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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  Great Ride - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Great Ride - December 23 - 3:33 pm

  Only had the car a few weeks. Had the illuminated door sills installed after purchase and had a problem at the dealer with this. If you want this option, order it factory installed. Major project! Looks great though. Took it on a 2000 mile trip through Arizona and Nevada, had no problems. Gas mileage was a shocker although I should have known this beforehand.

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  My 02 ML500 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By SW - December 22 - 7:20 am

  My ML500 has been a great car. Overall quality is very good. I currently have just over 90000 miles. Only problems have been radio vol going up and down w/o cause. Fixed by MB of Albq. NM after about 5 visits. I have always been treated with exceptional care by MB of Albq. Also tranny went out at about 70K miles. Fully covered by MB starmark warranty. I do tow a fair amount about 2K pounds (motorcyles). Vehicle always tows well and is always fun to drive. I have taken on pretty rough 4x4 trips with no problems and not new rattles. I always appreciate my ML after driving other vehicles that are not MB. Fuel economy is not good but I get about 13 in town and 16- 17 hwy w/o trailer. Lots of pwr

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  german car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By crishil - December 21 - 2:00 am

  overall love this car. minor issues, some interior controls/switches feel very cheap. seats could use a little bit of overall upgrade.

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  Mercedes should recall the door handles - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By eurocarman1962 - December 19 - 3:16 pm

  I have owned this sporty Mercedes C 240 for going on 3 years. Its my 5th Mercedes, but I got to tell you, the Daimler folks really screwed up on the interior door handle design, as all four have broken off, actually broken off!? The problem is that they connect to the side airbag system so you cant just glue them back. I would expect more from Mercedes-Benz, this isnt a Honda or a Chevy, this is a Mercedes. The car runs fine, although the over usage of plastic on the under carriage is a bit nutty. Also, the factory didnt even put an oil dipstick? I bought a Jaguar X-Type since, now I am happy.

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  Safe and Solid - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By William Brenner - December 17 - 10:00 am

  My 3rd ML since 1998. This one is the best. 8 air bags, super brakes and handling on all surfaces. 13-15 mpg city, 20 intercity at steady 70 mph. Ive driven MLs in snow, ice, slush, 15 below zero, wet and Ive never been disappointed. Although dated after 6 years the stylingis still better than most newer suvs.

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  Starting to rethink this purchase - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tony - December 11 - 9:33 am

  Ive had the car for 6 months, purchased 2nd hand without a warranty. Air system is already giving problems to the tune of $2300. That is the cost of one strut and one air compressor. While licking my wounds from this event, I may purchase an extended warranty and keep the car for my wifes sake or get rid of it and get a 5 series BMW, what I should have bought in the first place. Im just an average Joe with a love for German cars but who can afford repairs like this? No matter who you are.

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  great car - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By div - December 10 - 10:00 am

  very comfy car! good acceleartion. some issues with ignition.

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  Get it - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By mpk - December 10 - 10:00 am

  the only problem I have found is with the breaks that they have promissed they will fix and the navigation needs improvement. But at least it works; unlike BMW 745 with a great NAV that does not work 1/2 the time.

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  Whale Tail... - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By idrury - December 5 - 2:43 am

  I bought this vehicle with 132K miles on it from a mechanic that had owned it for 5 years. I had it in my possession for a little over a year. The main reason I bought the car was for transporting my road bike. In terms of functionality, it performs admirably, the wagon bodystyle is very good at hauling around the road bike and makes Costco trips a breeze. Performance - The engine power is adequate and the transmission shifts smoothly. Fuel Economy - On the highway you can achieve near 30MPG with cruise control; however, city mileage is near not so pleasant, 12 or 14 MPG. Handling/Ride Quality - Handling is okay and ride quality was a bit floaty.

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  Best Yet - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Dave - December 1 - 6:40 am

  Have 5k miles and what a great car. The best Mercedes yet. You cant get into trouble with this all wheel drive car!