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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  Over 150k and going strong - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Eman - August 25 - 7:20 pm

  Reliable SUV, driven hard for 150k miles. Great in snow, mud and rough roads. 22 mpg at 75 mph. Low range has come in handy several times. Some maintenance issues with electronics, suspension and engine mounts.

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  Pay to Play - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By pinky - August 23 - 10:00 am

  Really fun to drive. Love the immediate response when I press the gas. Purchased used w/ 63K miles from a mom & pop dealership (Big Mistake!!!) Stay w/ a larger dealership who offers the MB warranty or you will regret it!! In less than 10 months already replaced the drag link ($500) and condenser ($1200) My independant warrranty covers harly anthing costly.

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  Great Sport Sedan... - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bbosch - August 23 - 10:00 am

  Great sports sedan for driving on fast paced so cal freeways and highways.

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  ML320 - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Hobbs DeWitt - August 23 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle. Only disadvantage is small area for 3rd row seating.

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  Chrysler must have done the Quality Cont - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jchrism - August 17 - 10:00 am

  Since Dec 2002, Ive had 5 visits to Mercedes service. Once for the B service, others for a noisy break pedal, After the B service, I took it back for a dead audio system, and two days after a Flash update, I took it in for an error in the audio system, and defective SOS system. This is my 3rd Mercedes since 1999 and if things dont improve, it will be my last.

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  Sexy Little Money Pit - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Virginia Donkey - August 16 - 7:16 am

  I purchased my 2002 C230K in May of 05 as a certified pre-owned, so it came with an extended warranty as part of the deal. The car has been back to the dealer 5x since May.2 of the visits was just small stuff.1 visit was for the radio not working when you turn on the rear deforst. Dealer replaced back window, all is well. 2 visits were for the A/C system. Dealer cant find the leak, but it does.Maybe I need a new dealer!. This car performs very well and is bigger on the inside than it seems. I have yet to find another car that has the same amenities that performs as well and gets the same gas mileage.Buy the extended warranty, you will need it.This is a car that you want to love but cant.

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  Helpful info if you buy E500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By BobF - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I read Edmunds reviews before buying 03-E500 Sport Pkg. I have 825 miles on car & like many others right out of the box it pulled to the right.If u buy tell dealer to put eccentric bolt kit in ASAP. Car washes- sharks fin antenna WILL CATCH - $300 to rewire. The electric brake pedal seems over stated,really no big deal.OEM pads black dust bad. Forget the COMMAND & NAV systems. Side view mirrows mount location seems odd to see correctly. Need to cover door sills & install dead pedal. Cup holders are dumb. I waited for late production car to fore go the early electronic bugs.Cant tune radio pre- sets from steering wheel.Buying, go w/ E500 over 320.

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  1 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mercedes Fan SA - August 4 - 2:00 am

  Excellent vehicle love it. Mercedes fan forever

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  New breaks at 16K mileage on my 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class ML350 BlueTEC 4dr SUV AWD! - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By csunikki - August 1 - 7:36 am

  This is my 4th Mercedes and I was excited to upgrade to the new 2012 ML350 in January 2012 with the new body design when it first came out, but with ONLY 16K in mileage, I have to get NEW Brakes! Really?!?! In my GLK350, SL500 or my C class, or even with my Hyundai Tuscon, I never had to get my done until after 30K because they would last that long. SO Im shocked. I only drive 4 miles to work and Im just really pissed off. They said my back breaks was all the way down to the sensors. But at 16K mileage?!?! I didnt have that issue with my Z4 BMW and Im thinking of going back to a BMW with their 5 yr maintenance plan. Has anyone else had an EARLY brake issue??

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  2011 C300 Sport V6 w/optional 7-speed automatic non-AWD - 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By 6genvettes - July 29 - 5:33 pm

  My review after 3.5 years. Been an excellent reliable car. Still has the classic C-class Sport look that can compete with any of the new models. Had one issue and that was the power door lock passenger side which sounded like a shotgun when it repeatedly locked and unlocked, over and over again. Issue resolved at the dealer. Love the looks of it. The sports front with the LEDs, the crisp side. Wheels are nice wish I had 4 out of the 2015 accessories book. Steering wheel looks, feel, and function is tops. 2-tone dash colors are pleasing to the eye. Seats are a bit firm but thats a good thing for my bad back. Dealer tips: Charge less for your glorified oil changes.