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:

• 

  Absolute pleasure to drive - 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Donatello57 - October 5 - 2:12 am

  Traded in my 2014 C250 coupe. This is my second C300 sedan. Wow! This car is so nice to drive. Quiet, composed, sporty when you want it to be. Ive gotten so many compliments on how beautiful the car is. I didnt get the larger wheels because I wanted the ride to be as soft as possible. Added the $5000 package and it has all the luxury i need. Seats are extremely comfortable, Steering is concise and light. Gear shifts using the paddles are immediate. Fuel economy is pretty good. Averaging 27 mpg combined. If I had one complaint it would be the back seats. They are a bit uncomfortable. Sit a an odd angle and I didnt really feel comfortable in them. Not that I care, really. Its all about the driver seat and that is superb!

• 

  My Best Friend on the Road - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mr. Robertson - October 4 - 1:10 pm

  I have owned this car 1 Year, and 30,000 miles. My wife is the primary driver for her 50 mile round trip commute. It is by far the most solid feeling vehicle I have ever driven. The 4-matic, and ESP traction control give me great confidance in all weather conditions. I live in Kentuckly and it is very hilly and snow is slow to cleared on our roads. It has great cargo space and is hugely versitile. I can haul my two dogs in the back, or fold up the rear seat and roll down the cargo net for 5 Adults and 2 8th graders to ride Comfortably. I have better safety and versatility than an SUV and have taken it off road, absolutely with no wheel spin. I will drive this car for many years to come

• 

  Went for looks - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By itchy - October 4 - 12:46 pm

  As in most of the other reviews, just about every light has burned out. Some have been replaced many times. Its kind of exciting if the car can go between oil changes without some other issue needing to be addressed. The fear of an expensive repair always looms. We bought this car because of the classic look. We still like the look, but drive our Hondas when we truly have to be someplace.

• 

  Nice but smaller to the liking - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Bobby-Jo - October 4 - 10:00 am

  This midsize SUV is very nice and classy. This is a great choice if you have a family of four or less. That is my only complaint. I believe you should have eight seats built-in, not an optional third-row because then that last row takes away from your cargo space.

• 

  Fantastic Five - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By PaulR - October 4 - 10:00 am

  It is absolutely the best car I have ever owned and Ive owned almost 60 cars. this is one that I will never get rid of. Its stying, handling and performance leaves all the other cars in the dust.

• 

  CFP Motors, LTD - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Ron Sumlar - October 4 - 10:00 am

  A very outstanding vehicle and fun to drive.

• 

  The finest car built - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By TDO - October 3 - 10:23 pm

  The E-320 is the finest touring production car now built.

• 

  From Japan to Germany - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By D Marie - October 2 - 5:40 pm

  This car was ordered and built to my specs! I traded my 12 year old RL that I loved for my first Mercedes. This car is beautiful and Im so happy. I test drove the 3 Series and the C class and fell in love with it.

• 

  Update From a Year Ago - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By bsavoie93 - October 2 - 7:16 am

  In my year of owning this car and putting about 20,000 miles on it, Now at 90,000 Miles, Ive had zero issues except with the rear power sunshade. It has a bad design and stopped working. I bought a used sunshade and installed it myself, cost $200. The dealer wanted $1000 for the part and to install! Other than that, this car has been incredibly reliable. The engine hasnt caused one issue for me and nothing in the interior has failed or fell apart (other than the sunshade). The fit and finish is hands down the best. This car is incredibly reliable and if you do all the maintenance yourself it wont cost much to maintain. It also gets great gas mileage for such a big car with a big V8

• 

  Outstanding Mercedes - 2006 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By MAYOR88 - September 30 - 8:33 pm

  My father bought this car and I simply fell in love with it. The interior design is just beautiful and the exterior is head turning gorgeous.