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 Car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By slywun0467 - February 7 - 2:00 am

  I love my C230. Ive had it since Sept 2001 and it has performed admirably. I put ~20,000 miles on a my car a year (up to 37,000) as of this writing and its been great. Service and support of the dealership is top notch.

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  Great Ride But Fix Pull To Right - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ajay - February 2 - 10:00 am

  CONS - Car pulls to right. Dealer & MB have checked alignment and tires several times and still no fix after a year. Advise if you have similar problem via edmunds.com review or e- mail to ajt38ca@yahoo.ca. Similar sunroof noise problem fixed by dealer by removing roof liner & installing foam sheet and silicon. Brakes spongy & non-linear in feel. PROS - Good looking especially in Paprika with lots of looks from others; fantastic interior ambience with panorama roof & top quality leather ; excellent interior materials, fit & finish. Both better than A4 or X-Type. GENERAL - Ride is firm. OK if you are sporty driver, not if more comfort oriented.

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  Fun Fancy and Frivolous - 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By orangele - January 30 - 2:36 pm

  This is my third SL-class car I have owned in the past 3 years. I would have never gotten an SL55 except for the large price mark-down from the sticker since this is a lease return. This car obviously has the most power (510 hp), and thus the first time I floored the pedal, I said "WOW." This car does move. The motorized hard top is definitely cool, and makes the car versatile. It is also luxurious inside. Finally this car is expensive. Thus fun, fancy and frivolous.

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  Good but could be better - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By John1000 - January 27 - 10:00 am

  Very poor transmission is in this car. The car makes a high pitch noise when you shifting from 1st to 2nd. For a car over 100k that should not be the case!

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  Bank vault solid! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By chustein - January 21 - 2:00 am

  This wagon runs very smoothly, has bank vault built quality, and gives me the comfort and satisfactory ownership experience that is second to none. The space is humongous, yet the exterior remains a classic beauty. 4MATIC runs great in wet, and the team work between a powerful V-6 and a 5- speed automatic transmission is seamless. Safety features best in the business. This bank vault quality german machinery piece of art is worth every hard earned penny of mine when bought used.

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  Inside needs improvement - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By rhs - January 14 - 10:00 am

  Good riding but lacks some essential features. No Cruise indicator:Climate control no auto off (multiple depressions of off sw. on console whics is a distraction); /confusion between Turn lever and cruise control; no Mute function on steering wheel controls;no running lights;passanger cup holders a joke (in glove box); no additional outlets for PC/Radar detect.,cell phone, etc.

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  Good car but...... - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By blox - January 14 - 10:00 am

  I was interested to read the many comments from owners of the 320 regarding the tires. I have needed new tires since I reached 10,000 miles! I do not drive hard miles! MB has agreed to pay for two tires as well as an alignment! In addition, the outside mirrors do not work in conjunction with the electric seats! MB has promised to fixed that as well. All in all, the car has been a disappointment since I expected much more from Mercedes.

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  Bad wiring, poor service - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Beth_walters - January 10 - 10:00 am

  In the 6 months Ive owned my C-240 Ive had 5 problems, all electrical (Elect. ignition switch, alarm, gas gauge, head lights & brake lights). Other than that its a pretty good car: good mileage & handling. Interior design could be better: cup holders, location of switches and screen. However, the service I had from my dealership was poor, especially when after the first couple of problems I heard from the owner himself, "I dont know what to say. I dont know what to tell you. I dont kwow what I can do." You know what, thats not it. I may get another Mercedes in my future, but it wont be a C240 and it wont be from the same dealer.

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  Is it worth the money? - 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Dave G - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Is it worth spending 75000 for this car other than for your ego? 1) On long drive I discovered despite the seats being leather seats are not as soft and comfortable as in many american cars. I feel I have to take a break after 1-2 hours. 2) CD based GPS is great locally but on long drive you need a regular map to figure out the route e.g. NJ is split in two CDs. 3) Cup holder is at a inconvenient location

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  2003 E320 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By spirolli - January 8 - 10:00 am

  The new E320 is a well built luxury sedan. Its smooth gliding ride and tight, responsive handling are top notch. The car feels glued to the road at all speeds and has no problem pulling its weight and then bringing it to a stop. A true German Luxury Sport Sedan. There has been an annoying noise / vibration coming from the front during starting and stopping. Sounds like a break rub or something.