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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  Lemon Flavored Diesel - 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By mgarrison - April 11 - 7:20 pm

  Purchase this car in 2014 with 70k miles on it for around 28k. Got an extend warranty for the car and glad we did. The entire rack and pinion steering system had to be replaced at 75k miles which was paid by warranty with a cost of around $4600. The heating element for the def tank went out at a cost of $3300 and the entire tank had to be replaced since they heater is sealed in the tank. That was paid out of our pocket, then we got the dreaded oil cooler leak which is a very common issue on almost every GL diesel which cost right around $4200 to fix as the most the engine has to be taken apart in order to replace the $16.50 oil cooler gasket. Had huge diesel fuel leak due to o-ring issues with the fuel filter, another $250 spent to fix that. Then I the air bag compressor failed, $875 to replace that, then had 1 air bag fail, another $1400. The rear power lift gated failed at cost of close to $2000 to replace it. The final nail in the coffin was the sale of the vehicle for $6500. We had lots safety recalls with the airbags, but Mercedes has failed to do anything to replace them and keep pushing it off claiming that they do not have the parts to replace it and because of these recall no dealer is able to resell the vehicle till Mercedes fixes the issue making it nearly a worthless suv. Sticker price on this suv new was $106,235 as it had every option available on it. Stay away, stay away and please google all the known issue with these vehicles. Dont let our mistake be your mistake!

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  Lexus is so much better/bad radio - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By NOT NOT HAPPY - March 15 - 10:00 am

  Get a Lexus LS430 Ultra lux; you get way more than a stripped S500 OR S430. The transmission on the S-class stinks, and not smooth at all. To much engine and wind noise. Also, the BOSE sound system is bad, compared to the Mark Levinson. The radio is filled with annoying and constant static noise, whether on FM, AM, or WB. THey have replaced everything to solve the problem: HOPELESS. And the COMMAND GPS system: HOPELESS TO USE.

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  I WANT TO KILL MYSELF - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By 4-Matic - March 15 - 10:00 am

  Mercedes and people overrate this piece of junk. You seriously pay only for the star. THe day I bought the car, the cupholders would pop out, and the sign said "ACTIVE BODY CONTROL TOO LOW- SEE WORKSHOP!", okay. The next day, my front armrest wouldnt open (dealership wouldnt say anything), so I could not access my mercedes Motorola V60 phone. (they ended up damaging the leather, alas, they wouldnt fix it). I am now scared to turn on the car

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  Over Priced Junk - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Andy - March 4 - 6:30 pm

  This vehicle is advertised and sold as a sports sedan. Not even close. This car cant get out of its own way. Very disappointed in the performance and build quality of this Mercedes-Benz. If youre looking for a true sports sedan, dont buy these vehicles. I will never purchase a Mercedes again. Overpriced junk. There is much better quality, performance and pricing in the market.

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  Never again. - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Alan - January 12 - 7:22 pm

  Bought this car CPO with 10,000 on it in Spring of 2015. Car went to the shop 5 times the summer of 2016 with an AC problem before Park Place MB of Dallas could ever figure it out even though we provided two videos of the noise. Then there is that glorious MB stench from the AC that happens every summer that takes $200 to remedy (This is the second MB we have owned with the same problem). The navigation is a joke. The internet radio operates with the speed of an AOL dial up connection. The drivers seat started coming apart at the seams at 57,000 miles (CPO would not cover it and the dealer wanted $900 for the repair) [Understandable to a point but when both drivers are under 190 lbs, I take issue with their "wear and tear" claim]. Transmission is jerky. Latest issue was a "catch" in the steering that showed itself when driving down a straight road. Any slight little turn of the wheel was met with resistance and dealer could find no issue. We got rid of this thing! Paid $52,000 for it and traded it for $22,500 just 2.5 years later. Horrible resale value on MB. Will never own another one.

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  C240 is a classic understated sedan - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By K - September 11 - 3:36 am

  I bought mine new in July, 2002. Generally, with over 16,000 miles on it, my C240 has performed well, especially on long drives, where it is really in its element. The one thing I do not like is there is very weak pickup on it, which is dangerous if you need to merge or drive into traffic from a standing idle, especially for a U-turn across multiple lanes. Otherwise, the quality and design of the car, and its solid performance makes it an operational dream pleasant to behold. Mine was manufactured in Stuttgart.

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  I hate this car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By libby - August 27 - 7:03 pm

  The Mercedes-Benz C230 Sport Sedan is a poor excuse for a Mercedes-Benz that should never have been marketed.The car is junk. The only thing that they accomplished is that I will never purchase another Mercedes product. I hate this car.

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  "Nothing but the best" what a joke - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Grace Ann - August 11 - 11:27 pm

  The GL450 has so many problems, that dealers across the country and head quarters do not know how to fix, the customer frequently hears "we have no idea what is wrong or how to fix your problem." I had a Lexus LX 470 and as soon as I can get the Mercedes out of the shop, they have had it for 9 days, I am headed for Lexus and trading it in. The vehicle backfires on every cold start, a very dangerous situations. "Nothing but the best, the safest, technologically advanced;" far from it. Mercedes you are better than this. Step up your game and your customer service response. I was told today by Mercedes corporate customer care group "they had no idea when they would have an answer or solution to the backfire problem. When I said do you think you will know something by December, the regional claims manager stated "I have no idea." "Nothing but the best?" I will never recommend or buy another Mercedes.

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  WORST CAR EVER!!! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By tim205 - July 19 - 10:31 am

  Worst car EVER the ML 320 CDI. After three years of annual repairs exceeding many thousands of dollars we are parting with our two MBs. The ML for obvious reasons and the CLK 320 out of principle will be traded for an Audi and BMW. We were told expect 200k miles at not even 100k weve dumped more money into this car. Ok we expect the service upsell and the cost of A and B service which are ridiculous. In addition we have received thousands of dollars in annual bills - breaks, steering column, steering fluid, multiple oil leaks, engine issue, tranmission issues. I will NEVER buy another mercedes and urge anyone considering to buy a BMW where the cost of owning is better

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  Faulty Traction Control (ESP), Loses Power on Road - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Vinod Patel - May 25 - 8:50 pm

  The "esp inoperative" message pops up frequently,

  even when the weather and road conditions are warm, dry and clear. When it occurs, the car seems to loose acceleration (power) and slows down (rather very quickly on roadway sloping up). Pressing the gas pedal would not speed up the car immediately; it would after a while. When this occurs, i pull over the car and turn it off & on to get rid of the "esp inoperative" message. This has happened on high speed expressway as well. It felt very dangerous and unsafe since a truck was approaching closely behind. I was fortunate to pull over on the shoulder and turn off/on the car. This appears to be associated with a faulty part, sensor or software that needs to be fixed by the car manufacturer. I bought this car brand new in October 2014 and it currently has 5940 miles. It was serviced by dealership in October 2015 for 12-month maintenance. This problem is very dangerous because the SUV  loses power while Im on the road. This problem should not even occur once. It is a life threatening issue.