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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  Style & Class - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Had them All - December 2 - 10:56 pm

  If you want to handling of BMW, the ride of Lexus, the reliabiltiy and resale of MB, then this is your car. The nice thing too,is that there are not to many of them on the road. Its everything you should expect in a luxury car and this time you get it for a price thats not crazy. Forget the bring Accuras, forget the boxy 5 series BMW, this is perfect for the sophisticated buyer with no kids.

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  Good times dont last. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By azally - December 2 - 3:46 pm

  This was my first car. Im in high school and even though Im young I love and research cars nonstop. I have had my c230 coupe since 9/06 and it was my dream car until about a month ago. My sunroof cable broke and that was the only part that the extended warranty didnt cover. Less than a week later, my engine started shaking and the check engine came on. Took it in and there is a flaw with Mercedes and something in the cylinders can get stuck open and dont bet on your insurance/warranty place to cover anything. Cost for new cylinder: $5000. Too much maintainance, in shop too much, need a more reliable car so Im selling. Overall, I love the car to death but not worth the time in the shop and hassle.

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  Most Unreliable Care I Ever Owned - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jim - December 1 - 8:36 pm

  Bought the car with 12,000 miles. Always wanted to stall at stop signs. Took 2 years for them to find out what was wrong. Replaced fuel pumps on good will since warranty expired. New pumps whined and they would not replace them again. Coil spring broke, power steering pump went bad. Crankshaft position sensor bad. Rust bucket - car started rusting after two years. Front end noise. Traded it in cause I was tired of all the problems. Rode great but very expensive to own. Poor mechanical quality. Worst car I ever owned.

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  2013 E550 - Best car I have ever owned - 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Scott Kolb - November 30 - 8:04 am

  Buying a used Mercedes E-class is likely the most intelligent decision auto buyers can make. Its the most reliable of the Mercedes, and it depreciates VERY fast, so you get a LOT of car for the money. I bought a used 2013 E550 with 48k miles on it. Sticker of almost $77,000 got it for $31,600. P1 and P2 packages, and the V-8 engine. My lord....wonderfully comfortable, incredibly fast. OK, the BMW has tighter steering, but you get less car for more money, particularly if you get the V-8 BMW. Love the auto high beams; they adjust between hi and lo beams per oncoming traffic automatically. Dash is so.....German. Perfectly organized, easy to use instruments. They even have an Off button....so you know how to turn everything off and dont have to hold down a fan button or hit it a million times. Ok, so whats bad? Nav is pretty lame; voice control is pretty lame, and back-up camera is a little disappointing for this level of car....no markings, just a straight back-up camera. Repair costs are HIGH...... BUT, I use my phone for navigation anyway, and voice control is of little importance to me. The camera still serves its purpose. Since its reliable, the repair costs arent THAT bad, just take it to a reliable mechanic that wont rob you like Mercedes dealers do. Update: One year in, nothing has changed. This car is awesome. I now have 70k miles on it, but you would never know, runs like new. The V-8 grumbles a little, but it is so worth it. Blew away both Lexus and Infiniti when forced to due to aggressive driving tactics by them.

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  Shes All That - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Gretchen Ariz - November 30 - 2:00 am

  There are only three words to describe this car "Shes all that." This is the ultimate all-season cruising sedan. Fabulous for road trips, ski trips, or the everyday commute. The 210 body style has a destined-to-be-a-classic design, perhaps the last for Mercedes since they have gone to a more homogenous theme with all their new model designs of late. The mono-wiper, VDO instrumentation, and traditional console are nuances that also make this model a keeper. (No Chrysler influence here!) If this is the only car I have all my life, Ill be happy. It is a marvelous combination of exterior/interior design, luxury, safety and performance.

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  Shouldve, Couldve... - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Oops - November 30 - 2:00 am

  Bought it in August, and its been back in the shop 3 times. It was delivered with wheels off balance. Rear sunshade doesnt retract on every try. Auto lose sunroof doesnt always work. This car has rattles coming from the center dash, trunk area, driver and passenger side roof lining. Dealer cant find the rattles. The visor mirror cover is made of cheap plastic. The steering is WAY TOO sensitive off center at freeway speeds, way to heavy at parking lot speeds. This thing will not track straight on the freeway. The doors dont close with the MBZ thump. The transmission lingers in the lower 3 gears. This is not a good deal.

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  Great Car, no problems ever! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By TraceyThomas - November 29 - 3:43 pm

  The car has been great since day one. It has been reliable, fun to drive and no repairs other than tires. The ride was fantastic and attention to details perfect. Im buying another one, my lease is over, this time the CLK 350 they have discontinued the CLK 320.

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  Super automobile - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By billyq - November 28 - 11:34 am

  I have owned my car since 2003, it currently has 212,000 mile runs as new, everything works. Maintenance is a must- after warranty never never take to a MB dealer - find an independant shop that work on MBs. The car drives better than the new S550, just missing the technology of the newer car, but rides and handles much better. take care of the car and it will take care of you in comfort.

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  Dont compare this vehicle to others - 2004 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By Ciro - November 28 - 10:00 am

  I read other reviews and laughed. They expect a square vehicle to be quiet and get good mpg, not. I bought this vehicle because of its actual ruggedness and the fact that its a military vehicle in Germany. In other words, a German Hummer. I got exactly what I expected an more. A very tough vehicle with some luxury appointments. Interior noise is minimal for a square vehicle. It handles like a truck, as it should, since it weighs as much a a large pick-up truck. Gas mileage is actually not that bad if you dont use the 292hp all the time. Ive averaged 19mpg in the highway @ 55mph and as high as 17mpg in the city if your light on the gas. But stomp on the pedal and it drinks the fuel.

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  Is it a benz or a Hyundai??? - 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Benzlover - November 28 - 4:23 am

  Very disappointting!!! for those of you guys who are seeking the good ole fashion quality of the benz a word of advise SHY AWAY. The 4x4 of the year can not sustain a small bump from the side walk curve without busting its air- suspension module. Interestingly enough, when taking the vehicle to the local benz dealership the Service manager told me, " hey this car is just like a kia and a hyundai, what do you expect, its build the same" I was floored by the lack of cooperation and needless to say the poor craftsmanship. If I wanted a kia i would buy one, well, maybe i should have. It is a shame that a 70K+ 4X4 of the year is basically a kia with a mercedes star on it.