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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  Love it!! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By eric egolf - July 3 - 1:56 pm

  I love it!! A little tight in the back seat, yet Im never there. Performance is excellent as well as handling. If you buy one, get used to cars stopping to take a photo with their cell phone cameras. I would highly recommend this car.

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  Good performance, reliability disappoints - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Charles - July 2 - 11:13 pm

  Purchased model year 1995 E320 wagon in 2003 with 63,000 miles on it. Although it is a wagon, it drives like a sedan and is actually quite fun to drive. The cargo capacity cannot be beat. Primary issue is maintenance and reliability. Just about every part that can break has broken. Spent more on maintenance and repair than original purchase price. From overhauled transmission to the litany of sensors gone bad, this car is not any better than a usually maligned "American" car.

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  MB Does It Again! - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jeffery Allen - July 2 - 2:12 pm

  This is an elegant, thoughtful, well-designed and executed sedan. My chief concern in finding a replacement vehicle was safety. My wife and I were t-boned at high speed by a pick-up truck. It was in our 2010 MB C-300. Under the worst conditions MB design worked without fail. We walked away from the incident a bit shaken but unharmed. Our larger replacement vehicle is beautiful. The E-350 4Matic is understated but handles well with a CDI 3.5L V-6. It handles consistently, without any idiosyncrasies. Look at the AMG if you want a true sport sedan. We desired a comfortable, safe automobile and found it.

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  Best car I have ever owned! - 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
  By Kris - July 1 - 4:02 pm

  This is the best riding and driving car that I have ever owned! I traded in my 2011 Mercedes E350 sedan because I wanted to ride higher and have a smaller SUV than my husbands Acura MDX (along with all the new Mercedes safety technology). We ordered the AMG GLC 43 AWD and added the upgraded lighting package, active parking package, Garmin navigation as well as Apple CarPlay and the heated/ventilated front seats and heated steering wheel. This is the 1st car that I have looked forward to driving every morning. The acceleration of the AMG engine, steering, turning radius and braking are fabulous! I dont miss the Mercedes COMAND system at all! Using the Garmin navigation (installed with a SD card in the center console) works with the head-up display. And I have used Apple CarPlay separately with no problems (as long as you have cell phone service, but does not display on the heads-up windshield display). The Acura MDX is more "cushy" in the front seats and has the active lane assist and adaptive cruise control (that I did not get since you have to buy the COMAND system with navigation to get the Mercedes Distronic systems and I specifically wanted Apple CarPlay and Garmin navigation too). My husband wants to drive the AMG more than the MDX because the driving experience is actually fun! I highly recommend this car.

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  Fast, Sexy, and Fun - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By TXCLK55 - June 29 - 4:43 am

  Purchased the CLK55 as a Certified Pre-Owned with 18K miles already on it. Timeless looks make everyone mistake this for a new car. It has gotten nothing but praise from my friends, neighbors and co-workers when they see it. The lack of pillars between front and rear windows allows for amazing visibility. Turning off the ESP allows for a little fun and lets you turn out the rear if you so desire. Driving this car is pure enjoyment. Rear seat is tight but can fit an reasonable size adult. For half the price of a new CLK Im completely happy with my purchase. Averaging about 18mpg but can get 20 if I take it easy. If youre buying this car you shouldnt be worrying about price of gas.

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  Bad electrical system - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By kmak - June 28 - 2:40 am

  Great car fun to drive. Lots of electrical problems, cant remember how many times I have had the radio repaired or replaced, still not fixed. Dont waste your money on this one.

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  Great used car with low entry for a classy brand - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Lee Chambliss - June 27 - 12:08 pm

  I bought my 2010 C300 used. I had driven maybe 10 different examples over several months. I had done copious research. What I found was the C. class overall 2008-present are very sturdy and reliable cars. I was a little uncomfortable with the lower mpg, but I have found on longer trips I can get in the 30s, which is OK with me. And in town is in the high teens (18-19) which is also ok. With my old car I had gotten 21 and 33. But it was a Saab turbo (the fun model engine) and repairs had finally gotten the better of me. So I found this 300, looked like mint condition, 61k miles, nav, memory seats, basically everything youd want. Its been a great car, no problems at all. One thing to consider is the audio. The cars dont come with streaming bluetooth. But there are low cost options to connect all sorts of music and files in all sorts of ways. I got a PCMCIA card for the dash slot, with 32gb drive, an auxiliary for the glove box media interface, and a Bluetooth device that connects with zero effort to the media interface. And if you are waiting for the wife or other , sitting in your car with the nav system you can watch DVD on the nave screen with the video systemusic built in. Its really a cool car, relatively low maintenance, and the ride is rock steady at high speed.

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  more hassle than its worth - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By first&lastbenz - June 27 - 2:00 am

  Like many of the other reviews, so many electrical issues, especially in the cold weather. seat warmers take forever vs other competitors. windows not functioning (bad switch) was the biggest pain in the a**. so many interior noises (buzz, squeaks, rattles & wind noise). VERY CHEAP looking interior. also had transmission issues. my job consists of entertaining and driving customers around and i am constantly embarassed with this vehicle. never again. MB just lost another customer.

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  Great Car for the Price! - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By SAH - June 27 - 2:00 am

  Bought my mercedes 2 years ago when my new job required more travel and taking customers out. I had a merceded deisel before and once own a mercedes there is never going back! This car has been very reliable on all my trips and looks great! All the years from 94-00 look the same so no one knows what year it is. Great car would defenitely reccomend it!

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  Phenominal auto - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By pulphead - June 27 - 2:00 am

  Was looking for an older s 320 and saw this e 300 and fell in love with it. Smokers car with 145,000 miles in show room condition. Bought it on the spot and took it on a road trip the next day. Battery problem that the dealer made good, replaced all glow plugs within 2,000 miles and it runs like a top. It is a dream car, excelent in all areas. I subsequently bought a jag xj6 since my wife claimed this car for hers. Excellent car, value, investment.