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:

• 

  L e m o n !!!! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By e320mb - November 25 - 2:26 am

  Boy, did I get a lemon! I have had the car for almost 5 years now, bought it used at 3 years and have spent thousands of dollars to keep it on the road. In the last 6 months, I have only driven 3,000 kms due to not trusting its reliability and now when it needs its snowtires off, the repairs of $2,880 shocks me yet again. Every time I take it for service it costs me thousands. Will be dumping it for something reliable = perhaps a Toyota - anything has got to be better than this. Talk about mis-advertising because this baby sure does not prove German engineering. Must have been a Monday or Friday car or when MB was associated with Chrysler, used Chrysler parts and charged MB prices.

• 

  My Overall Opinion of the C320 Wagon - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Remyatiffy - November 22 - 2:00 am

  Overall this car is very satisfactory for me however I feel that I sacrificed alot of room from my previous SUV. Also I am not as pleased with my overall service interaction at this point of owning the vehicle.I purchased this car orginally from a good friend who unfortunately is no longer at the dealership so I believe the exceptional service I received was short lived. I have to say that I will be going back to a SUV in about a year and also my previous vehicle make which was a Lexus because they continue great service throughout my entire ownership of the car.

• 

  My 550 4 Matic - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Kel - November 18 - 7:51 am

  This is the first Mercedes Ive owned. It is a really nice car. However, if you are looking for a smoother ride, you may want to consider a Lexus. Dont get me wrong it does ride nice in terms of minimal road noise, great sound system and solid handling feel, but It is a little firm. All in all it is a really nice vehicle. Word of caution if you are not going to keep it for an extended period of time (5 years of more) then buy it CPO/Used because the depreciation on this car will shock you! Originally purchased it 18 months ago for 78k (loaded), and today it is only worth 44K!!! I know it shocked me too. 34K drop in only a year and a half! So.... But you wont be disappointed with the vehicle. It is a dream to drive. Good luck!

• 

  Too Many Glitches for $100k car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By JS - November 13 - 4:00 pm

  This has been a love-hate relationship. The dealership has been great about fixing things, but now that Im out of warranty with 57k miles, it seems like too much is going wrong. Tire pressure sensors, AC failures, oil leaks... despite all that, its the most comfortable ride Ive ever owned. Great balance between smooth handling/feel and keeping in touch with the road.

• 

  Performance and Style - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By goldenvol - November 12 - 7:56 pm

  I bought this car for 12K, it was a one owner. The engine performs great for an SUV. Handling is awesome for a "boxer" style car. Fun to drive plus very safe. I always feel I am in control while driving this auto. I did have to replace a Power steering pump ($625), but I expected to pay more for the service type work. I would strongly recommend this car.

• 

  LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By llenroc74 - November 11 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE THIS CAR. I HATE THIS CAR. EVERYTHING IS GREAT EXCEPT BUILD QUALITY AND RELIABILITY. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION AT 1,300 MILES. BRAKES (Sensotronic) STILL DONT WORK CORRECTLY. DEALER SERVICE IS APPALING. M/B CUSTOMER SERVICE (Montvale, NJ) IS RUDE AND UNHELPFUL. TRYING TO INVOKE MY RIGHTS UNDER NYS LEMON LAW SEEMS FUTILE. MY 4th M/B SL AND MY LAST.

• 

  Great Little Car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dokfrank - November 10 - 4:53 pm

  Fun little car. I needed something practical but still a good time and this fit the bill. I have 66,000 on it and no major problems. It handles well, accelerates well, and does well on gas. Halfway between a Porsche 911 and a Honda Civic Hatchback. Great little computer to remind of every maintenance and when you are short on fluids. Automatic wipers and lights. All you have to do is drive, the car does the rest. Sometimes the wipers are fooled by repeating shadows but it is not a huge nuisance.

• 

  Sorry Lincoln and Caddy-The End - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By kkear3 - November 7 - 6:51 pm

  My lease is up and so it is time to say goodbye to this fine automobile. As much as I would like to buy it out, leasing is set up to discourage that. The biggest problem is MB color pallette: Black, white and 15 shades of gray. The gorgeous quartz blue is no longer offered. Only two total problems with car: The transfer case I posted about back at 40K miles and a malfunctioning air valve which turned on the check-engine light. Both problems repaired under warrantee.

• 

  Buy an extended warranty - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Daphne - November 6 - 7:30 am

  6 yrs old and 118K. At 52", I am very comfortable in it but my husband at 62" is another matter indeed. At the touch of the pedal shell give you whiplash. Leather is sporty and stands up to daily wear. Im gonna miss her. A superbly fun car to drive but please, please buy an extended warranty with this car. At 90K it started breaking down. Let me count the dollars. 1. rear main seal $1800 2. outside temp sensor (did not fix - $500) 3. CD changer $300 4. sunroof shade $99 part $700 labor 5. sunroof gears stripped $1800 6. catalytic converter $1300 part _$600 labor I loved this little car until it started reaching into my wallet for more than routine maintenance.

• 

  More Comfortble Than The E-Class - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By syed ali - November 2 - 6:46 am

  I traded my 2003 E-320 for the new ML and I immediately noticed that this SUV rides better than the E!