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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  Little pricey, but its a Benz. - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jimmy - March 13 - 3:06 pm

  First off, this is my first new car that I have bought ever. The monthly payments got me depressed at first but as Ive been driving it and taking care of it, Ive come to love this car. Ive had it for a year and a half a no real problems. The interior is beautiful, even for a C-class. To me, nothing says luxury like a Mercedes so if you want the finer things in life for under 40K, this is a pretty good place to go to. Will admit, if you are looking for a car on driving performance, this is not the car for you. If you want class, then check it out.

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  1st Mercedes - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Benz 500 - March 12 - 3:23 pm

  After owning a BMW for many years thought it would be a nice change. The car looks great but doesnt drive or handle like one thinks it would. The steering is tough too. The front seats are not very comforting for a long drive. No drink holders either. One word would be overrated. Lots of plastic in the interior too. Glad I kept the BMW because thats the car I still drive. .

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  Can Built a Better Car - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By NOMORE - March 9 - 3:26 am

  Never will buy another Mercedes Benz, now I have a Volvo (a much better car. Benz should built a better car for this kind of price I have it seating in my driveway because the latest is the the horn flat ribbon cable inside the steering wheel assembly it broke & came off (my horn doesnt work anymore), never heard this from any other car before shame on Mercedes-Benz-forget about the steering power pump Ive paid twice to have it fix beside the recall- interior clothe by the windshield id coming off (both sides). No more Mercedes-Benz for me.

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  Awesome - 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By amayer - March 7 - 3:20 am

  This vehicle not only looks great, but drives as good as it looks as well! I never expected this car to drive so well. For a sports car, it drives better than any other car in its category.

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  Slim & Trim - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Lee Schlough - February 29 - 6:40 pm

  This car was purchased by my mother in law and my wife acquired it when she passed. Great second car, nice looking but lacks a good sized trunk and is a bit tight for a guy 6 ft 2. Great car for ladies.

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  A great car diminished by a few flaws. - 2011 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By carlspackler1 - February 26 - 4:58 am

  Purchased new, and as an everyday driver, weve logged 18k. The cars excellence is diminished only by a few ergonomic issues. The heat controls for the seats are mounted on the door, making it impossible to adjust without taking your eyes off the road, and dont get me talking about programming the GPS! It has an outdated feel - My mobile phone is much better! The drivetrain shifts smoothly, and the engine delivers the perfect combination of torque and horsepower. If the interior design falls behind the outstanding engineering of the rest of the car.

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  Beautiful Piece of Junk - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Mostly Bummed - February 25 - 2:00 am

  I should have believed Consumer Reports! The reliability of this vehicle is no better than a GM or Ford according to CR. Problems since I have owned it (37k to 42k miles): broken power rear shade, broken engine heat shield, broken cable for power drivers seat (twice now), persistent engine rattle, persistent interior rattles, leaking rear differential seal, faulty timing belt, broken lever to unlatch fold down rear seats, loose drivers seat that needed new latches. All in all a highly frustrating and unreliable vehicle. My recommendation: sell it before the warranty expires, or better yet buy something reliable like a Lexus, Acura or Infiniti.

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  Balance shaft - MBZ does not stand behind - 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mbzpain - February 23 - 8:26 am

  Great car, comfortable and great value. BUT be careful, as Mercedes does not stands behind their products. I have a MBZ E350, and at 63K, I got a check engine problem that required a balance shaft to be changed at the cost of $6K, because of a shaft that was not properly tempered. MBZ clearly built a product that was flawed, as about 20% of the cars that has the E350 engine had the problem. BUT they leaved us poor users to deal with it, and didnt stand behind their poor craftmaship product.

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  Great Vehicle with poor reliability - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Pieter - February 13 - 10:00 am

  I put 20,000 miles on it (the vehicle had about 6000 miles on it when I purchased it), and had it in the shop about 8 times. The compressor for the airmatic suspension went out at just 7000 miles. All the doorlocks failed and had to be replaced just 5000 miles later. Then the radio went haywire. Also the park tronic went bad and had to be fixed. At 25,000 miles the rear shocks were leaking and had to be replaced. These were just the major repairs. I just traded it in for a Lexus and hope to have better luck now. The great thing about the vehicle was the diesel engine. On long road trips I would average almost 30 miles to the gallon WOW ! I will miss this part.

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  A Love/Hate Relationship - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By sportbiker1 - February 10 - 7:38 pm

  The Sway Bar Rods go regularly. Fortunately, they go within a year so are covered under parts warranty. Fender liner fell off, CV boots replaced, heater door motor broke, signal switch broke, rear speakers rattled, drivers seat belt squeaked, rear set belts lock up at -25C, passenger seat bottom loose, rear door lock knobs come loose and the rod drops inside, headlight bulbs are $180 each!. Nothing serious mechanically though. Bit it is starting to rust at the same place on all 4 of the doors.