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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  Very Nice car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jasonvc - September 28 - 12:40 pm

  For an entry level Mercedes this car has a lot of features and is very nice to drive. Handling is tight, engine is quick and the turning radius is awesome.

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  Youll never want to get out of this car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By MBbrat - September 28 - 10:00 am

  There is a reason that Mercedes-Benz has a reputation for being one of the most luxurious and prestigious cars built today. Even the C-class boasts so many features, you wont believe its the lowest class they manufacture. I never mind being stuck in traffic anymore when Im in my C240. It just becomes a part of you-- an extension of your own body! The performance is outstanding, and you wont feel safer in any other car.

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  Love this car! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By LeQuon - September 28 - 10:00 am

  I drove an SLK 320 and traded it in for c320 because I wanted a car that was more practical. I dont know why there are bad reviews about the car, I guess some of these people were unlucky and got the defects. Anyhow, I love this car! It is smooth, luxurious, and comfortable. I cant ask for more! I havent had any problems since.

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  Worst car ever!!!!!!!!!!! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By mp - September 27 - 4:56 pm

  Great service at the dealer, got hypnotized by the Mercedez salesman. Got the car, big disappointment. The fuel economy is the worst, no leg room in the rear seat. Cant go on a long trip with this car. You have to press brakes long before stopping. No luxurious at all. Front seats very small. 6 male wont fit. This is not a suv feels, this is like a little car, just to go and buy groceries. Just because it got the Mercedez emblem, thats not mean is driven and feel like a Mercedez. Doesnt come with seat warmers, to open the car youll would have to open all the locks, not just the drivers. Youll have to open the locks, when in vehicle to release passengers in back seat. Big mistake.

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  WARNING! Bad Engineering ahead - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By vwbus1979 - September 27 - 1:21 am

  After five long years of owning my 98 E300 TD, I am left with a completely destroyed car due to poor engineering on MBZ. Turns out MBZ designed the transmission cooler INSIDE the radiator. The tranny cooler contains oil and the radiator contains water. Think about it. Yup! The two mixed last weekend and water went into the transmission, completely destroying the transmission, torque converter and engine electronics leaving me with a $7k bill for a car worth only $9k. Last summer, it was $4k to replace the diesel injectors. The summer before that, $2400 to replace the A/C unit and belts. The car only has 104k miles on it. It is now scrap metal. Unreal.

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  Love it Love it Love it - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By kalvin97gagt - September 26 - 4:26 pm

  Bought this car about 3 months ago used with 37k miles from the 2nd owner. Its what you expect from a german car, tight and solid but yet refined while hugging the road like a sports car. The ride is perfect, not harsh and not too loose like other non AMG models. The engine roars you through the rpm range and makes a great sound. The car is plenty quick, but it would be a monster with the 5.4 Supercharged version found in the E55

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  My .02 (just sold my ML320) - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By EPB - September 25 - 2:00 am

  Our ML320 had several annoying issues which, while covered under warranty, did not meet my expectations of Mercedes Benz quality. The car is great to drive and has a wonderful interior, but here is my laundry list: failed emission test due to faulty sensor, GPS system ate a cassette and I had to pull the fuse to get it to stop chewing (even with ML powered off it kept going), MB replaced the entire GPS unit. Back seat rest inserts pop off when adjusting, back seat was stuck in down position (dealer had to adjust cables), High Oil light came on when oil was low (took 3 trips to the dealer before diagnosed also), moon roof air dam bar came off.

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  I wish I never wasted my time - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Maria - September 25 - 2:00 am

  This car really sucks,.The radio gets louder and lower on its own,windows make noises,sunroof button isnt automatic,front ligther went on fire,radio controls are really far away from your seat so you have to move foward to change the station & Im preety tall61 so you cant blame it on my height,when I start it, it makes noises,coolent tube fixed twice after 5 months of buying the car, I had to fix it 2x, my brake pads wore out after 7months,Check engine light is always on, Gas Gas Gas need I say more? The gas is soo horrible I would I could curse at it. I can keep on going but I would hope you get the message that the car really sucks bad

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  ML 320 overall - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Jonnyboy - September 25 - 2:00 am

  I am extremely satisfied with the Vehicle overall. I am confident the reputation of a German Engine / Transmission will prevail. Provides the Chrysler comforts. No compaints none so ever I have on comforts. Their safety features are unmatched. Miles / Gallon are on par with other SUVs. Can be better. Did not provide a MP3 Playback in the Extremely good audio system. Navigation technology was CD based in 2002, but are now DVD based and compatible with the 2002 MLs. I find the 3rd row seat very useful. Small but good for kids.

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  great suv for a great price - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By shariar - September 20 - 10:00 am

  This is one great suv. It is very comortable and beautiful inside and out. I opted for the inspiration edition which gives you alot of options for a great value. I highly recommend the car to people who want a comfortable car but still want to arrive to the local country club with style.