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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  Unhappy & frustrated to date - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Can YOU explain? - March 16 - 10:00 am

  3 days after purchase, my power steering pump failed nearly causing a fatal crash. The teleaid system and rear assit mirror adjustment were also found defective from day one. While a new power steering pump and teleaid system installation seems to have corrected the problem, the mirror still does not work and will go a 3rd time for repair. Its not fun to drive because Im constantly driving it to the repair shop. BTW... this is not a cabriolet (only choice given).

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  Danke M-B! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Raylin - March 16 - 10:00 am

  A4, IS300, 325i, G35, TSX, look out and make way! Everything I wanted in performance and near luxury are in my new c230 sport sedan. Engine is responsive even when cruising in 6th! The upgraded vented discs up front are great for braking. The smooth lines and moldings separate this from the non sport version. The 5 spoke 17" wheels and performance tires are really the best exterior statement. Not only will a proud owner get the respect and looks from other drivers, but the car makes an overall "Ive arrived" statement. The best value ever for your hard earned dollar. What are you waiting for?

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  Please, stay away! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Chris - March 16 - 4:38 am

  Seeing the price of these cars on the used market is a tempting purchase. When everything is working it is overall a fantastic car, fast, good looking, comfortable, etc. HOWEVER: REGARDLESS of what anyone tells you, I doubt there is a more complicated and unreliable car on the market. In under one year, I have spent over $8,000 on unplanned repairs. This is not because the car wasnt maintained, they are just chronically unreliable. Suspension issues, getting stuck in park, trunk leaks, rattles, motor/transmission mounts, supercharger intercooler pump, alarm siren, trunk struts, this is a partial list of the problems that Ive had. Most of the reviews on here are overwhelmingly positive, but you need to see the dates - many 10+ years ago when the car was newer. Most recent reviews will attest to my warning: DO NOT LET THE LOOK/DRIVE OF THE CAR TEMPT YOU. The car moved from a "love/hate" relationship to a "mostly hate" relationship after being in the shop at least once a month. Oh, and as a daily driver over 14k miles it has averaged 13.5mpg in the suburbs, but you should know that going in - it costs to go fast. In summary, there is no such thing as a cheap MB SL, youre paying in depreciation or youre paying in maintenance, pick your poison.

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  99 Mercedes ML320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Colorado - March 16 - 12:30 am

  My wifes car. Wonderful for her - sits high with great visability & comfort. The AWD is supurb here in Denver - great in snow and it doesnt eat up tires as I feared it would (we get 40K miles per set). Gets only 20 MPG on highway at 75. (I dont even try to determine our mileage in the city!) Reliability has been better than some other owners reported: Replaced air mass sensor (expensive!) at 55K miles (it caused transmission to shift late or not at all). Replaced front brakes at 40K and 73K; rear brakes at 73K. Brakes/rotors are expensive, but very, very easy for a do-it-yourself project. (Brake parts for four wheels cost me about $350.) Transmission cant be serviced by non-MB shop.

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  Not a fine wine... - 2000 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By okedoke - March 15 - 4:43 am

  Bought the car used with 104K miles for my kid as I wanted her in a mini tank, along with traction and stab control, side airbags, etc. Just my luck, had to fix almost everything - brakes, rear deck leak, amplifiers, blown speakers, rear antenna, ball joints, dashboard digital metrics (outside temp, gear display, etc) shot, intermit wiper, etc. I think it also just sprung a leak somewhere up front on the passenger side, and I think I just lost the driver rear wheel bearings. Ive owned late model American and Asian based cars that never experienced as many problems as this little gem? Also - Bose radio sounds like crud, lots of static.

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  1 Year Old Cargo Van 30K miles 10 X Repairs !!! - 2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
  By Unhappy Sprinter 2500 - March 13 - 9:46 pm

  Mercedes Benz is hiding in plain sight behind their Tri-Star Badge. In the past this was a respected Brand BUT today you are better off moving to a different Brand as these vehicles are absolute JUNK. I purchased a New 2017 Sprinter 2500 and after only 30K miles and 1 YEAR of ownership my CARGO High Roof Van has visited the Dealer 10 times for Check Engine Light, Steering Column replacement, a plethora of electronic issues and black Gunk dripping out of the roof ribs in the Cargo area - leaking black sealant on tools and NEW Product for my clients. Told by Mercedes Dealer that my van is not a problem child. I even tried to trade my van in at the dealer I purchased from and was told by the Sales Manager that they did not want my van as they could not resell it with all the problems it has. I went through MBUSA and they basically have done nothing to stand behind their product. DO NOT BUY MERCEDES - BAD PRODUCT - BUILT POORLY - POOR QUALITY.

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  Build to last - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Kostas - March 13 - 12:00 pm

  A real solid car. Extremely reliable, Ive put 48,000 in 2 years and the only thing I am doing is the scheduled maintenace, and changed tires once. I will keep untill it falls apart.

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  2002 E-320 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By hmorse - March 13 - 2:00 am

  Well recognized and respected vehicle.

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  What quality?? - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By - March 13 - 2:00 am

  Purchased vehicle as a Starmark pre- owned vehicle with 28k on the odometer in April of 2002. Since then Mercedes has spent approx $10k on repairing the vehicle. Everything from new transmission to power window motors steering issues and a very faulty air conditioner plus plus plus. This is my second and definitely my last Mercedes. Previous vehicle was a Q45 that ran 245K miles without a hiccup. Mercedes quality trails the Japanese cars by a long mile!

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  Some-Cheap feeling to it...!!! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By moeaboelela - March 13 - 2:00 am

  From a previous owner of S500 (1997), it feels like I am driving an old 740IL, they went cheap on the plastic as well as the wood. Doors are lighter and smaller back seat…