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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  ML320 Report - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By cwlghl - June 25 - 10:00 am

  We have 7,000 trouble free miles with our ML320. With the red exterior we get numerous positive comments concerning its looks. The 320 engine is quick off the line, but lacks punch above 40 MPH. Fuel economy has been acceptable, nothing to write home about. Its holding its value, which is one of the reasons we selected a Mercedes. Id buy another one, but Id opt for the V-8 version.

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  WHAT A FANTASTIC AUTOMOBILE! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By groovology - June 25 - 10:00 am

  This is my 1st German car- what a difference. It is SO solid! And quiet, and powerful! I chose the MBZ over the Passat GLX wagon & BMW 325 wagon. The choice came down to quality and quietness. The BMW was cramped and really noisy (by design, I know), and the VW seemed "plasticky" although it too seemed nice. The MBZ has more feature than either of them, and I think the long term value will hold up far better than either of them. I definitely believe it is worth the extra money (hint: buy it over the internet to save $$!) Im sure Ill be happy with it as long as it lives up to MBZ reputation for reliability.

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  Just drove 2000 miles - 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jeff - June 22 - 6:20 pm

  with this car, meaning it now has about 5,000 on the odometer. I got 30 MPG with a mean speed of 62 MPH, which I was surprised, and pleased with. I cruise around 75 so the in-between stuff brought down the speed. The phone blue tooth is very clear. The transmission quite smooth. Its a heck of a nice car for the money. I do admit to being concerned about maintenance costs. Time will tell. Overall very pleased with the vehicle thus far.

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  New CLS 500 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Cliff McGahee - June 20 - 5:46 am

  Have only had the car less than a week, but it is beautiful, silky smoothe, and couldnt be more satisfied. Silver, with dark red interior and most of the add-ons - no keyless go. Not one thing wrong with it - no adjustments needed.

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  One of the Family - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By swd4647 - June 20 - 2:00 am

  Our first near-luxury vehicle. Still gets looks after eight years. Great on the highway. Could not have made a better choice. Recommend highly.

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  life is good - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By AV 90 - June 20 - 2:00 am

  its been a wonderful ride

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  New one now.... - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By SP - June 20 - 2:00 am

  Excellent if you like to step on the gas & go, go, go... Great new interior styling and also new sporty exterior features! I am very please with my 2nd or is it 3rd..?

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  Nu-Blu - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By djefferson - June 18 - 6:30 am

  I recently have purchased this nu ML-Bluetech after having 3 E-class benzs 2-350s 1-550 models 2007,2008 and 2010. My plan was to keep my 2010 E-550 for another year or so but during the past few months I had been looking at Suvs:Ford Edge,Jeep Grand Cherokee,BMW X5 Diesel and VW Toureag TDI/Audi Q7 TDI. Having shopped these others 1st, I took a chance a drove the 2012 Bluetech and I was presently surprised. The upgraded new interior and added torque really raised the bar against the others I was considering. Edge my ford touch?..Jeep Great Drive not efficient, X5 Sporty but too pricey w/options desired near 70k and VW Group Great overall but MB has a long/proven diesel history undisputed.

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  Best SUV Ive driven so far - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Fadi - June 16 - 11:03 am

  This SUV has everything you dream of having in a vehicle. Quiet and smooth ride, true luxury, powerful brakes, top of the line technology, nice looking, and best of all its a Mercedes.

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  GLA45 one of the fastest CUV ever, if not the fastest! - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
  By rskdsk - June 15 - 10:31 am

  0-60 in just 4.2 sec and runs the 1/4 in 12.8 at 109 ... and it is a 4 cylinder! Handles great, sounds even better with the race exhaust. I looked at the SQ5 and found the outdated shape not thrilling anymore ... Looked at the Porsche Macan but the price with options and the wait time seemed outrageous and then add the maintenance cost and the fact that it rides like a truck ... I looked at the new Lexus NX but the lack of power and handling seemed weak at best. Same thing with the Q3. The GLA 250 seemed to be the better deal ... until I tested the GLA45 ... the rest is history.