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 Family Vehicle - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By CADriver - April 21 - 4:10 pm

  We previously owned a mini-van and were looking at both station wagons and mini-vans when we found the R350. It had the smoothest ride of any car I have ever driven, and was not much more expensive than a Honda Odyssey, our second choice. We immediately took it on a 2,000 mile trip from Southern California to Oregon for a week of camping. We were impressed with how much gear we could fit in the back while also carrying two adults and two children. Everyone at the campground was coming by to check out the car because of its impressive exterior styling.

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  Best car Ive ever owned! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By onequickcobra - April 20 - 9:53 pm

  This car does everything well! Unparalled safety, even when compard to new cars today, great performance (I live at 9,000 ft. elevation in Colorado and run at 75-90 mph in the mountains between Denver and Breckenridge easily). It gets 27.5 mpg average hwy. if I hold it to 70. With 73,000 miles, total maintenance expense, other than tires, has been under $800. Oil changes are every 13,000 miles and it never uses a drop in between. No repair costs have been incurred in 6 years. Only one warranty claim was experienced 3 years ago for a slight transmisson fluid leak in -15 degree and below weather (a brittle o-ring). Having owned over 60 cars over the past 40 years, this is by far the best

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  Bit disappointing - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ttibio - April 20 - 9:39 am

  Just picked up a loaded, ordered spec 2014 E250. Selected this primarily for the Distronic Plus with Steering Assist, diesel range and AWD. Cost not a particular concern. M-B USA definitely miss the point here for all their marketing prowess - international versions have smarter equipment choices. As everyone notes: no power folding mirrors!? Forget the rest of the gizmos, not being able to fold in mirrors easily in NYC in a luxury is incredible. Tiny nav screen, no available rear heated seats, old fashioned Apple 32-pin connector on s new 2014 model).. cmon how much are the bean-counters at M-B USA really saving here? Not a good first impression compared to my BMW Porsche or Range Rover.

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  Beautiful Design; Initial Problems Resolved - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By enthusiast897 - April 20 - 12:27 am

  I bought this car because of its truly beautiful lines. The car is a typical Mercedes---solid, airtight, good fit and finish. My car had some initial issues with rough shifting and Mercedes was able to correct the problem to my satisfaction. Overall, I think Mercedes builds solid, well designed cars and this model is a respectable entrant in the mid-size luxury sedan category.

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  No Complaints - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Zach - April 19 - 9:40 am

  Was my grandparents SUV but is now mine. Never any major problems for either of us. Great midsized SUV. Takes bad weather like a champ. Reliability is as you would expect for a MB. Some of the exterior factory colors dont look great. Go with black if its an option. My only complaint with the car would be the fuel efficiency.

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  Drive all day! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By laselva - April 18 - 2:54 pm

  I liked this car and purchased this car 5 years used with only 32,000 miles on it, 7 weeks & 3,600 miles later, I love this car! Its quiet, well mannered (sport package) looks great, and wants to run at 80mph all day long...in fact it did. I just drove from Orange County to Sonoma last weekend and it was perfect. Quiet, great range (27.2 mpg at 75-80 mph with the a/c on) comfortable and solid feeling! I cant believe you can get all this car for the price of a Toyota Camry. The 7 speed automatic handled the I-5 grapevine with ease (rarely needed to brake coming down, and kept the cruise control on uphill)

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  E - Class (by itseslf) - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Ant346 - April 17 - 10:50 pm

  We drove alot of cars and the way a this E-350 drives continues to impress. Not the fastest car mind you (thats the 500) but driveability of this car is in a class by itself.

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  wasnt to pleased - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By patricia warren - April 16 - 7:10 pm

  i did love my car at first until i realized,i had to replace brakes every 20000 miles.i had to return the vehicle several times for headachey, minor issues in the beginning of my lease.once i hit 50k miles. down hill my vehicle went.brakes for the 4th time.radio out air out tail light out for about the 10th time.power steering out. just one thing after the next.

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  "ALMOST PERFECT" - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By RAO - April 16 - 10:00 am

  Rides beautifully, classy looking, you can feel the quality. Extremely affordable. Could have used some extra interior room. A little cramped. Almost perfect!

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  So far, so great - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bsn 1 - April 16 - 10:00 am

  Have had this car for only 3k miles, but it is truly a joy to drive. I have encountered none of the computer/electrical problems-but its still early. Interior fit and finish is remarkable and upgraded wood grained steering wheel really dresses up the look. Drove 700 miles straight and instead of feeling like a whipped puppy, I played 9 holes of golf when I arrived!