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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  GREAT CAR! - 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
  By yancy - December 7 - 4:44 pm

  Have owned a 2018 for a short time now and absolutely love it! Excellent power, agile and very good ride for a mid size SUV. This is the perfect car for a single person or couple to go tooling around in. If you are looking for a "family" vehicle I would look elsewhere. I did a great deal of research and comparison shopping and looked at Audi, BMW and Lexus. What sold me on this car is that it has, hands down, the best interior of any of them. The fit and finish are superb, the knobs and buttons feel like metal rather than cheap plastic and the interior oozes luxury. I am not a techno geek so all the negative customer complaints on the technology deficiencies of the vehicle meant very little to me. If you are like me and care more about ride, comfort, visibility and quality of the fit and finishes then you would be making a huge mistake if you did not take a look at this vehicle. One final note.......when I pay almost $50000 dollars for a vehicle, I want it to look like I spent $50000 on it and this was the only mid size SUV that did.

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  Nice. - 2006 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Michael - December 5 - 2:46 pm

  I got the 2006 SL500 in Feb 2006. I am really a Jaguar person, having owned three so far, but at the time Jaguar would not even quote a price for the new XK, and I was able to get a good deal on the Mercedes. Well, the car is nice, but certainly not thrilling. Perhaps the SL55 would have been better for me. I consider the wonderful 7 speed automatic transmission to be the cars forte. It seems to be just in the right gear at all times. I keep the transmission setting in "sport" mode. The AMG package with the steering wheel paddles is a nice touch and I like the optional panorama roof. I must say, no car I have ever owned has attracted so much interest. My clients always ask how I enjoy it.

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  Sexy and Fun! - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Randy Bradley - December 4 - 1:48 pm

  This car never fails to excite me! Ive enjoyed each and every of the 34,000 miles Ive driven it over the past 3 years (I purchased it in 2013 with 9,000 miles on the clock). One word of caution though - if you need to drive it in the snow youd best get winter tires or look for a C350 4Matic. Its a great road trip car, commuter car, or a back roads car. No matter where I take it I always have a blast behind the wheel! Its been extremely reliable with no warranty issues, although I did buy a 3 year, 75,000 mile extended warranty just in case. Would I buy it again? You bet I would!

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  C 230 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Professor Kompressor - December 4 - 10:00 am

  One of the best parts of owning this car is the dealership it came from. They have amazing customer service. Unfortunately I have had to use it a few more times than I would have liked. There was an electronic glitch that shut off the engine when I turned the wheel too hard. However, it is still GREAT to drive. I love blowing past everyone on the freeway (even the new 8 series BMW I saw the other day).

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  Multiple, Major Problems - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By ewagg1111 - December 4 - 1:52 am

  I bought my 2006 R Class brand new in January of 2006. I have enjoyed driving the car and agree it has been the best car that fits my lifestyle, children, and hauling. However, this car has been very expensive to maintain. I have invested nearly $15K in repairs for things that were not covered under warranty. I have had to replace both the front right and left struts for $4K. The SOS system which I never used for $1,700. The seals on the transfer case for $1,100. The Cam Shaft for $5K. The airshock suspension systems for $2,100. The list goes on and on. MB USA has never stepped up to assist in any of these repairs. I doubt that I will ever buy another MB again. Dont love the car that much.

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  Nice - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Don - December 1 - 10:03 pm

  I cant say enough good things about the car. It gets very good gas mileage (31 MPG on highway with 6 speed manual trans), its comfortable, looks good and handles well. People come up often and say "what a great looking car youve got." Ive added the iPod interface which is VERY nice (MB was the first auto mfg to integrate this feature). Your iPod sits in the glove box and you control it from the steering wheel. I also purchased Winter tires that make winter driving much easier to deal with.

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  many bugs - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By albik - November 28 - 10:00 am

  many problems, with the car and the dealer All sort of light burning; eletronic steering wheel adjustment breaking; suspension completely replaced, airbag problem light going on. Changed the remote key opener at least three times, and to cap it all off, the brakes had to be changed after 14,000. In total this car spent 1 month in the shop. Part of the problem lies with the dealer. Over a month to get an appointment and 1 week to get the car back.

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  ML 350 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By User123 - November 28 - 10:00 am

  This is a very well crafted vehicle with many added safety features that many other SUVs do not enjoy. A more powerful engine than its predecessor ML320. I do have to say that it is time for a new body style. I have owned my 2003 ML350 for 3 months now so not much else to comment. Everything is great.

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  Disappointed - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By AnneT - November 28 - 10:00 am

  Love the look and drive of my E320 sports package. First MB however very disappointed with the quality of car. Had to bring car in shop after 1st week because radio/cd went dead. Took 3 hrs to fix. Waited whole time! Glove compartment rattles, had problems with A/C turning on about 5+ times, seatbelt in drivers side lockes up sometimes when push seat memory button to re- adjust seat. Alignment already bad with only 4300 miles. Not looking forward to bringing it in the shop to get all this fixed. Bought MB verses BMW b/c heard BMW had problems. What a disappointment. Had Honda Accord before this car and had noooo problems!

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  2001 ML - 430 problems - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Bob E. - November 27 - 5:46 pm

  I bought the vehicle new and now have a total of 23000 miles. The brakes were replaced at 22500 miles due to excessive noise [squeel] the new breaks also squeal bad have tried everything to quiet them down. Replaced the drivers heated seat. The GPS system stinks. I advised the dealer of a loss of water in the radiator and was advised that I needed a new water hose, six months later the hose came in that I had paid for, however no water leaked during that time. After many calls they finally gave my money back for the special order hose. No heat in the floor, dealer advised to shut off dash vents? Wow is this quality of MB or a page from a Model A Ford. All of my cars are garage kept.