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 and responsive vehicle - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By STEWART - March 24 - 1:36 pm

  So far so good. If you don’t mind going to the gas pump often, then you will enjoy the ML 500. Style and comfort is very good, the upgraded sound system and navigation is a must have. Lots of room for what ever you decide to put back there. The power hatch is the only thing that seems to be a concern at times. It will not shut all the way at times, so becomes a little bit challenging. Overall is expensive but let’s not forget its Mercedes Benz.

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  My new 8 yr old ride - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Passing Buck - March 23 - 2:43 pm

  Traded my 04 Escalade ESV for this ML430 and some cash. Should have bought an M Class years ago. Much better engineering and build quality. More fun to drive, and more driver friendly and intuitive. Any bugs long since worked out, I think. Mileage is almost 17 city. Comfortable, and easier in & out. Smooth and quiet.

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  The Regal E500 Sedan - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mercedes Masterpiece - March 19 - 10:30 am

  I have driven 3 Mercedes, ML320, ML65, E320 4matic. The E500 is by far the best Mercedes I have ever owned. I love the luxury which the ML lacked. The reduction in wood on the doors is, in my opinion, a loss of style. The performance is okay. I will buy a Mercedes forever.

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  Sont buy it - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By john01 - March 17 - 6:16 pm

  Got a 2007 CLK convertible. Good looking. Fun to drive. But, it has been in shop for 4 times for different problems, started at month 3. Today speakers stopped working. I remember the sale person asked me to buy extended warranty. I said MB is supposed to be a car with high quality. He said not true. I did not believe his word. Now I regret. No more MB.

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  Mercedes are terrific cars and when purchased used can be great Value! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By justmyopinion - March 15 - 11:38 pm

  After buying my first Mercedes in 1997 E320 brand new, we became Mercedes bigots. Why, Looked and rode as good in 2009 when we sold it as when we bought it even with its 250km badge on the grill. In 2009, $60+k wasnt in the cards for a new Mercedes, & we discovered how many cars are leased these days coming off in 2 to 3 years with low miles and another 3 years on warranty. We found a 2007 E350 with 33k miles in great shape with all maint records in Mercedes dealer computer and paid $27k Out the Door. Here almost 5 years later we have $96k miles and no problems. We plan to buy our next Mercedes in 2019, maybe upgrading to a 2016 S class that will last us through our retirement.

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  flagship with great mileage - 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By davidcpeck - March 14 - 11:23 am

  had 2007 s-600. this is same car, but softer ride and less torque. so it took less time to learn all the toys. night vision now has added thermal. lane drift actually vibrates steering wheel like road bumps. at 70 mph, in cruise, i get 29-30 mpg, at 2,000 rpm. blind spot warnings in mirrors are great.

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  Good reliability - 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By highlander - March 12 - 1:06 am

  I drive some 6000 miles every year on the snow and ice in the mountains and the electronics takes care of the occasional error. This car has has minor corrosion problems all corrected under guarantee at no cost to myself.

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  engine racket on start up - 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mitchellrowe - March 7 - 1:56 pm

  best guess is intermittent defective oil pump . on half the start ups ( cold or hot ) , loud valve taps / rattle ... most likely due to oil lying in the oil pan . seems an odd explanation , as benz uses synthetic oil that sticks to moving parts ?

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  This is my last Mercedes - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mark B. - March 5 - 2:00 am

  My Lexus sedans were boring and lacked excitement, but I never once experienced a problem with those cars. This E500 is beautiful, but I have spent weeks at the dealership. My problems center on the audio / computer system. The Logic 7 sound system is pathetic. My biggest concern is the defective SOS system that doesn’t work. This is a life saving device and MUST work; I smell a class action lawsuit! The funniest part about this whole experience, is listening to the service manger complain about the amount of time his staff has spent. I paid $65k for this fine German automobile, and this car should be flawless.

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  Good and Bad - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By antoniorv - March 4 - 10:00 am

  This is a wonderful car that has its problems. Like everyone else I have found the COMAND system difficult to use. It can never be used while driving because it is so complicated. Another gripe is that there is a large blindspot because the passenger side mirror is obstructed by the A Pillar in many driving positions. The car is so easy to drive, and you never hear the engine. Also the power is smooth. Finally the interior is wonderful spacious and comfortable. Also the trunk is practicle. My only problem was when I got a flat tire and had to pay 500$ for a new tire. Also the remote battery dies quickly, but the dealer will happily replace it. In general this is a great car.