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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  Bad dealership bad car - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By klm001 - November 12 - 2:58 am

  This is the bottom line worst car I have ever purchased and the dealership is even worse than the car. I purchased an ML350, 5 days after I purchased the car it had to go in for service and in less than 20 months the car has been in 21 times! Everything from the rear hatch not working (constant problem), sunroof, cam shafts leaking, oil leaking, random lights not working, battery going dead for no reason and stranding me, and the last one was the a/c going out completely. Of course out of 21 times in the dealership my service advisor who is the only decent part of this experience does not know what to do except to schedule me for service for next month in advance because she knows soon so

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  Best $ 40,000 Sport Sedan - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Vince M. - November 12 - 12:33 am

  Traded in my 2006 Acura TL for the Sport 300 C -4MATIC about one month ago and Im now happier.The car is much more impressive and looks like it costs considerably more than the Acura.Handling in the snow and rain is superb in contrast to the Acuras scary handling in wet stuff.Three Series BMWs(RWD) are also scary unless you get AWD but the cost escalates and is considerably more than the C class. I dont like the looks of the Infinity G nor the Lexus thus the MB decision.The 228 HP. engine is fast enough and responsive, the trunk is fine especially with the fold down seats(fits 3 golf bags),the pop up Nav screen and the Harmon K. audio are neat conversation items.

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  Bad compressor at less than 50,000 - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By cberk74 - November 10 - 3:15 pm

  My compressor has gone bad 49,582 miles. The car may be 6 yrs old but at that low mileage it should not have a compressor leak. It has been properly maintained at Mercedes dealerships and garage kept. I am the fourth owner. Had it for two years and average 10,000 a year in mileage. I have only had to visit the dealership twice for service and apparently do not have enough "loyalty" to get a decent repair rate on something that should not be broken. I spoke with the head of the Post Warranty at MBUSA and he spoke with my local service center. The best deal they could offer me was 15% off the $1500 repair bill. I am very disappointed in the quality of the car.

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  Absolutely Love It - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Dee Peake - November 10 - 4:53 am

  After doing a great deal of research, and test driving equivalent vehicles we decided to purchase our R500. My family has quickly fallen in love with this vehicle. The leg room in the second row is unmatched by any other vehicle. I traded in a sportier Jag for the roomier family friendly vehicle. I have not regretted it for a minute, the R500 is luxurious without being pretentious. Highly recommend it. We purchased the extended warranty to just to be safe but we have not had the smallest of issues.

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  Worst Car EVER - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bellecarlove - November 8 - 11:40 am

  I bought this car with only one previous owner with only 57k miles cash for 7k. Worst mistake ever. As soon as I got the car things started breaking down, transmission, electrical etc. If you are looking for a luxury vehicle STAY AWAY!

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  Ride is great. Reliability is horrid. - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By sj wooten - November 8 - 12:23 am

  Its in the shop as we speak. $650 sparkplug wire. If its electrical it is broken or has been repaired in the past. Lighted interior mirrors are $300. Over a $1,000 quoted to fix exterior temp reading LCD. I am 51 years old and owned many cars in my life, but this one has been towed and in for repair more than all the others combined. My other 3 vehicles are Toyota products. I will be buying another one soon and fortunately will shed my Benz before I am handed a $4,000 bill for something unexpected. Just incredible. Benz-Chrysler wont last long producing such a low reliability auto. Fool me once shame on you...but you wont fool me twice.

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  Disappointed owner - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By jsloan - November 7 - 10:00 am

  15 visits for repair, most on computer issues. 1 suspension failure. If the car was reliable, it would be my favorite car of all types I have owned. There appears to be no end to the computer issues with this car.

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  Luv the car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By t3 - November 7 - 10:00 am

  The car aestetics are excellent. The engine is powerful and seems like itll run forever. At 80 mph, the rpms are close to 2.

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  SL 500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By dockott - November 7 - 10:00 am

  Truly the best engineered car I have owned. It is my 4th SL. The convertible hard-top also has a glass panoramic roof. Highway mileage is nearly 23 miles per gallon at 8o mph. The ride firmness is adjustible for Sunday comfort or serious cornering. Very quiet with the top down, which is as often as possible

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  Da Best! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By RAC92101 - November 7 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is excellent. A great car and the BEST price for a MB..turns lots of heads, and is QUICK! Dont settle for anything less than a Mercedes!