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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  The Best AMG - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By dghdfg - May 14 - 10:00 am

  This car is amazing in performance, luxury, style and safety. I urge you to buy one!

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  My LIttle Race Car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Kittyspen - May 14 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely LOVE this car! It is so much fun to drive and its appearance catches the eye of nearly all who see it. Although small, which I like, it has a lot of room inside. Even tall guys have no problems. LOVE IT!

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  The original bench mark SUV - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Dave L - May 14 - 2:00 am

  The ML is still one of the best SUV values and was the bench mark for the current crossover SUV. I think anybody looking for a true SUV will not be dissapointed...

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  Fun small car! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By AussieBuff - May 14 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this car for almost 6 months and have placed 2500 miles on the odometer (cant drive many miles on Oahu). Overall, the car has been fun to drive. It is small and compact for the small parking slots here in Hawaii, but large enough in the interior to comfortably fit myself at six foot tall. So far, only minor rattles and noises. A solidly built vehicle with great steering and braking but could use a little more low end torque for this heavy of a vehicle.

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  Its ok, but a MERCEDEZ should be great. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Stephen Cheng - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Its nice. Its cheap (it is not as expensive as people think), yet you get the prestige of driving a mercedez. It has cool features, tele aid, memory seats, fuel economy, interior qualities and the sound system. However, have had some problems. ABS and ESP lights turn on constantly. Friends of mine with similar models have the same problems. Mercedez has not admitted the problem, but I think there could be a recall eventually, because of the reoccurrence. It has occasional braking noise. Not a problem just not smooth.

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  Best in its class - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Maryland, USA - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Test drove all its competitors, and this is clearly the best car in its class in 2003. Exterior is awesome, interior understated but classy. Handling is superb even in the "comfort" air suspension setting.

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  I traded my 2007 GL450 for 08 GL550 - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By hbmciver - May 13 - 2:06 pm

  Best decision I made; to upgrade to the GL550. Unless something else comes on the market I cant imagine owning anything else. The MB GL550 has it all, comfort, quality inside and out! Ill trade in 2010 if there are upgrades, otherwise my 08 actually gets better gas mileage hwy than its rated for. I get 19-21 mpg, and the smoothest ride imaginable!

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  First time MB buyer and it is the best!! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By justsurf - May 12 - 12:36 pm

  Never driven such a smooth car before, you almost get tired, because there is nothing to do while you drive. Everythig is done for you.....the ride is the smoothest ever. Even my SOLO2 laser radar turns itself off because it cant tell that the car is driving

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  Its a Benz - 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By sumgai - May 12 - 11:13 am

  This beauty is a Benz, I know because I cut my teeth in Benzs, literally. My first ride was my Dads 1962 220s and i used the door sill to help me cut teeth, so there were some holes in the leather near the front window vent. He moved on to a 72 280se 4.5, a 87 300e, a 98 e320 and then a 2007 e350. I bought the 98 e320 from him when he got the 2007 and I offered to let him keep the carpeted floor mats since the car interiors were the same color. Surprisingly, the e320 was wider than the e350 and the 98 floor mats were too wide for the 2007! So imagine my delight when the drivers side 1998 e320 floor mat fit perfectly in the 2014 CLA250! (the passenger-side mat was 2 long)

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  Good News / Bad News - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Michael Larkin - May 11 - 2:06 pm

  I have driven a Mercedes C class for the last 8 years and the cars are the best I have ever owned. This year I got the C300 sport because of how great it looked. Everything about the car is tremendous except the seats. They are possibly the most uncomfortable I have ever sat in - almost to the point that I can not drive the car. I am trying to resolve with the dealership and hope they will come through. Would hate to lose them as my number one brand.