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:

• 

  Forget the 5 series! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By parathios - December 24 - 2:00 am

  This is the best e-class ever! I have been a BMW fanatic for the past 20 years but I just converted! This is a STAR from Stuttgart. Quality, design, comfort, driving dynamics better than the current 530i (that says a lot to people who know about beamers!), low road and tire noise & torgue.

• 

  Enjoyed this car very much - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Brian in Fort Wayne - December 24 - 1:40 am

  Leased this car for 27 months and I was initially skeptical that I would like this car/suv/wagon. I very quickly learned to really like this vehicle. Quiet, roomy, decent performance and mileage.

• 

  Worst car Ive owned; my Hyundai was more reliable - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By fabllc - December 24 - 12:39 am

  My 2012 ML350 is a major disappointment with numerous technological issues. it has been to the dealer for repairs more than any car i have ever owned. I am again driving a loaner for the 8th time in a year and a half. I have recorded videos of the malfunctions, dealer has duplicated the issues on occasion, and it is still not fixed. I contacted MBUSA for assistance and resolution and they did nothing except say take it to the dealer. I cannot believe that mercedes would have such poor response and pathetic customer service. After years of contemplating purchasing a luxury vehicle I am hugely disappointed that my first experience is so negative. I should have the reliability I paid for.

• 

  Great car! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By mommyof2 - December 23 - 6:00 am

  We bought our R-class in May of 07 and love it! It is excellent in the snow and there is a lot of room in for all of our stuff! We have little boy so with little ones comes carseats, strollers and bags..the R-class accomodates all of these very well. The only thing I wish it would have had is a middle console in the second row, which is now available on the 08 model. Other than that we love the car. A great buy and reasonably priced for a Mercedes.

• 

  Great vehicle just not for us - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Mike Williams - December 22 - 10:49 am

  We decided on something larger

• 

  2005 G55 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By cmdierickx - December 22 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING TRUCK ON THE MARKET. THE SPEED IS UNBELIEVABLE. NOTHING CAN COMPARE TO THIS SUPERB VEHICLE.

• 

  Practical Total Performance - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Porsche Owner - December 22 - 10:00 am

  Keeps getting better with age! Awesome to drive for long periods - no fatigue due to excellent seats and suspension calibration for high speed driving. Acceleration is better than advertised - M3s beware!! And the brakes are eye popping. Not to say this vehicle is not without shortcomings, but the shortcomings are relatively minor.

• 

  A true sports sedan and best C class yet - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By cliv - December 22 - 10:00 am

  MB finally got it right with this version of the C class sedan. This car is extremely fun to drive and rides like a sports car. While the 4 cyl doesnt have an overwhelming amount of power it provides enough speed for changing lanes on the highway. If youre looking for a sporty luxury sedan that rides like a sports car this is it.

• 

  Classy chassis - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By RedRocket - December 22 - 3:50 am

  I have been driving this feat of engineering for 1 month waiting for the winter to die so I can drop the top. Yesterday was just warm enough. What a thrill! I felt like a million bucks. Everything is so automatic and intuitive. Everything works exactly as designed. Being a designer i appreciate the complexity while being simple. the only engineering that may need work is the audio system controls which are a bit confusing. Hopefully, God willing, I will never own a lesser vehicle.

• 

  Great Car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Ken - December 21 - 5:10 am

  The ML-350 is the best all around vehicle I have ever owned. The car is extremely well built, handles well, good power, very comfortable interior, and great gas mileage. My wife loves it so much she is trading in her Lexus GX- 470 for an ML-500. I would not hesitate to purchase another ML