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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  Best SUV Ive driven so far - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Fadi - June 16 - 11:03 am

  This SUV has everything you dream of having in a vehicle. Quiet and smooth ride, true luxury, powerful brakes, top of the line technology, nice looking, and best of all its a Mercedes.

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  GLA45 one of the fastest CUV ever, if not the fastest! - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
  By rskdsk - June 15 - 10:31 am

  0-60 in just 4.2 sec and runs the 1/4 in 12.8 at 109 ... and it is a 4 cylinder! Handles great, sounds even better with the race exhaust. I looked at the SQ5 and found the outdated shape not thrilling anymore ... Looked at the Porsche Macan but the price with options and the wait time seemed outrageous and then add the maintenance cost and the fact that it rides like a truck ... I looked at the new Lexus NX but the lack of power and handling seemed weak at best. Same thing with the Q3. The GLA 250 seemed to be the better deal ... until I tested the GLA45 ... the rest is history.

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  Great vehicle - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By RT17 - June 15 - 10:00 am

  I have had no major problems with it. It is continuously pleasing to drive and admire. Its hard to get sick of it. The features of this car are great. I personally think this is the greatest sedan made in its price range, a perfect balance of elegance, safety, luxury, reliability, and safety.

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  Still new. - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Richard Marino - June 15 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the car with 26,000 miles and have driven it for 3 1/2 years. It now has 84,000 miles and still runs, drives, and looks like a brand new car. It has been the most reliable car I have ever driven and I am amazed at how a V8 can have so much power on demand and yet still get great gas mileage around town.

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  My sad experience with my S600! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By VML - June 15 - 10:00 am

  The air conditioning had to be replaced 5 months after I bought it. The entire dashboard went out (i.e. no speedometer, no dash lights, no signal indicator lights). The engine kept running AFTER the car was turned off and the key taken out of the ignition. The hydraulic system failed leaving the car sitting 6" from the ground. Replaced battery twice in 30 months. GPS is archaic - not user friendly and half the addresses are not in the system. Have to buy addl CD-ROMs to go all over the U.S. The mobile phone with the car is not digital and the dealer said it will cost $1,100 to upgrade to a digital phone.

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  Awesome! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Arkansas Traveler - June 15 - 10:00 am

  This car is a delight to drive, and a privilege to own. Superb handling, outstanding styling, and a mechancial marvel. I savor each and every driving experience. In short, this car is intoxicating.

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  Interior Leather Quality - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By sonny - June 14 - 5:23 pm

  Great car but few problems since I bought the car. Engine is excellent. Interior leather is not of a good quality especially arm rest and center console-peeling. Other small problems such as sensors malfunctions.

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  A/C Problem in E320? - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By SALMAN KHAN - June 13 - 10:00 am

  MERCEDES E320 NOT WORTH TO BUY! LEXUS GS300 OR ES300 RELIABLE,BEAUTIFUL,FLAWLESS,FASTER!

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  Great Car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Robert S. Morrison - June 13 - 10:00 am

  Bought vehicle for around town transportation for one person. Is great for this. Have taken it cross country. Performed very well. Suprisingly solid, quiet and smooth at highway speeds.Have had no repairs. Has good acceleration and gets wonderful gas mileage i.e. 29 MPG @ 80 MPH.

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  Why buy the R-Class - 2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Sheri - June 11 - 1:00 pm

  Youll love this vehicle if you have "tweens". Those teens that are not licensed to drive alone, so you still have to haul them and their high school buddies one or two more years. These teens have outgrown the soccer moms van and they, too, want to look cool if they are still going to have to be chauffeured by Mom or Dad. The driver will love saving your wrists and joints by just having to tap with your finger the steering column wand to change gears. 26 mpg is a deal sealer on this large vehicle. This is such a wonderful vehicle! You need to market to true baby boomers and tween families, such as I described. CALL this vehicle a WAGON... and it aint yo mamas wagon of the past