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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  05 CLK Cabriolet compared to 03 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By J. Marc Mushkin - July 30 - 9:06 pm

  I owned an 03 and it was a disaster - poor trim and finish, leaks, silly interior flubs in design ... altogether an awful car. It was shocking. But, having been a Benz driver since 89, I felt the urge to give it one more try before moving (like everyone else) to Lexus. I have been pleasantly surprised by the major improvement in quality in this new model. The top is infinitely better in all respects, the interior trim is higher quality all around, the noise level is lower, the finish is far superior. Its as if a different car company made it. Anyway, they "saved" this one customer by putting some quality back in. I hope MBZ learned a lesson.

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  Best medium size SUV - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Pascal - July 29 - 8:23 pm

  After each driving it for 10mn, both my wife and I were sold to this little marvelous SUV. Quality of the workmanship is visible in every details. Engine with 268 HP, 250 pounds of torque and the 7 speed automatic transmission are a perfect match to deliver plenty of power when needed. Car handling is similar to a sporty sedan, extra eight of an SUV is not felt at all. We look at Q5, X60, X3 which are great vehicles but they are no match for what the GLK delivers overall.

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  Upgrade from 2000 ML320 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By twinsnbenz - July 29 - 11:06 am

  I recently bought this car used, with 29500 miles. I traded in a 2000 ML320 with 78000 miles, which I loved and never had a problem with. This newer model is beautiful, solid, and fun to drive. I dont like all the changes to where things are located, however - the window buttons, cup holders, gas filler, and gear shift have all been moved. I also prefer more traditional knobs to all the pushbuttons.

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  GLK Transmission Problem - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By carshopper73 - July 29 - 1:23 am

  I have a 2010 Mercedes GLK with 17,000 miles. I just had to get the transmission replaced. At first they told me it was the wheel bearings. Then the next day they called me and said it was not the wheel bearings but instead they needed to replace the transmission. I went online and saw other owners with the same problem! I was thinking about buying the car after my lease is up but I just changed my mind. Not sure what other problems are lurking.

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  Makes a great pet - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By green chiai tea - July 29 - 12:30 am

  The 500 gets even better mileage than the ML430 that it replaced. The tranny is better and more responsive. Xenons, rain sensor wipers, electric rear quarter windows, folding mirrors, etc. . . . it offers all the features youd want in an SUV. Lots of cargo space, and tows like a champ.

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  R bluetech is worth to try - 2009 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Adam - July 28 - 8:33 pm

  Bluetech was really new at the time of my purchase and I was not sure if what they were saying were true or not. After driving the vehicle almost a year now, I dont have any complain at this time. I would recommend my friends and family to try bluetech and I am sure they will save some money and have comforts in this vehicle. Love it and sometimes it is good to hear your inner voice. Try. You will love it.

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  Great Car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Steven Schwartz - July 26 - 8:23 pm

  Have owned this car over three years. It still turns heads. Great acceleration and mileage. Comfortable. Well built. Had a few minor problems, fixed by dealer on first visit. A/C controls could use an updating to a simpler system.

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  Good truck - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By indeed - July 26 - 10:00 am

  The M-Class is now reaching five years old. As Edmunds.com has said, it was a great handling truck back then-- but now everything is car-based and the M is being left behind. As a truck, great. As a crossover, forget it.

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  The best car Ive owned.... - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By tzracer - July 26 - 10:00 am

  Absolutly the best car i have owned to date, i have had 18 others so far, looked at a4,g35,325s,jetta,accord,altima and many more, this car has the most complete package, the best 4 year value and the shinny MB star

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  UGLY - 2002 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By random - July 26 - 5:33 am

  nice inside bad outside