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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  Like a beautiful, high maintainence woman - 2016 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Jerry Tennant - April 5 - 1:24 pm

  This is a beautiful automobile and fun to drive (except confusing controls). However it is very unreliable. The media system didnt work when I bought it and it took a couple of months to get parts from Germany to fix it. The ordered parts didnt work so had to wait longer for more parts. Soon it wouldnt start---the almost new battery was defective! Windshield washer wouldnt put water out. Then the drivers vanity mirror simply broke off. The media system is a disaster! You need the manual in one hand to figure out how to select the media you want. It is insane that the CD player wont automatically change from one disk to the next. When listening to a multidisk audiobook, you have to recognize that it is playing the same disk over and have to manually switch to the next disk while driving. This process is hidden behind, "media", pull the knob downward, select "devices", use the knob to select the next disk (even though you may not remember what number the next disk is). Try doing this without taking your eyes off the road! Wont recognize newest iPod plug. But it looks great if you dont mind a $600 oil change. The only car I ever owned that was less reliable was a new Rolls-Royce Silver Spur.

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  ML350 Disappointment - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Alex Spielhagen - April 1 - 10:00 am

  My new ML 350 now has 1000 miles on the clock. 600 of those miles came from traveling to the dealer to have the " check engine" trouble light checked out. Apparently fuel management system and the emissions control system contains unreliable components.Presently I am waiting for new parts.A factory recall for exchange of power steering hose clamps was installed also. I very much looked forward to driving a Mercedes again. I owned a 230 for 15 years and a 280E for 3 years. They were great cars. Pity that the marque has fallen so much.I am afraid that I will not have any confidence that I can take this truck on a long distance trip.Bloody shame..

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  GL63 AMG Money Pit - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Al - March 29 - 3:20 am

  Excellent SUV worth every penny (its a hotrod) until you get between 10K and 14K miles, then you realize brakes need replacement. Yes, pads and rotors need to be replaced (light turns on) and there is no way to replace just pads. Cost $2400 for front and back brakes. $250 for 10K mile service, $800 for 40K mile and $1200 for 50K mile. Great SUV but very high maintenance $$$

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  DTF Light - 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
  By hothanddd - March 28 - 12:58 am

  DTF light keeps coming on when DTF tank is full has done it in two vans now.

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  Research before buying - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By j0lengy - March 21 - 4:11 pm

  Stunning interior, good stereo, stylish exterior and average performance. The bad.....Brakes with the AMG sport package will make a loud, disturbing noise when both weather and brakes are cold. Dealer says it is a known problem, MB USA confirms but does not have a fix. Opened a case with MB USA and they wont answer. Many complaints about this on forums. The noise is so loud that neighbors inside their homes have looked outside when I leave for work. Very embarrassing. Stay away from the black MB tex interior, it will sweat out a white waxy residue wheny it warms up in cold weather. If MB would stand behind their product, I would recommend but they dont. Buy a BMW.

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  STAY AWAY (REALLY) - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Wade - March 9 - 7:40 pm

  Ive never been more disappointed in the quality and value of a vehicle. Initial purchase was used from a dealer. Vehicle had 43K at the time. Replaced door handles that literally broke off inside door panel. Air conditioner had musty odor and has even after spending $400+ still has odor. Air ventilation baffle (determines vents to blow from) is broken and too expensive to repair. Failures at 63K miles: Ignition coil (3) $700+ Starter motor $600+ Transmission plug gasket $200+ Spark plugs $300+ Transmission mounts $200+ Motor mounts - not repaired yet Control arms - not repaired yet just spent $2100 this month and about $2000 more to go. STAY AWAY.

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  Not my Favorite - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Candi - March 9 - 9:13 am

  Ive always owned BMWs, this is my first Mercedes Benz. I must say I prefer BMW over Benz. I like the drive but the seats are not comfortable they dont recline very well. I am starting to have multiples of problems from simple things as the window switch needs replacing to the radiator and now the brake control unit which is expensive. Im trying to now sell this car but Im afraid someone will be disappointed when they have to maintain it. But its cute!

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  Check your sanity before you buy - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By hutsul - March 3 - 9:32 pm

  Had car for 4 years. Numerous issues-failing suspension, rear hatch, electronics, etc. Nice car when its running. Im convinced they are lemons from the start. Now at 110000km steering rack needs to be replaced. Mercedes staff see you as a money bag, no help, would not stand for their product. Mercedes should be ashamed of building such a poor quality product. In order to preserve my sanity moving to Lexus- boring is goooood!!!.

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  Excellent Drive ....Terrible Reliability - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By catherine nicholas - March 3 - 10:00 am

  On performance I give it very high marks. However, mercedes cuts corners on quality. This is my second CLK. My first was plaqued with problems ranging from engine trouble (random stalling)to window failure. In fact, I couldnt sell it because mercedes couldnt not get the "check engine" light to go out. I was forced to trade it in. My second CLK has had one problem after another ranging from not starting, to seat controls, to air conditioning..the list goes on. The wood grain bleeds into the leather on the doors. Dont order the hands free phone. 50% of the time the car doesnt recognize the phone is plugged in and you are forced to pull over to reset the engine. Bad sound quality also

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  drive - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jacqueline parks - February 25 - 6:10 pm

  I felt I had to spend too much money on the C 220. I had always wanted a Mercedes and I decided to try this one. I kept it this long because I kept thinking it would last a few more years.I guess I expected more out of the car than what it really was worth. I had bought Toyotas in the past.I still like the body style and design but wished it would have been more durable.It drove good on the highway. The seats were not as comfortable as I would have like them. Maybe I should have tried the 320 but I cant afford the 320. Oh well I enjoyed it while it last now I am going to buy a car that hopefully is more durable.