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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  320 Bluetec - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By New diesel rocks - December 1 - 10:46 am

  Bought an 08 Bluetec with 15,500 miles in March 2010. Excellent vehicle. Smooth, quiet, excellent mileage, plenty of power. Very smooth shifting vehicle. This is my 3rd Mercedes, by far the best (previous was an 83 300td (junk), e300 (pretty good). I have owed Lexus (IS300) and 5 series BMW and like this better. Many other vehicles along the way and this is the best. Package 2 with keyless go, fold down rear seat and the full moon roof. 19 miles one way to work, mostly freeway with some stop and go downtown and I see 36 mpg routinely. Not a big NAV user but have found this nav system to be a challenge. Logic is not intuitive but you do figure it out with some focused effort.

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  Best Yet - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Dave - December 1 - 6:40 am

  Have 5k miles and what a great car. The best Mercedes yet. You cant get into trouble with this all wheel drive car!

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  My dads c250 sport sedan - 2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By j_barnhill99 - November 30 - 8:02 am

  My dad bought a c250 sport sedan used with 8900 miles from RBM north. He has put 21 thousand miles on it in least than a year, he loves it. It is like driving a go kart its a true sport sedan. The brakes are outstanding, the handling is sublime, the acceleration is great. The build quality is top notch the door panels are solid the gaps between the panels are practically invisible, no other car is built as good as a MB. Average 23 mpg, maintenance is inexpensive , hasnt given any problems. The interior is well designed, luxurious and looks interesting with two tone MB tex. Dual exhaust should come standard as well as 18 inch wheels. Back seats are cramped and narrow.

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  Love this car - 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Car_Guy - November 29 - 5:50 pm

  Just bought the ML350 4Matic - I love this car. Im over 6feet tall and this car is the only crossover thats built for tall people. Looks sexy and drives great - what more can you ask for.

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  Could be Better - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By H. Baker - November 28 - 4:50 am

  The looks and lines of the car with the sport package is outstanding! The engine is peppy while not a gas hog. Steering is heavy at times in turns. The turning radius is great in tight spots. The ride has been disappointing for a luxury $50k+ car. Frankly, I have driven cars costing half as much that ride better on rough surfaces. The single wiper is an issue as it never seems to clear the windsshield very well. The ventilation never seems to adjust correctly. It blows cold air in the winter and warm air in the summer.

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  Nice change - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Greg - November 28 - 1:43 am

  2nd Benz, 4th European. Very pleased. Last car was an Acura TL, which we hated. Shocked at how poorly Acura was constructed, and we sold it after only 13,000 miles. The E350 is so much nicer. No comparison. We were debating between the GS350 and the E350. Wife liked the looks of the E, I liked the drive of both, but the E is hands down better looking. Sure, the GS is more reliable, but given my experience with the TL and Consumer Reports raving about that, who knows what to believe, and my brother in laws E has been flawless, as has been our CLK, which we kept. If the E is anything like our CLK, Im sure we made the right choice. Nice design, solid. Very pleasant.

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  Nothing but regret!!!! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By funandfamily - November 27 - 7:18 pm

  used 2007 R350. Did my homework but went against my gut and intelligence and bought a clean used r350 with 51k on it. Had the MB dealer check it out, check the codes..& 200plus to be extra careful. the history was good, so I bought the giant car my wife liked. I even forked out $400 to have the trans serviced to be extra thoughtful. Every two weeks since it goes to the dealer. One expensive thing after another. Power steering unit $1,100.00 Gas vapor purge valve $500.00 plus. Peeling rubber coating on controls... Now HVAC control stuck on full heat... Conclusion. It is not about the model, it is about MBs now third world manufacturing and reliability! ForSale

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  MUST READ!!! - Cash Test - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By usarmy89delta - November 26 - 4:21 pm

  After reading some review Ive decided to write my own. In 2008 I bought for my spouse an R350 4Matic. We drove it and took it on trips all the time and never gave us any trouble (except a few blown lights) and eventually put close to 40k miles on it. On June 2010 my wife was driving in the city with both our kids when an elderly lady wich had a suspended licence drove right into her lane (she crashed head on). When I arrived I saw the car totalled but my wife and kids with out a scratch on. The cars crash alert system had been activated (it moved the drivers seat all the way forward, it moved the steering wheel, cut the engine and even placed the hazards lights on).

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  Average for the Price - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By garybrey - November 26 - 10:00 am

  The best thing about the E320 is the turning radius. The car lacks any excitement inside the cabin. The model has not changed much through 2003 that I can see. It does have a stylish look. The amenities are very scarce such as a very poor drink holder; defective computer which gives out false messages; seats are average condition and the leather is so so. You have to be careful driving over a bump if you have a beverage in the drink holder. If the liquid should spill a bit, it can sort out the shifting linkage which is positioned in front of the holder. I have owned my last Mercedes.

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  great car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By trip - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Had this car for a while now, enjoy it thouroughly. We did have a couple of issues, such as, power window switch going bad, power streering hose coming off. However, got an immediate first class service to address the issue.