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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  Most Excellent! - 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By wpaoli - December 22 - 9:44 pm

  The GLK is exactly what I was looking for. A lot of the SUVs out there today are nothing more than mini-vans designed to appeal to male drivers. That being said, I purchased the GLK for two reasons: performance and quality. The GLK moves; its nimble, deceivingly quick (when in sport mode) and it holds corners very well. The paddle shifters are awesome! The exterior has very distinct, bold lines and the interior is luxury as it should be. If you have need for more cargo room than a sedan, but dont want sacrifice performance... the GLK is for you. Oh, and its a Mercedes- German engineering. Need I say more?

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  Best Decision Ive Ever Made - 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By alessing - December 22 - 5:40 pm

  Usually, when it comes to SUVs, Im a Ford guy. Their SUVs feel like trucks and I like that... I never imagined myself driving a crossover. Until now. The wow factor is instant when you see this SUV. Inside and out it is just fantastic. Faster than my old V8 with better MPGs and no problem towing our 22 foot boat. Ive owned a Hummer H2 in the past and Ill be the first to admit that his Mercedes is an off-road legend in hiding! I love it. Its perfect for the whole family. All 5 of us (plus 2 dogs.)

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  Diesel Better than Expected - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By stiney9 - December 22 - 3:50 pm

  First diesel I have ever driven, and Im quite impressed with it. Averaging about 29 mpg on the highway with 22 mpg in the city. All that from a full size SUV!

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  E Coupe - 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Ty - December 21 - 10:17 pm

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  True SUV - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By maryland jay - December 21 - 10:00 am

  This is not one of those unibody car based SUV styled vehicles. It has power, refinement, and is ready to navigate the Snake River Canyon with its all time 4WD. Never had a repair. Its my 16th car. I love it.

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  Attractive Car but with minor flaws - 2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By Derek Fan - December 20 - 7:53 am

  Sporty car with good agile handling. The size of this car makes racing a natural. The stiff suspension is based on personal preference. Since its a sports coupe category it shouldnt be a problem for most.

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  the tires are not great - 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By beiz - December 18 - 1:37 pm

  My 2009 C300 sports 4matic is good in general. After driven 16,000 miles, I heard noise at highway speed. I took it to the dealer and they could not find anything wrong but charged me $50 for the check. 2 months later, I still felt its too noisy at high speed. I took the car to a different dealer and was told that the continent tire making the noise. They recommended to replace the four tires with a price over $1000. I couldnt believe the news. I paid over $40,000 for the car with expensive package and assumed Mercedes-Benz had the quality free of worry. It turned out the car used a cheap tire on it. With only 16,000 miles of normal city driving, the tires need to be replaced!

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  great ride - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By bjor - December 17 - 2:00 am

  I love my ml. The only problem I have had is a fuel system software upgade I had done to get better fuel economy didnt work out so well but it has since bee fixed. To the clown who says they flip too easily. tell us how you flipped yours where a car and driver stunt driver could not? Also I do not undertsand those who say the interior quality stinks. I have owned volvo bmw and mb and the quality in the interior is awesome

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  solid, safe - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Tarrant - December 17 - 2:00 am

  After 2 years with the vehcile, it has been flawless.

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  Over Priced Junk - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Chip - December 16 - 4:43 am

  Mercedes Benz advertises and sells this as a sports sedan (C320WZ), not even close, I have had nothing but problems with this vehicle. The transmission and build quailty are awful at best. For a European sports sedan, its the wrost I have ever owned. Will never buy another Mercedes Benz product. Automatic transmission is absolutely the worst in the industry, and downshifts whenever it wants!