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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  Overall, a Great Car to Drive - 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jonro - November 12 - 12:19 am

  Due to the vagaries of car leases, I had a 2012 Audi A7 and a 2014 MB E350 Sedan before purchasing this 2016 E400 Coupe. The coupe is more my style and I rarely need to put people in the rear seat. While its smaller than the E Sedan, its still a midsize car. The differences between the 2014 and 2016 model years are mostly subtle, except for the engine, but significant. First, the E400s bi-turbo V6 is excellent with no acceleration lag and excellent torque at any speed. One of my biggest dislikes about the E350 was the low end accelerator lag. That is gone and acceleration is strong from the start with no hesitation. This engine sounds great, too. Gas mileage is very good for this type of car. I took a cross-country trip and got 29 mpg on the mostly highway drive. The car feels more solid and quieter than the 2014, but thats hard to quantify. The seats feel more comfortable, and they are great for a multi-hour drive. M-B made some changes to the buttons and controls on the console that made good sense. The entertainment system/navigation system is a little quicker to control than before. The quality of the directions is just okay. It sometimes wants me to route me in stupid ways that would add time to my trip. Driving through Phoenix, it wanted me to get on and off on every exit. But, usually it gets me where I want to go. The interior is very attractive. I was disappointed that the coupe loses the door lighting found in the sedan. It makes the cockpit a friendlier place at night. My interior, red Napa in a black cockpit with a black headliner is stunning. Ive heard it said that the cockpit is a little old school in looks. Maybe so, but it still looks great. Very good materials and the placement of buttons and other controls is very good. The exterior looks excellent. I personally feel it is a great-looking car and I have no complaints in that department. For 2016, M-B added rotating headlights and retracting mirrors, both very good features. I like the safety features, too. The side view alert works well, as does the backup camera. The Nav display, by the way, is high def compared to the display in the 2014. The only feature I dont like is the way the panoramic roof was implemented. The glass may absorb UV and block heat, but the retractable net is not sufficiently opaque. Its the same netting material M-B uses for the rear sunshade. Its okay for that application, but overhead, it allows in too much sun. Ive resorted to wearing a baseball cap in the car once or twice when it bothered me. I would rather that M-B included the 360 degree camera (in the Premium 3) package instead of the panoramic roof. They say the rear seat passengers enjoy it, but when you buy a coupe, you dont expect a lot of people sitting in the rear seat. If you did, you would buy a sedan. Its a fun car to drive. While not a sports car, the handling and the car are both solid and sitting in that cockpit is a fun place to be.

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  2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500 - UNRELIABLE - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By MMATLOCK - November 11 - 10:10 pm

  Well, here we go. I bought my SL500 in March of 04 and immediately the top failed. It was recalled for brakes in June. Its transmission failed and had to be replaced in October. Rains came in November and the trunk/top leaked. The dealer assured me that this was an "isolated" incident. Unfortunately it happened to me. They had to replace the trunk hinges. I have never owned a car that had trunk hinges fail, have you? Also, its brakes are really wierd, no feel. I thought I was buying Germanys best, but alas I bought a Plymouth with a three pointed star on the hood. What a shame. That star use to mean something.

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  The Neo-Classic Benz - 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By murray - November 11 - 6:26 am

  A perfectly executed modern rendition of classics past. Mercedes had the courage to combine a refreshingly new look with the best design elements of earlier models. The 300 Adenauer of the Fifties comes most closely to mind. The hint of fenders, jewel like tail lamps, the proud grille, genuinely tasteful headlamps in this era of hideous excess. The design elements come together brilliantly, totally sidestepping the grotesque for sake of difference found in so many other current vehicles. Beautifully, beautifully harmonious.

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  Rock Solid SUV - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By hotlayout - November 10 - 10:00 am

  My recent lease of an M350 SE was among the easiest decisions of my car buying life. The 3.5 liter engine is extremely responsive from 2500 to 4000 rpm, the range I normally utilize, giving the car a very nimble feeling. While I see many who criticise the Ms road manners I find the handling precise and responsive. There is almost no roll when hitting a curve a bit too fast, giving the driver tremendous confidence in the steering input. This vehicle simply has that great Mercedes rock solid feel and very little in the way of harsh feedback. Fuel milage is poor, but not any worse than the Envoy or Trailblazer (we also own the Envoy). Beautifully appointed, fun to drive.

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  Fast, fun and furious E555 AMG - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By David Wishnew - November 10 - 10:00 am

  Blazingly fast, extremely comfortable and totally unflappable. Cruises easily at 40, 80 or 120 mph. Easier to drive at triple digit speed than my old Grand Sport Corvette. Seats very comfortable and infinitely adjustable. Sound system can use more wattage for high speed cruising with open sunroof. Outrageous cost for installed telephone. Transmission sometimes lurches a bit, but slapstick is easy to use and dropping two gears quickly is easier than with manual transmission. Surprisingly good gas mileage on highway driving, although difficult to keep to speed limit. I would definitely buy another

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  Happy - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By tporter - November 10 - 10:00 am

  was moving to the inner city on the east coast and opted for a small car vs. a larger model. drove from west coast to the east and was a blast to drive cross country...very pleasntly surprised at ride comfort, car is basic in comparison to other MB models but so far had fulfilled all of my needs. probably will opt for the e series on next purchase, but this was not a bad selection at all.

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  Mercedes Should Be Ashamed.............. - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By glacierdon - November 9 - 1:20 pm

  Its apparent that the 2000 ML 430 is a lemon. I have gone on various sites and people from all over are having the same exact problems. The windows wont roll down, the doors wont lock, the brakes always need replacing, the exterior lights are always blowing, the power steering went out, the sun roof gets stuck, the interior is coming apart, and now when I stop at lights it cuts off and wont start for about 30 to 40 minutes. this happens at least once a week. From my understanding these vehicles were built in the U.S. If I wanted an American car I would have bought a Ford. Mercedes should do a recall on these vehicles. The repairs needed on the vehicle are more than its worth. Seriously!

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  Mecedes 230 Kompressor - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Phil T - November 8 - 7:00 am

  The car is "zippy." It feels very nimble on the road and around corners, especially in parking lots with its wheels-turn-in directional steering. I used to have an Infiniti G35 Sedan and it always felt cubersome driving around town. The Mercedes is fun in terms of acceleration because it gives you the boost with sound without immediately taking you over the speed limit. Great for someone who commutes through 40 mph zones 90% of the time.

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  Could be better - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Hatrick - November 8 - 4:56 am

  I had this SUV for a year now and I must admit that MB has not yet sorted out transmission and brakes on this model. It seems that "electronic brain" is not governing transmission shifts correctly and is very evident during "stop and go" traffic: 1-to-2 gear shift, during downshift or at brake time. Just touching the brakes, creates an immediate and unnecessary downshift, sometimes more than one gear. Good vehicle for someone who does not care how it drives - just gets there. Although, it is very good in the snow. During cold weather, electronic cluster displays erroneous messages (Low Coolant and Washer Level) and front shocks made strange noise, until the car warms up.

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  The Best - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Wahoo - November 7 - 8:33 pm

  I have the limited edition and have never owned or driven a nicer car. Its fast, smooth, roomy front and back and gets surprisingly good gas mileage (25.5mpg on the interstate and 21.6 overall for the first 3000 miles). My wife and my mother rave about the seat massage. I love this car!