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:

• 

  Better than my Range Rover - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By asasimone - August 28 - 3:26 am

  When I had to look for an SUV to replace my 05 Range Rover, I wanted something smaller and hopefully with a bit better fuel economy. I had already leased a BMW X5 and didnt really love it-it was very heavy and "trucky". The Lexus R was sort of cheap feeling and I believe if you buy a Lexus or Infiniti, you are paying for the badge not the quality. I thought I would miss the luxury of the Rover, but from the moment I p/u my car I have not looked back. It handles beautifully, feels more like a car, much better mileage already w/o breaking in. The only thing better on the Rover was the navigation.

• 

  I hate this car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By libby - August 27 - 7:03 pm

  The Mercedes-Benz C230 Sport Sedan is a poor excuse for a Mercedes-Benz that should never have been marketed.The car is junk. The only thing that they accomplished is that I will never purchase another Mercedes product. I hate this car.

• 

  Love it! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Oilcan - August 27 - 6:53 pm

  I have been reading comments about this vehicle for almost a year now. Finally pulled the trigger and I am very happy that I did. This SUV is fantastic! Excellent performance, great feel on the road, comfortable and fun to drive. I do not drive it everyday, so gas mileage was not as big of an issue. When I get on the road, I wanted all the power that the V-8 has to offer. 7 speed transmission is flawless. Opted for the ML500, Alabaster White exterior, Mac interior, P2, and Ipod intergration.

• 

  Theres nothing like owning one! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Cheryl - August 27 - 10:56 am

  This is my second C-Class. My first (2001 C240) was so phenomenal that I hesitated trading it for this one. I can honestly say that this car is an improvement over my old one! Naturally it is more powerful (almost too powerful!) and it commands your attention.

• 

  What A Vehicle - 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By allanmwhag - August 26 - 12:48 am

  This is the best car that I have ever owned. Beautiful exterior and interior. The car can drive itself, but I much prefer to have fun driving it myself. The handling ism outstanding. Talk about the quiet inside. The only complaint that I have is the voice recognition. I have to repeat myself several times, but it may be me. Recently stopped by state trooper (not speeding) but for not displaying front license plate. I could not ruin the front grill with the plate. The car is a "head turner" and I get a lot of "thumbs-up" on the road.

• 

  Total loss at 48k miles - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By lemon9697 - August 25 - 2:12 pm

  I thought this car was a wonderful solution for a luxury drive with three rows of seats. That is until it had complete transmission failure at 48k miles, notwithstanding regular and expensive service at my local dealership, Autohaus on Edens. According to my independent, it has a failure in almost every major system. Neither the dealership nor Mercedes will stand behind the car and it will cost more than its blue book value to fix. Had planned on buying MBs forever. Never again!

• 

  Great ML350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Brad - August 25 - 1:53 pm

  My wife drives this car day in and day out and just loves it. Previously had a 2001 ML320, this car is a huge improvement in ride and overall quality.

• 

  Gl is not an SUV! - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Yuliy Lieb - August 24 - 6:04 am

  i dont understand why Edmunds keep placing this vehicle on the first place among luxurious SUVs. I have followed Edmunds advice and had one for a year. I may say with full responsibility that 1) GL is not a real SUV, it is a crossover. On a rough road it fails. 2) The cockpit has a low ceiling, toll person cant get in without bending neck 3) reliability is low, within less than a year I had to go to dealer for repairs twice, one of them could have been quite expensive, if not under warranty. 4) Among all bells and whistles just a few make sense, others look attractive for a regular customer but are useless. 5) third raw is for two 3-years old only, besides an adult would have a hard time to get there. And so on... Anyway, after approximately a year i have traded it in to Lexus LX-570. Yes, this thing has less bells and whistles, but it is a real SUV. Yes, its voice recognition system sucks and navigation system is not as good as MB GL. But if you are about to purchase a luxurious SUV, go anywhere type, do not make a mistake being attracted by MB logo on a hood.

• 

  This is an Amazing Car - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By avatar1 - August 24 - 3:23 am

  I have owned many cars over my lifetime and I have not had a car as quality crafted, as well thought out, as sensuously feeling and as nice looking as this new C300 model. I owned an S500 in 2000 and a Porsche Cayenne, so I am used to quality cars. This car is better. Its quiet (big deal to me) and its fast enough. Its not as fast as others in this price range, but its not a high priority to have super fast pick-up. The electronics are the best I have seen and I shopped for a year. My small list of complaints is that it doesnt have a place for sunglasses and the iPod contents are visible on the dash screen, not on the console screen, it should be. Test drive this car, fantastic!

• 

  so far so good.... - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By carbuff - August 23 - 11:46 am

  so far this car c320 has preform very well...i like how the car feels and handles and the looks of the car...i have read that mb has had trouble with transmission problems and electrial problems..i have a 2002 and so far no problems to speak about...hope it does continue...i have bought four lexus in the past and wanted to see how well mb is to compare...the jury is still out and waiting..to early to tell.....