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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  Awesome! Suv - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By BIg Benz - February 20 - 2:00 am

  What to drive a fun safe SUV. This Machine is a Chunky Monkey in the snow! Runs like jack the bear down the road! Fast! Great dealers cant say enough good about these guys. ( all dealers) Have two BMWs car and dealers really suck in Ontario. However Benz is where it is at. Outstanding service never had a problem they were not happy to fix quickly. Always went above and beyond with the repairs. This is my second ML. First was a 320 01 great machine. Now an 04 Ml 500. Safe Safe Safe!

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  From VA to IL - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By from VA to IL - February 20 - 2:00 am

  This car has been by far the most fun yet most complicated car Ive ever owned. When people see it I usually hear things like: wow! Mercedes. If they only knew the depreciation Ive taken on it, Hyundais would be Maybachs per comparison. Based on its current value it is like a yugo made by MB. As reliable as the wheather man (but hey I always get a mercedes benz loaner so who cares) when it works it is a jewel, controls easy to reach but seat comfort is relegated to passengers rather than driver. Overrall it is okay, it looks agressive so it appears fast. Tires R-bad but so- R our other cars.

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  My Review - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By BlondBoyX - February 20 - 2:00 am

  I love this car... Sooo many toys.. fast,stylish,luxurious, and german road feel

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  2008 ML 550 - Be careful Toyota fans - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By 2008-550MLBeast - February 18 - 9:30 pm

  Nothing less than what I expected from Mercedes. Youve done it again! Performance like Ive never seen before. Comfort plus unbelievable speed. Not for the Toyota/Lexus girls & guys.... This is way too much vehicle for you! Thank you Mercedes- Benz!

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  Worth every penny - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By r segraves - February 17 - 11:09 pm

  90,000 miles and still going this is the first car that I have put this many miles on and it still runs and looks new its always a Mercedes and thus not "an old car" excellent mileage and acceleration

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  Classy S class - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Mitch - February 17 - 6:46 pm

  This is my third S class and continue to love the S class Mercedes. I looked at all the competition and end up returning to the S class for the same reasons why I purchased the previous two cars. The style, quality, service, safety and resale values continue to retain my loyality. Once you have owned an S class you will understand why you will keep buying the most classy car on the road today.

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  Reconsider before buying. - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By M.A. Melendez - February 17 - 10:00 am

  If I had a second chance, I would not buy it..

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  MERCEDES IS OVER RATED - 2013 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By TM - February 17 - 1:38 am

  Owned and driven a ML-550 for 4 years / 75000 Smooth ride on the highway. Sound level is acceptable. Expect to do repairs...truck hatch 2 times, titl steering, side window, drivers seat controls, night vision, cooling system hose, MB has quirky system deficiencies and erroneous caveats, including the remote garage door control, outside air intake to cab located on front engine hood will block easily from leaves or snow, bad odour will result must leave AC on all times, if your MB is damaged in an accident accelerated depreciation occurs like no other, This SUV is very heavy and reminds me of 1970 Oldsmobile where the weight does not match up to the braking and suspension system properly and the vehicle would sway and rock while maneuvering. Have asked MB to change the software controlling the transmission shifts to reduce the chunky down shifts that cause passengers to fall forwards in their seats. Acceleration is great. (405HP) Sport mode simply increase the idle and rpm for quicker responses to accelration. Turbo lags in normal drive and causes the vehicle to stall during quick turn arounds such as a u turn. Do not trust the vehicles sensory system to brake when in bumper to bumper traffic. Has no glass breaking sensor included with security so any thief can steal all your contents including spare key fob in glove box. Key fob comes from Munich so you pay $500 to replace..ya ya. Carry windshield glass insurance as these cost over 3k to replace. Frequency and Cost of repairs are often and very high so DO NOT OWN A MERCEDES WITHOUT WARRANTY or you will be nickeled and dimed - allow $5000/year to operate this vehicle over 6 years. MB only offers a factory 60000 kms warranty! Brake job at 30000 kms cost $3200. Tires are also 2500 at 50000kms... I beleive Mercedes is now a seriously over rated auto manufacturer. Going back to luxury GM products with 6 year 100000 warranty and $100 key fobs and $1000 brake jobs.. if your ego allows do the right thing and dont buy a Mercedes. $$$$$ in CAD.

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  Glad I finally stepped up and purchased! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By holiday - February 16 - 7:56 pm

  I recently purchased the CLS550 Iridium Silver / Blk interior / AMG package. This car is an absolute blast to drive! There is plenty of torque in the sport mode and not sure where anyone could benefit from the 507 HP engine. I’ve owned it just 2 weeks and have 2 speeding tickets to show for it— performance is just intoxicating. The car has a stunning exterior style and resembles nothing else on the road.

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  My 2004 ML is my 4th since 1999 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Jeff G Atlanta - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Most impressive, I walked away from a 55mph front end crash -- completely unhurt. Sure,it isnt perfect, but there is nothing out there -- for any price, much less the low $40,000 range that offers the safety, warranty, utility or value. Ask the BMW or Volovo dealer if they even offer a factory, extended warranty -- they dont It may not blow anyone away with styling or any other singular aspect, but once you drive one through a bad storm, youll appreciate what it does very well, which is get you where ever you need in safety and comfort.