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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  Sold On It - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By R Driver - July 27 - 5:56 am

  Six months ago I traded in my beloved 03 Escalade for an 06 R350. Its a keeper! It has more interior space. Performance? The 268hp v6 lacks take off, but will shoot you to high speed with surprising ease. It corners exceptionally well also. Comfort? It really will fit six 6 footers comfortably (did that) or the wife and 2 kids with plenty room for groceries. Fuel economy? In the city its about average (if you have a heavy foot), however, highway mileage is excellent. We (3 adults, 2 kids, and travel bags) drove from NY to NC on a full tank (500mi). We cruised at 80mph.

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  Rebuilt engin at 10,000 miles - 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By bdiv - July 27 - 12:06 am

  Until April of 2013, I thought this was one of the best MB models I have ever owned. That was until the dealer informed me about a new service bulletin when I brought the car in for the 10,000 mile service. Short story is that a bad lot of wrist pins installed in the engine will need replacement. So, three weeks later I had the car back with a rebuilt engine! They replaced the pistons, connecting rods and wrist pins along with every other engine gasket, seal and screw!

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  Only a little nervous - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By David - July 21 - 5:23 am

  I rode in someone elses E500, and liked it, not thinking I could afford one. I found a used on by accident, and, after driving about four used ones, found one I liked. Got a good deal, and a good deal on my trade-in. So far, the only problems Ive had have been two low-beams headlights going out, and not being able to replace them myself. The oil level tester told me it had excess oil in it recently, so I scheduled it for service 1,400 miles early, but Id rather not take any chances, and theyll replace the headlights for me. Seems like it only requires maintenance once a year, and alternating years are major, and minor services, so, not too bad. Car feels very solid. I like it.

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  A competent luxury SUV - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Frank S - July 21 - 2:00 am

  The M class is one of the best luxury SUVs in the market today. Its handling is great and its ride quality is good. The interior of the M class is simple and functional with plenty of luxury amenities. Its exterior is tough yet elegant. The reliability of the M class seems to have improved considerably over the years and now appears to be on par with the competition. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for a safe and competent mid- size luxury SUV.

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  Its OK - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Fred James - July 21 - 2:00 am

  It was a nice car when I bought it, but now it seems like junk. Things are starting to break. My computer goes crazy sometimes and the dealerships excuse is, "The Technology is too new for them to have fixed all the glitches." If that wasent bad enough , I get between 8 and 12 mpg.

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  Beautiful car flawed by engine noise - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By JohnDP - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Probably the best-looking car Mercedes has ever made. The retractable hardtop is fabulous and should be copied by all convertible car makers. It is however seriously marred by two major flaws. The engine pings as if it is running on low-octane gas all the time. (I use 91 ). Going uphill with a passenger it sounds like diesel sometimes. For a car this expensive, it ought to run much smoother than that. Spoils the otherwise perfect ride. Mercedes tells me they all do it, its not a repairable item. Also, the controls are very badly designed. You better keep the manual with you at all times or be a computer engineer.

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  Problems galore - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By johnnyjjjj - July 17 - 2:00 am

  Have had numerous electical and mechanical problems. The vehicle has been in the shop 4-5 times in 6 months. The G-500 handles extremely poorly. After the fact, I have also found out that a roof rack of any type is not allowed by the manufacturer, something they dont tell you when you purchase the vehicle.

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  Problem in snow - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By kumaranv - July 17 - 2:00 am

  The Car doesnt move in drive mode during Snow. I chekced the dealer they want to me Place 50 lbs of weight on my back side of the car If your place if full snow avoid buying the car. The emergency road side assitance wont cover this issue

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  My German rocket - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By poya - July 11 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my Benz for over a year. It has been a wonderful car. At first I was skeptical about owning a German car because ,I heard they had a lot of electrical problems.My car has only needed a wiper, oil change and tire matenance.The brakes are the strongest ever.

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  sad but true - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By phred - July 11 - 10:00 am

  Mechanically this vehicle is good for at least several hundreds of thousands of miles. The ride is as quiet and good as any luxury vehicle. The sound system high quality but the speakers are not well placed. The integrated MCS console for radio/cassette/CD/GPS/telephone is really well designed and easy to comprehend and use relative to its complexity. Brake wear excessive, full replacement at 10,000 miles! Second set of brakes lasted another 30,000+ (a lot more highway driving). Nagging electronic problems, still having mostly electronic problems requiring service calls & weve had the vehicle for almost 2 and a half years.