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 starter benz - 2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jurrell - October 28 - 4:30 am

  ive been researching about this car for months and im going to say what i wanted others to say in their reviews. the car isnt huge, but it is roomy im 57 and i fit prefect in the back seat, my step-father who is at least 6 foot also fit fine in the back, of course hes not going to want to be there for a long drive or a road trip but this car isnt small for the average person or average family. the power another story, there isnt much turbo lag maybe 2 or 3 seconds then youre off!. forgot to mention the system for the younger buyers that like that kind of thing its a great system. its no hardon kardon system but it will do its job and do it well. overall if youre looking for a starter benz

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  MY Mercedes - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By naiyly - October 27 - 2:36 am

  I love my Mercedes....it is sporty and sleek handles beautiful...It drives fast and is built solid. It has a nice interior..and I wont drive anything other than a Mercedes C320.

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  Great Car - 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By ericjohnsoncpa - October 26 - 11:55 am

  Fun to drive, love the car. The tires make the ride a little bit bumpy, but the rest of the car is great. Handles great and I love the power. It is a sports sedan so dont expect a roomy back seat even though at 61 I can sit in the back seat just fine. The gas mileage is better than the govt. ratings. I get 39 on the why and 33 in combined driving. I highly recommend this car.

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  Service indicator lights up - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Patrick - October 25 - 2:46 pm

  I just bought my ML350 2006 and one week later, the service indicator lit up and said that I am 350 days overdue for service. I brought it back to the service department and re-set the indicator. 4 days later, the indicator lit again saying that I am 120 days overdue for service B. Also, the passenger door got jammed even when unlocked during a cold spell here (- 30F). This never happened in my previous 2003 ML350. How come MB is always plagued with electronic problems? Doesnt MB test their products for winter weather as cold as Alaska? SUVs are made for winter weather so they should test their products for winter.

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  Benz Rules! - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Gene-O - October 25 - 10:00 am

  I caught this bright red beauty a year ago at a local Ford dealer for an awesome price and have never regretted the choice. Even though its "only" a 2.2 liter four, the performance is amazing. Fuel economy is 25 around town and Ive hit as high as 35 on the highway and average 30 overall. The only mechanical gripe is the Check Engine light which has been on and off since I bought it. The local MB dealer charged a single $37.50 diagnostic fee and has had it on the computer several times (at no additional charge!) but still cant figure out whats causing it. He drove it and pronounced it healthy so Ill live with it until he figures it out.

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  Third SUV - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By robt - October 25 - 10:00 am

  The ML320 is the third SUV I have owned (Ford Bronco and Ford Explorer being the other two). There is no comparison. The ML is astounding in its safety, handling, and construction. It is a joy to drive, both locally and on long trips. I drive it on rough mountain roads, on interstate highways and in city traffic with complete confidence. It is a beautifully engineered piece of work that combines safety and functionality with style.

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  good car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By spitvalve - October 25 - 10:00 am

  Bought this car used, paid too much for it, but still feel it was a good investment. Lots of fun to drive, and great passing ability when needed.

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  2005 Mercedes S55 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By woodybyrd - October 25 - 4:23 am

  My 2005 Mercedes S55 is very sporty and fun to drive. I just came out of an S600. In summary, the S600 is like riding in a Maybach, the S55 is like driving the Maybach.

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  430 Coupe - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By hts06 - October 24 - 3:53 pm

  All in all I have to say that the Mercedes is a good car. Bought it used with 49k and the light bulb inside the speedometer went out, was $200 to replace. The pixels in the speedometer that show the gear and the temperature and the time started fading out. I have the extended Starmark warranty on it so I didnt pay a dime and they replaced the speedometer entirely and threw in the bulb for free! Car handles amazingly, not horrible on gas for a V8 (15-17mpg) Great acceleration, great handling, would definitely only recommed if you buy with warranty, otherwise the maintenance is not worth it $800 recommended maintenance services are a bit pricey every few thousand miles

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  Mixed feelings - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By mixed feelings - October 23 - 10:16 pm

  I went from a Boxster to a CLK350 Cabriolet because I started to play a lot of golf and needed more room, but couldnt bring myself to buy an SUV. Mistake! The trunk is small - wont hold two sets of clubs easily. Even with one set, I have to pull out my longer clubs and put them in separately. The back seat very difficult to get into. Front seat wont stay forward unless you readjust it. What a pain. Windscreen completely obnoxious to install/remove. The most annoying thing is the "ding ding ding" when you open the door. I hate it and dealer wont shut if off. Enough to make me sell the car. If you press a button on steering wheel though, you can shut it up. Beautiful car otherwise.