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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  Believe the Hype. - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By JayEmm - March 21 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my CLK 430 last February when it had roughly 37k on the odometer. I have placed about 6k on it since and have had absolutely no problems at all. The vehicle was a Starmark Certified Pre-owned car, which may be why I havent had any trouble. The previous driver had leased it and told me he had it in for unscheduled service on two occasions, both minor.

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  J-C230k - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By J-C230k - March 21 - 10:00 am

  Afterall, it is a Mercedes

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  7 months & still in love - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By dmat - March 21 - 10:00 am

  Just took the 230SportSedan in for Service A this week (13,600miles). In that time, mileage has gone up from 28mpg on the highway to 34mpg on the highway! This car is very comfortable on long trips, and is quite fun to drive through twisty mountain passes. The amazing thing about this car is how effortlessly it does everything! The car never loses its composure, and never causes stress for the driver. Almost the perfect balance between sport and luxury! (maybe a coupla more ponies would be nice)

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  So far Im not overwhelmed - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By chitownmb - March 21 - 10:00 am

  Generally pleased but having wheel alignment problems that could be tire problems after two balances and two alignments. Otherwise ride is not as smooth as I would like but cant tell until I get this alignment thing cured. Watch the Continental tires!

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  MB as a rugged family car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By off_road_family - March 19 - 6:06 pm

  I needed a car in the AWD category which was suited for rough off-roading trips in the country and daily suburban mom, and which wouldnt embarass my husband when he had to park it next to his super-status-concious coworkers. For the money, this car fit the bill. Remembering there wasnt much out there in the smaller 6+passenger SUV category at the time and that this car was originally priced considerably less than the other entries in this category, like Lexus and Toyotas, I can forgive many annoying flaws. Im still a loyal owner, but I havent had any of the reliablity issues the other reviewers had, and I wouldnt tolerate them if I did.

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  So far so good - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ninocalifa - March 19 - 4:43 pm

  I have bought this car used, and so far I am happy. The fuel economy I have been getting is an average of 25 mpg, what is not bad considering that this is a sport car. If you drive city only that will drop badly, but on high way it is very efficient. There are only two things I disliked: 1) The fact that MB did not make the phone system standard, it is pre-wired, so you have to buy the module, which cost $600 online or $1500 at the MB dealer. 2) The seats should be fully electric and not only two ways. If you are selling a luxury car, it is expected at least that.

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  Best full size SUV Ive driven so far - 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Michael Mihaylov - March 19 - 12:34 pm

  Mine is a 2014, just perfect

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  Impressive Sport Sedan - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By JGC - March 19 - 10:00 am

  Have had the new car for a little more than a week and am extremely pleased so far. Great blend of luxury and sport. Car feels more substantial than expected for a mid-sized sedan. Airmatic suspension works very well and provides nice option for luxury vs sport in the same car. Interior is incredibly well done. Very comfortable and extremely well appointed with all the current gadgets. Exterior styling is sleek and sporty. Rear end styling could be better, but generally like it overall. Test drove multiple cars/makes including BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, but the Mercedes just simply felt right and IMO had the best blend of true luxury and sporty look and feel. No buyers remorse here.

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  Love it - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dev - March 18 - 12:46 pm

  I traded my Honda in for an 06 C230 last May. I love the looks of the car, it has a very intimidating "aggressive" looking stance, and when its clean (i got black) it looks amazing, Im constantly getting looks from other drives checking the car out. However, I wish I would have gotten a Kompressor, this vehicle is too slow in stop and go traffic and around town driving, its hard to explain but it would almost feel like a "turbo lag" you are flooring the pedal and its not going no where fast, but at freeway speeds its very responisive. I have never driven a vehicle that handles as well as this car does...Mercedes hasnt sacraficed anything in reguards to handeling and braking.

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  EPIC FAIL!!! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By randy - March 17 - 10:56 pm

  I owned this car for 6 months. it was good for a while until the compressor, traction control, stereo, moonroof, transmission all went out at the same time! otherwise it drove like a real sports car with extremely good interior comfort before the probs. i traded it in for a mazda6 and glad i did