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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  DONT BUY AN ML430 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By SADIG D - May 21 - 10:00 am

  I bought my ml 430 new back in 1999 I had a lot of problems with it like cup holders break all the time, the power steering pump goes bad all the time and the interior wood trim is so cheep it squeaks all the time if you are planning to buy this suv I mean the ml 430 you need to know that it’s the worst m class in the history of Mercedes. My ml430 was sold with 37k miles and I bought a 2001 Ml55 it’s a totally different car even with the same body style. The best Mercedes suv is the ml320 all of my friends who has one have never complained about it. “Some time wanting the options does not give you the best car you want”

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  Great car when it is NOT IN THE SHOP - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By richard j - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Window auto close. Several bulbs blow Air bag sensor Voice recognition Seat / steering wheel / mirror memory Wood trim coming off Heater vent Gas gauge Cargo area cover unlatching. Cargo area seal leaking Driver door seal leaking Hatchback not latching Steering wheel grinding Fog lamp “fogging”. Floor mats latch Sway bushings Lower control arm Mass flow sensor Mirror reverse Key malfunction Seatbelt jamming. Window trim leaking. Hatchback trim leaking. Doors rattling Dash rattling Cup holder breaks. Back seats not latching Ceiling panel loose in cargo area SOS malfunctions Replaced rear window washer fluid pump. head rest stuck Seat squeeks

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  Terrible build quality - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Superdave - May 19 - 10:00 am

  This car has been in the shop 21 times in two years, mostly for annoying little problems, sometimes seriuos problems. This is a Mercedes, it should be top quality. There are also some very goofy interior design flaws - why is the volume control on the passenger side? No sterring wheel audio controls and no door open light. It is fun to drive, and perfoms/ handles well. but way too much time in the shop. Simply not worth it. Also, MB USA simply doesnt care.

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  Transmission Problems at 104,000 miles! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By davidms - May 6 - 9:30 pm

  Well, we bought the extended warranty (36 months / 100,000 miles) on our CPO 2007 E350 in February 2011 when we purchased the car. We were coming home from work in January 2014 when our transmission locked in 1st gear and could not be shifted manually or automatically. I contacted MB and was told that since the car now had 104,000 miles on it, I was was no longer covered and there was nothing they could do about it. They were very uncaring about my problem. We had the transmission serviced and were told that the transmissions in the 2007 E350s were American made by Chrysler (not good to know after the fact). We were told further that we should get rid of the car as soon as possible.

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  Baby Benz SUV - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Robert Socha - May 4 - 12:48 am

  Looked at this as needed something good on gas as switched from Telecommuter to having to go into an Office. The estimated mpg of 24-33 with combine 29mpg very attractive. Also, wanted AWD and the higher sitting position. Unfortunately, vehicle is not made for a taller person (Im 63"). I Could not find a comfortable driving position even with all the adjustments. Barely could get in/out of backseats as the rear doors are small and do not open that far. The dashboard/instrument cluster color combination of Silver/Gold/White made it extremely difficult to see the numbers on the gauges. Overall, the vehicle was just too small for me and my family of 5.

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  Quality - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By bistein - May 1 - 2:50 pm

  Rebuilt transmission twice, numerous electrical issues, new shocks & struts within the first year. No service dealer.

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  Should have bought the BMW - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By buck - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Profoundly dissappointed.Worst auotmotive purchase of my life.Wind noise so loud that normal conversation is not possible. No dealership support (in fact they made the car worse) no manufacturer support. 38 days in shop in 120 days of ownership, still not fixed. Unbelievable list of problems. Its not a wonder Lexus is eating MBZ alive!

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  Mercedes ML 320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Jim Smith - April 17 - 2:00 am

  Continuing electrical problems. Doors lock while one is not in car. Always take out keys when I am not in vehicle. Intermittant rattles which dealer refuses to try and fix. Poor dealer relations when problems occur. Engine knock.

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  absolutely horrible - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By catherine parker - April 5 - 12:33 pm

  Just when I had put 7,000 miles on this car, I took it for its first service. Was told I needed new tires, new brakes and rotors. The tires were dryrotted from sitting on the lot - the dealership effectively said that was my problem. When questioned re: rotors, they knew nothing as well. $1800 dollars later, im selling the car. Never again.

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  Why so many Noises & problems? - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By raymond tang - March 30 - 2:00 am

  These are all the parts which Ive replaced during my 25,500 miles driving history: 1) all four shocks totally replaced within 10,000 miles due to non-stop clunking noises 2) all the doorss power locks were replaced due to failure to close doors, the door gears simply wont activate, doors would bounced back when tried to close 3) right headlight burnt out at 9,000 miles 4) driver side window could not close; Also, 5)Check Engine yellow light was on at 25,000 miles, emission problem. Most annoying problem: Non-stop creaking, clunking, squeaking, cracking noises everywhere during the drive. Just could not imagine how this car was assembled in USA.