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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  Great Drive - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By E320Lanka - June 16 - 5:00 pm

  Having used the E240, which had an acceleration delay, I decided to get myself an E320. The performance of this car is astonishing. Cornering is a dream at speeds over 100Kph. Fuel economy is not the best although I can’t complain for 3.2L Engine. Stability at high speeds is great supported with a well engineered breaking system. The Bi-Xenon lamps light up the neighborhood which makes night driving extremely comfortable and safe. I highly recommend this extremely reliable and comfortable car

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  Quality? - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mercedes quality? - June 16 - 10:00 am

  Got it instead of a loaded Passat. Fell in love with the handling, the pick up, and how quiet it is. Now that I have had it for almost 6 months, the true mass market to America is rearing its ugly head. Mercedes cannot seem to get the rattles fixed, the A/C is spazzing out, the sunroof shade sticks and sounds like a shotgun going off when the spring pulls it away, and the cupholder is already jamming up. This is a great car performance wise (quick, great cornering, and quiet), but not worth the 31k that I spent. I am probably going to sell it now before the 2003s come out,so I can get the best bang for my buck.

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  Its a Mercedes! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By David - June 15 - 10:56 pm

  Its a Mercedes. Whats not to like? Love the side/rear views. I dont love the front, but the S-class interior, amazing sunroof, power everything, and extremely pliable ride quality more than outweigh the taffy-pull minivan front end. The V8 is strong and the 7- speed transmission is so smooth you cant feel the upshifts. Occasionally you feel a downshift if making a "rolling stop" but I learned that sometimes this phenomenon is due to hill start assist applying the break when youre rolling a stop sign if on a hill. Interesting...user error, not clunky transmission.

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  Nightmare warranty issues - 2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By 06mustang - June 15 - 1:13 am

  Ive always loved MB, and so have many friends and family. After selling my favorite car ever, a SEL280 that I helped get back on the road with my own hands, I decided to jump on the C250 when I needed a new commuter. From the first drive off the lot, the car pulled strongly to the right. Ive owned and driven many types of cars/trucks. Ive never experienced one this bad, and it was a MB and brand new. Unfortunately, the nightmare became reality when I went from one dealership to another and racked up more miles driving to dealerships in teh LA area just trying to get it fixed under warranty. Not enough space allowed by edmunds to detail.

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  GOOD SUV - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By JOETOOL - June 12 - 10:00 am

  OVERALL I LIKE IT ALOT

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  Sticks like glue to the pavement - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Greg Lynn - June 9 - 2:00 am

  I owned an Explorer before this and this vehicle simply outperforms the Ford except in highway ride feel. The ML bounces a bit much on long highway cruises like a short wheelbase sportscar. But overall this vehicle rocks. The way the ML sticks to the ground is unsurpassed. The advanced ABS and traction control make it act like it has glue on the tires under ANY conditions. I mostly drive in rain and while other vehicles slow way down I simply keep on trucking down the road at freeway speeds with full confidence.

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  Gregs Opinion - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Greg Rutman - June 9 - 2:00 am

  A fun car to drive. Good snob appeal. Creature comforts lacking in following areas: No automatic lights on at night. No one touch seat adjustment. Must hold button to get it to adjust. No compass for direction. Trunk does not go up all the way upon release....usually hit head. Only one cup usuable cup holder.....

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  My E55 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bernie Nelson - June 7 - 10:10 am

  When I bought this car I knew it was very powerful as the dealer gave me the keys to a demo and myself and my thirty year old son went for a test drive. The power the car has is unreal. It takes off like no other. It gives you a feel of pleasure and is actually much safer than a car that is much slower as it allows you to get out of the way of others in defensive driving and gives you great confidence by the way it handles. I drive a canyon fifteen miles each way everyday and love the way it handles. Dont get me wrong I am not a speed demon buy why would you want to spend an extra twenty thousand on a car when you can buy the E500. Its a great car and I recommend it highly

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  Great SUV! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By FK - June 7 - 10:00 am

  I can say I highly recommend it! so far so good for myself. Love the look, the way the engine sounds (quiet) and the way it drives.

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  A solid car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By terron - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Well, this is my first Benz after been a BMW owner for over 15 years. I am very please with the ride comfort especially on a long trip. The engine is quiet but powerful. I love this car!