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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  Dissapointed - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Hate it - November 19 - 10:00 am

  I had the car since 6/2000. I had the brakes changed twice (every 10000 miles) and had electronis problem. Overall it was a dissapointment and my experience with the dealership was more dissapointing. I will never own or think of owning another MB again. My HYUNDAI and Hummer are kept in the garage. I love the Hyundai and the people at the dealership (I had it for three years and I love it, I dont care what people say its already paid off and it paid for itself 120,000 miles and still going strong)

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  Electrical Nightmare - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mary - November 15 - 9:46 pm

  The car has been fine except for the electrical system, which has had problems off and on for my entire ownership of it. The latest issue is the electrical failing after a car wash (no lights, turn indicator, etc.). Scary. And the dealership can never figure out what is wrong. (Also the navigation system is quite poor and antiquated.) I would honestly never ever buy another Mercedes Benz.

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  Better have a warranty - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Mark Miller - November 8 - 9:23 am

  I have owned this car since new. It has been a love hate relationship. The fuel economy is very good for a full size, 3 row, all wheel drive vehicle. I have found the ride and handling and body rigidity to be sub par. Reliability has been below average with an engine leak at 50,000 miles that required the transmission to be dropped and cost $3,000. One of the air bladders in the suspension went out at 55,000 miles which cost $1000. An emission sensor went out at 60,000 miles which cost $2,000. Fuel filter recall occurred twice. You will get to know your service adviser well. That has been my experience with my other European luxury cars. I like the character and comfort of the car over the Asian makes. Given the lack of personality with the Asian equivalents I may try domestic next because the warranty will be out soon. The extended warranty definitely paid for itself. Addendum Watch out for poor resale value. Thanks to VW (diesel gate scandal) as well as Mercedes long term cost of ownership, when I went to trade in my Blue tec diesel for a new BMW X5 5 months ago I was offered $20,000 for a vehicle in perfect working order (other than needing new tires), having all the maintenance records,very good cosmetic shape (garaged throughout its life) with 65,000 miles on the odometer. It lost $53,000 dollars in value over 5 1/2 years. Poor resale is a trend with all Mercedes. They are so expensive to maintain and repair as they get older. Mercedes please get rid of the unnecessary complexity (ie air bladder suspension) which makes maintaining these vehicles past warranty difficult. By the way I bought an BMW X-5 diesel (was on special due to VW again) and its drive train is unbelievably better than the Mercedes diesel. It is the first diesel vehicle I have owned (and that is many) that I cannot tell its a diesel. Getting 28-30 mpg in suburban driving in the BMW with AWD. I no longer own the GL. I can say that my neighbor has traded in his 2015 GL after 2 years due to multiple visits to the dealership for mechanical issues. This vehicles are more complicated than they need to be.

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  Mercedes Money Pit - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By or_cagirl - October 27 - 3:21 pm

  I bought this wagon in Portland from a European used car dealership a few years ago. It only had 105 thousand miles, interior and exterior in great condition. My previous car was a 91 Volvo wagon and lasted 20 years but with teens being over 62, the Mercedes wagon has more leg room than the Volvos. Car ran well for the first year, then the mechanical problems started one after another. The cost for just an oil change is minimum $200.00. I paid $6000.00 for the car in 2010. Since then I have put over $10.000 into it in repairs. I spent less on my Volvo in the 20 years I owned it. I love the room of the E320 but the cost has been a nightmare. Caution before you buy!!!!

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  No more good Mercedes - 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By d r - October 26 - 4:33 am

  Considered many cars in this segment including Hyundai Genesis. However picked Benz just based on badge and low price. Yes, although MSRP is high you can buy E class much cheaper. My version was with 18” wheels so suspension feels quite stiff and handling is reasonable well. Small turn radius. First look inside gives feeling of luxury. Exterior is the best looking in the segment. However if you look more closely to the car you will find that Mercedes is slipping. Standard seats are just vinyl. Leather is expensive option. No right hand rest place. Awkward storages. A lot of modern electronics which has buggy software and cumbersome user interface. Sound quality is reasonable good.

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  Resting on their laurels - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By duped - October 23 - 6:00 am

  Four years with this car and Im very relieved to be done. I know the service people like family. In and out of service>4- 6/yrX4yrs. Rack and pinion replaced 2Xin four years! $900 break jobs are a semiannual event. Plastic parts keep breaking (seat moldings,cup holders glove compart) Frequent lighting electrical problems, Fan, Mirror motors fixed. Rode great when bought, very bumpy after 4mos. A lemon. Maybe new model better. In the shop as I speak. Rely on Benz Quality?nevermore

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  After first year - BEWARE - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jeff C. - October 20 - 5:56 am

  This is a warning to anyone looking for a 2004 or 2005 E320. It is well known in the auto world about the problems with this model and Mercedes in general right now. It is basically an electronic nightmare. Since January of 2004, I have had the following replaced - rear door lock, instrument cluster (in speedometer), brain for the Dynamic Seats, 2- rain sensors, Command Center/GPS, 6 CD-player, brake issues. All of this in 11 months! It is a beautiful car and rides wonderfully and has some neat extras but you really need to think hard before buying this car. This is my first Mercedes and after paying $57,000 I am at a loss for words. Please take my words to heart - BEWARE.

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  Not worth the price - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Not worth it - October 18 - 1:23 pm

  I traded in my 2004 C230K which I loved and thought I was getting a good deal. I was very dissappointed with the performance and quality of this car. Gas mileage is terrible and then was caught of guard by the cost of the schedule maintanance. It used to be included with the price of the car but now you have to pay for it and it is expensive. Then I had to replace the tires at 25,000 miles and they were not cheap, The car is also very sluggish and I had several electrical problems that they couldnt solve. I felt at the price I was paying the quality of the car and the service should have been better. My suggestion buy a BMW you will get better mpg and service is included in the price.

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  Far from Fahrvergnügen - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By gebrochen - October 16 - 1:56 am

  I bought this car used 2 years ago. In the time I have had it, I have had to replace the windshield wiper motor 3 times. I have had to replace the planetary sun gear. The sensor on the braking system failed and resulted in above average repair cost. The BAS/ASR system failed. The cost of this car has outweighed any pleasure that the turbo, design and features could have offered. It has put me off German cars altogether. Im going back to Japanese!

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  Poor quality workmanship for an expensive car - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jds70001 - October 12 - 8:08 am

  I bought this car brand new at 0 km, the interior quality wears out very quickly, it is made of poor quality materials. The leather seats are poorly sewn and has ripped on me after 3 years of usage. My car stereo has had problems, sometimes it turns on, other times it doesnt even turn on, it is very randomly as to when it works. Most of the issues I have been encountering has been RIGHT after the warranty expiration of 3 years. I have had older cars made by Honda and Acura that have lasted longer and have kept their quality. I would not recommend a mercedez benz if you are looking for a luxury high end, it is not worth the price.