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 car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mighty Max - October 14 - 5:40 am

  Never thought Id own a Mercedes because I thought I was more of a BMW or Audi kind of guy, but after owning this vehicle for around six months, I know that I made the right choice. The car is solid. I feel completely safe and in control while driving this car. Its freeway driving ability is just amazing. I hit 100 mph and was impressed with the stability of the car. All I can say is that I found out why people pay more for Mercedes.

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  My Birthday Gift - 2010 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By casey65 - October 13 - 10:25 am

  We have been in the Benz family since 2001. This is our second ML. We owned the 2002, and traded it in 2008 for C300 "a red hot mama"! We did not know how much we missed the ML until a Chicago winter!!! We traded that "red hot mama" in 2014 for a 2010 certified ML350 with all the bells and whistles. We love everything inside, and out. Another Chicago snow hit, and we didnt miss going anywhere. As a former owner of 3 Volvos, I can feel the safety in the ML350 as I did in those Volvos.

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  G500 Series - NOTHING BUT MONEY HONEY - 2004 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By delnita - October 13 - 10:00 am

  love it LOVE IT love it LOVE IT i wish i could win one

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  love it - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By atheavenly - October 13 - 10:00 am

  very pleased exchanged my e class for the s class

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  Great Truck - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By AMGML55 - October 13 - 10:00 am

  This is a great truck...PERIOD. I looked at getting an X5 4.6, Toureg, Cayenne, MDX, Rx330(so bland)and even a Navigator. No comparison. This is a sports car in an SUVs body. Gas mileage sucks, but you have 342 ponies to play with. Ive had to bring it in for a couple recalls and some minor things, but the dealership has been great. No regrets.

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  Great SUV - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By mike - October 13 - 3:06 am

  Better than Cadillac Escalade I had. Rides and handles way better. Easy to drive and get in and out. Easier to load cargo in rear too.

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  expensive piece of crap - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By baby786 - October 12 - 5:22 am

  after 3 yrs of owning the ML320 CDI, I do have a lot of problems and expenses, the check engine light never ends, the lights always have to be changed at least every 3 months, as of this time my SUV has 58000 miles and the vehicle is in and out of the dealer, cannot fix the check engine light, I already spend almost $5000 . the vehicle has been there for a good 1 month, waiting for parts, then bring it home, drive for 5 miles, check engine comes back, they change a lot of parts, the SUV also has problem with acceleration, and the engine now is so noisy when you drive it. I thought this was the best vehicle I bought, this was the worst of all the brands I have.

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  Great SUV for small family - 2010 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Bruce - October 11 - 11:03 pm

  Turned in 2 months early my leased 07 ML350 and bought a 2010 ML350. It rides better probably because of the wider/larger 20" wheels. Though its not a race car it has plenty of power and the 6 speed transmission is very smooth. If you dont have the need for a third row set and want top quality that will last this is the SUV. Im self employed and it qualified for the 3 year accelerated depreciation schedule. (25K this year)! Will be keeping this one for a long time (10 Years?)

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  Ultimate Wagon - 2009 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Roy - October 11 - 10:00 am

  We have owned this car (staton wagon) for approx 1-1/2 years. Through this time it has been found to be totally reliable, with zero repairs needed and only oil changes along with scheduled maintenance. We live in Alberta where the the winter weather can be vary from intermittent freeze thaw, providing ice and snow and slush. With the vehicle weighing 5100 lbs, all wheel drive, traction and brake control; it handles all these conditions at posted speed limits while sitting back in luxury. At -40 deg there is no need for block heater, as this car starts every time. Also for a 5100 lb car it still gets 30+ mpg. Compared to North American cars this one has ample head room for me being 64" tall.

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  Very disappointed in Mercedes - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By DLB19 - October 11 - 10:00 am

  I have to echo many of the complaints already on this site. Weve owned ours for 1.5yrs., during which time weve spent slightly over 10k in repairs. If fact, its in the garage now. Repairs include; new transmission, brakes, wiring, and various other items. Short list of quality issues; wind noise above 50 mph is intolerable, brakes make all kinds of noise at low speed, head liner likes to fall off, paint on side molding also likes to fall off, and a never ending list of repairs, which are all very expensive.