upgraded the rear end to a more aggressive gearing and now it performs like it should have from the factory.

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  Constructive Criticism - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By JohnP in Boston - August 15 - 8:43 pm

  I love this car and its really a dream to own and drive. I had a problem with the power tailgate not working. The NAV system is a bit primitive and prone to error. This is still the best car that I have had the privilege to own and I highly recommend it.

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  G55 is a solid luxury SUV - 2007 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By CLL - August 15 - 1:13 am

  I bought this G55 for my wife. While it is not a typical squshy SUV,it is everything else and more. The power is amazing, Motor trend shows it at 0- 60MPH in 4.7 seconds agianst the cayanne S, bmx x series.It is very well built, handles very well and I feel safe with my wife and 3 children driving in it daily. The interior has superior finishes. The rear seats are great with 3 dedicated true seats, logs of leg room and a tall roof make it spacious. The trunk is very deep and easy to put strollers and groceries into. As the car breaks in, it is getting quicker in performance. I would buy it again in a minute. Once you drive it, you wont drive any other suv. No problems thus far at all.

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  No regrets! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By palm coast - August 14 - 8:43 pm

  After 7 years owning this Benz, I considered buying another car, but have doubts that anything could be as reliable, good looking and fun to drive as this one. If and when the day comes that I do buy another car, Im sure it will be a Mercedes SUV.

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  Love it! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By G - August 14 - 7:43 pm

  Just bought the E550 4matic a week ago. Love the car. It came down to the audi A6 or 5 -series. This car is much better in both build and drive. The V8 is very fast and smooth. The HK sound is awesome. The Xenon lights are great! Once you use them, you wont like regular lights again. The only things I havent liked is the COMMAND function. Its ok to use. More complicated than it needs to be. The IPOD interface could be better. I got the sport edition. Not much difference in ride quality between sport and comfort modes. The car height feature is pretty cool when parking near a curb. It raises the car about an inch so you dont hit some concrete curb when you park.

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  Excellent Sports Tourer - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By CaliforniaVehicleOrg - August 13 - 6:30 pm

  The Mercedes Benz R class is unbelievable. It is reliable, fun to drive and sleek. Comes with great accesories and features as well. Even though sticker says the R500 gets around 18 mpg, it can actually get around 25 - 30 mpg.