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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  Some good some bad - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By knight - February 19 - 10:23 am

  Purchased the vehicle in June and just took delivery the middle of October. First one for the dealer. It is one of the most stable driving vehicles I have ever driven. No wind noise, no sway or instability. Steering is on the loose side, but comfortable. Very quiet drive. You cant tell it is a diesel, except in the garage at idle. Seats are hard European like, with back seat not comfortable. The console control is very hard to learn, with everything (radio, sat. radio, navigation, audio,telephone) in one unit. A pleasure to drive. The best navigation unit I have owned. Center console is functional. Big fuel tank. Initial mileage did not meet expectations, but seems to be improving.

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  Classy ride - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By scenic26 - February 18 - 2:25 am

  I purchased my 2010 glk350 with 36,000 miles on it. It was a dealer certified car and feld comfortable with my choice of vehicle, being I also own a 2005 ML350 since new with over 80,000 miles on it and love it as well. My GLK is a smaller version of the ML, and performs every bit as well as the larger vehicle. The ML is a bit more cushy and plush as far as the ride, but thats it in my opinion. My GLK is peppy, reliable, great in the snow and ice with great traction, and is fantastic on dry roads at any speed. I feel great driving this car and recommend it highly. You wont be dissappointed?

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  Why not to get the GL450/550 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Lazy Labradors - February 17 - 10:06 pm

  Surprised at the fit and finish of an American assembled MB. Quite a departure from my 98 ML320 that my mechanic often cursed this is not a Mercedes! Why choose the GL450/550 when 1) gas version comes at a $2500 premium over the diesel (not the case usually with diesel vehicles) 2) gas version requires premium unleaded fuel (premium still costs more than diesel) 3) the diesel gets 18/24 gas gets 13/18 ( GL550 will fare worse); average economy for both cars at 12k miles/year and factoring price differences for premium vs. diesel youd save ~$600/yr in fuel savings on top of the $2500; Not noisy, not slow, no smoke or smell; 0-60 who cares?? its an SUV

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  Smooth Ride - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Benz Fan - February 15 - 3:53 pm

  Tough trading in our CLK320...but the R350 did not disappoint us. The smoothness of this mercedes sold us on a test drive. Interior is beautiful to look at and the seats are total comfort. The cabin is spacious and the third row really does fit adults comfortably including getting in and out. The exterior is unique, with that mercedes flare, yet understated overall.

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  Oh damn its broke again. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By jagboi1967 - February 15 - 1:21 pm

  Seems like this car has been in the shop more than it has been on the road the last 2 years I bought the car 2.5 years ago with 80,000 miles on it. It now has 100,590 It has a ton of service records on it. If its not the ABC going down its the SRS system or this week its the SOS flashing and then the trunk will not open and now the AC has quit and the shop says its going to be expensive to fix. Its just one thing after another. Thinking about parking it in the front yard and filling it with dirt and making it a very expensive planter.

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  Mercedes Benz C300 Sedan - Eco Start / Stop - 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Nancy H. - February 13 - 3:04 pm

  I have only had the car for 3 days, and while I love the car - it looks and drives like a dream. My only complaint on this car is the ECO start / stop. I dont like that when you are braking or place the car on "hold", after about 30-60 seconds the car jolts from zero RPM to 0.5. This is fine as the car is trying to keep the a/c up (I live in Florida), but the jolt is unpleasant - everyone thinks theres something wrong with the car. I would be okay if the transition were smoother. I know I can turn it off, but then I would sacrifice better fuel efficiency. On all other aspects of the car - it is simply amazing, the suspension is wonderfully comfortable, the sound system is crisp and surrounds you. The seats are smart and well designed. My commute to work on the highway is something special every day.

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  Capable family car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Dan - February 11 - 9:26 am

  Plenty of passing power. Dont be fooled by the looks, this is not grandpas Mercedes. Great legroom. Mechanically reliable. I always have a smile driving this car, until its time to refill.

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  Just a lot of car for the money - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Kevin Roberts - February 10 - 6:00 am

  Solid as a rock. Turns on a dime. As far as Im concerned this SUV is the most car for the money. Two large teenagers can sit in the back seat without any complaints. If you need extra space for traveling get a trailer hitch for the back and a box that will easily carry 4 sets of golf bags. I have now bought three 350MLs. I truly think theyre the best car for the money.

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  accident waiting to happen - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ron - February 10 - 3:10 am

  Overall the car is good, much improved over our previous 2003 ML. The steering column mounted, electronic shift however is a major problem, which MB wont or cant fix. It is easy to think you have put it in park by pushing the button, also has tendency to come out of park. My wife was run over by her ML after it failed to stay in park and rolled backwards on flat parking lot. Thus far MB has done nothing to address the problem. Since the computer drives the car it seems it would be very easy to have the computer stop the car, shut down engine or otherwise give an aggressive warning when car is in gear and door opens; the little dashboard light which currently does the job is useless.

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  MUST HAVE - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By PJR - February 7 - 2:00 am

  As my wife and I began pricing out new vs used cars to replace my older "college car," we were intrigued by the classiness and sportiness of the CLK 430. My wife, not the finest judge of high technology, fell in love with it faster than I did. She walked in with me and we drove it home. I do agree with previous writings, cheaper interior than we would like, and temperature control near the feet in colder areas are a drawback--the dual temp control is cool, but a little tricky. The sunshade, V8, AMG rims, and ground effects make this my first child...