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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  Ticky Tack II - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By BillyG - February 3 - 11:03 am

  Follow-up to initial review. Since then have been on a long trip & averages 26+ mpg @ Interstate speed+. However, latch that opens center console simply fell off - part is on back order; a problem (?). This is in addition to garage door opener buttons receded into mirror and windshield wipers being installed backwards. Also, there is a recall for loose bolts on underbody pan that reduces road noise. I wonder if BMW is having issues.

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  A good Mercedes Diesel - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Tuscaloosa Tom - February 3 - 6:06 am

  SUV is more than we expected. Good driving experience, excellent mileage @ 30 mpg highway and 25 in town. Radio and MB tech pkg helpful. HD lights a must, XM radio and NAV work well. Seats comfortable even with MB Tex. Would definitely buy again. No problems so far in this nearly 2-year- old MB Diesel SUV. Bought the extended warranty to 100K miles.

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  So far, so good - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JDHef - February 1 - 8:23 pm

  Very happy so far. I have the C300 Sport and I really like the exterior styling. The car is very comfortable and rides and handles very well. Pleasantly surprised to be getting about 25 MPG with the 7 speed automatic. Overall I feel it is a very good value for the money.

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  Mercedes Review - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By gboro - February 1 - 10:00 am

  this is my first mercedes experience. in the past 12 months ive had to spend over $3500 replacing various parts including fuel pump, steering mechanism, and the battery. ive had my vehicle stuck in my garage because it wouldnt start on 3 occassions and stuck 1,000 miles from home after my fuel pump went bad with no warning. perhaps i have/had high expectations but i didnt and do not expect such problems with a mercedes benz product

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  if you got it spend it - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By dr. orlins - February 1 - 10:00 am

  i have owned 2 lexus and a jaruar but if you die without owning a mercedes youve missed something. there are faster cars, cheaper cars,and even more reliable cars. however, this S model does everything so nicely,with so much snob appeal that if you can afford it, i would tell you to go for it. remember, when you die your kids will go through your money like water through a goose. spend some on yourself while you can. the 500S, amg, and 600S are overkill,totally unnecessary but if having a car that will hold 200mph turns you on. they are available.

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  Disappointing Quality - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Charles Boelens - February 1 - 9:26 am

  My 5th MB diesel (170/190/220/300 (1975)), bought new and kept almost 10 yrs. The 99 the only disappointing one, a pleasure to drive, but very disappointing quality, rust (repainted a few times by MB, but it is back 2 years later)and many electric and various problems that just should never have happened, wheel bearings, generator, mirrors, CD changer, lampsockets, sliding roof, airconditiong etc. For the money we spend every year with MB Toronto on maintenance (incidentally, excellent service, pricey, but no hassles !) I could lease another car !

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  Expensive Junk! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Erica - January 31 - 2:23 am

  This car costs way too much for all the problems I have had! In less than 2 years - moonroof broke, catalytic converter cracked, spark plugs damaged, new tires, new brakes, shifter bushing, cracking noise when braking/accelerating (bushing of some sort), harmonic balancer replaced, leak in transmission, CD changer broke, and the list goes on! Im trading this car in for a reliable Honda! I would not recommend it to anyone!

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  Great Luxury Crossover Vehicle - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Joon - January 29 - 11:16 am

  My wife fell in love with this vehicle immediately. I too was very impressed. Everything about our vehicle is great except for the brake - - too much dead travel. I had several close call with rear ending another vehicle. We even took the vehicle in for brake pad replacement, but the result is the same. They say that it performs and functions to factory specification. I guess, we just have to get used to braking early. Overall, get luxury vehicle and worth the extra money over its Japanese competition -- rather no comparison.

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  2007 E-350 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By albion729 - January 29 - 3:57 am

  I bought an E-350 in May 09. It is really an enjoyable vehicle to drive. I have owned Acuras and Volvos in the past. None of these compare to the E-350 in terms of build and ride quality. The Acura might be better in the performance area though. But, This is a much better quality car. I have not have any maintenance issue with this car. The service is top notch but costly. I would definitely buy another Benz.

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  S500 - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Sharvan - January 29 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car with approx 87,000 miles on it believing that it was a quality car that would hold a reasonable value. In the two and a half years that I had it, it cost over $6,000.00 in repairs and had to be towed back to the dealer twice. I would not recomend buying a Mercedes of any type unless there was a full warrantee on the car. Do not expect to get any thing for it on a trade. When the car runs it can appear to be a great car, but be sure to have a lot off money in the bank if you buy one used. Especially if the warrantee has run out. I sold it with 122,000 miles on it.