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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  My first Mercedes - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ichan - December 6 - 10:00 am

  I actually never really considered purchasing a Mercedes. They just seemed like another overpriced brand name car (such as BMW). After shopping for a new Accord coupe (a comparably equipped one will cost $22K), I decided to check out the C-class coupe since it was in a comparable price range. I love the car after test driving it. It is by far the most fun vehicle Ive ever driven thats under $30K.

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  Hard to Replace - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By John - December 6 - 4:23 am

  This is my second new MB but not my last. In ten years, I replaced normal wear items consistent with the mileage but not much else. Service at the dealer is somewhat expensive and I had one bad experience of being overcharged, which I complained about to the next few service advisers. They agreed and made things right. Oddly, in the last couple of years, the cost of replacing typical wearable items has gone down - generally less than estimated. The car gets 22 mpg running around and about 28 mph on the highway (at about 60 mph). The car still looks great, rides well and is totally reliable, which makes it difficult to drop $50k to replace it with a new model.

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  C230 Kompressor Sport - Just love this Car! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By coprtkm - December 5 - 10:23 pm

  Super fast when needed. great gas mileage 32MPG hwy. sporty and super fun to drive. Cant believe I fit into this as well as I do. 62 and weigh 285lbs. very comfortable and roomy for myself and girl. plenty of room in the trunk even though it could be a little deeper. great sounding stereo with all features you could ask for. Just love this car! Purchased from the original owner in 2011. Had 54,600 miles and not one little dent, tear etc. even smelt like it came straight from the factory. best 11,500.00 I ever spent!

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  Great car hands down! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By doug - December 5 - 4:47 am

  I bought my 2010 c class in February 2011 with 4,200 miles on it. Exterior wise the paint is exceptional, no flaws whatsoever. Interior wise, fit and finish is great, seats comfortable and very adjustable. Bluetooth, very easy to pair up to 15 phones on this car. Standard audio is adequate. Mileage, I average 21 mpg overall. I change the oil every 5,000 miles, at 65,000 miles spent $1400 replacing brakes, fluids, shocks, plugs, full tune-up and computer analysis. Original tires replaced at 52,000 miles. Previous car was a Honda Accord, bought new for $29,000, I paid $29,000 for the c-class. Would buy another in a heartbeat.

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  My kid flipped my E300D - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Seismoa - December 4 - 10:00 am

  I drove this car 296,000miles in 10 years before my kid reminded me of why I bought it in the first place. Kid took a curve too fast and the car ended up on the roof, motor running, wheels turning. I never expected that this would really happen my desire to have a safe "old" car for my kid was my motivation in buying this car when my kid was ten years away from having a drivers license. What kind of person would complain about their kid wrecking a 15 year old car with nearly 300k miles and walking away without a scratch. I found my newest car on CL. Yes, it is another 1995 MB E300D (only 200k miles!). If lightning strikes twice, I want the same outcome as the first strike.

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  Love It - 2000 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By dmfelder - December 4 - 10:00 am

  Class and Guts.

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  I got it for my 16th b-day - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By rodgerdodger90 - December 2 - 8:30 pm

  Dont get me wrong here, Mercedes-Benz makes some great cars and I believe this is one of the greatest. My mom had it first, then she bought the 2000 S-Class and gave this to me. this car has great pick-up speed, never looks old really, and its simple and practical luxury. Catches the eye everywhere you go and never ashamed to valet park. I think its their best sedan.

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  My First Mercedes - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bronson - December 1 - 3:00 am

  I couldnt wait to get this car when it first came out. I test drove the BMW 3 series a few times before I made my decision to get the Benz. There is nothing like seeing the emblem on the hood of the car when you are driving down the highway. I have not had any issues with this car and the gas mileage is great. The service a A+ as well.

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  R Class - 2009 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By R Class - December 1 - 2:46 am

  We love this car. It has a great ride and very comfortable.

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  Mercedes E320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Z Fares - November 30 - 2:00 am

  It is most enjoyable i have ever owned . My car has 82000 miles and still ride and look new . BEST HANDLING SEDAN IN IT,S CLASS.