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 choice for young generations - 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
  By steam0411 - June 1 - 10:17 am

  Although the noise control and riding comfort is not good as other Mercedes model, it is totally enough for young people. I really dont care about the space of rear seat. The power is great and also its fuel economy. Its perfect for young people, I enjoy the driving so much.

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  Mercedes E-350 2008 Accident - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By forego - May 30 - 3:51 pm

  Best Safe Highway Car I ever owned. Recently in terrible accident with semi truck on I-10 just outside of Phoenix, I believe the E-350 2008 not only save our lives but we all walked away without series injury. Looking to buy same model and year again. Great highway gas mileage with power.

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  Bang for the buck plus 3-star MB badge - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By dc202nw - May 30 - 9:16 am

  Before I bought my C230 Kompressor, I looked at other entry luxury vehicles. I found this car was the best entry level luxury vehicle at its price point. I would honestly rate the C230 Kompressor with high marks even if it didnt have the MB markings on the car. I didnt want to drop a mini-fortune (for me) on a CLK or E-series. So, I bought the C class and I have been very happy. I initally thought this would be the first and last Mercedes Benz I would purchase, but now Im considering a CLK or E class for my future car. Ive fallen in love with Mercedes. Its an entry level MB, but it has many more bells and whistles than others cars in its price range.

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  LOVE THIS CAR!!!! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By oyvey247 - May 29 - 8:26 pm

  Just took delivery of our 2010 GL450 - Did TONS of research, priced out every local dealer, looked at many other brands and vehicles over the past year (yes, i am thorough. We are SO happy we got the MB. I read all these reviews too - It deserves the 9.8 it is rated. Car is beautiful, drives like a dream and hauls you know what on the road. Fits my 3 kids, car seats and all our stuff (which is a lot!). The voice command radio and nav is terrific, not too hard to use like others have said (you just need to get used to it).Love the automatic seats in the 3rd row, love th satilite NAV (not a disk that needs to be updated),love the bluetooth linked phone - Buy this car -you wont regret it

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  Baby Benz sends an awsome statement! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Ronmitch - May 29 - 4:40 pm

  This is the Best small car on the market. This Car is luxury in a small package. When you close the door of this car it feels like youve closed a vault. Solid, smooth, and it rides like a big luxury sedan.

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  1997 S500 - The Last Great Benz - 1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Viking99 - May 29 - 6:46 am

  I have owned a few MBZ in my life. I had admired the W140 chasis on the road for many years. The square bold looks, & rock-solid build looked indestructable. New price: $ 100,000 A few points: Steering Wheel: If you can get a wood steering wheel. Hard to find. Interior: Black is the only way to go. Grey / beige dont age as well. Engine: This is a super heavy car. Dont waste your time with a V6. Its like using a wheel barrel to pull the Queen mary. Stick with 97-99. This cars can be had for 7K-8k used, but buyer be aware. Most of the lower priced ones need work of easily 10K - 15K. Get one with service records & an anal owner, that had the work done for you. 10K-15K

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  g55 big bucks for big thrills - 2004 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By alfred - May 28 - 10:00 am

  very fast and agile for a big truck. great looking and gets more stares than any suv on the market

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  Too many problems - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By kaylee - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Right when i drove out of the lot, there was a problems with the car. The Ac was hot, the windshield wiper was noisy, my malfunction thing was on saying my sos was not working, my back shades were loose making alot of noise. Overall this car is really fast with 362 hp, but too many problems. Had taken this car to the dealership way too many times!

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  Very Nice Ride - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Kiet T. Le - May 28 - 10:00 am

  beautiful exterior as well as interior - full of tech gadgits to play with. Handle great and excelleration is not was poor as some people said it to be. Over all a great car.

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  A Car With Some Spunk! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By NewBenz Owner - May 28 - 10:00 am

  My girlfriend wanted this car based on the pictures she had seen on the web. I talked her into dropping by the local dealership and test driving one. We took it for a spin and fell in love. It felt like we were driving on rails. I am an agressive driver and it will handle some pretty serious turning without loosing traction and the Supercharger helps keep us ahead of traffic. I had an Integra GSR which was almost 700lbs lighter and this stock 230 definately out performs my Acura even with several thousand dollars worth of aftermarket performance upgrades dropped into my Integra.