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 SUV - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By lookdeeper - July 12 - 10:00 am

  I looked at all the luxury SUVs out there and found this one was the best for my needs. More head and leg room than Lexus RX300 and better price than the BMW X5. I have had it for 6 months so far and have had no problems not even a squeak.

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  c230 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Cira - July 12 - 10:00 am

  The enginneering of this car is spectacular. MB has thought of everything. The ride is supreme and the handling is awesome. The "fun factor" is off the chart. Only complaint is lack of lumbar support. Strongly advise panoramic roof, Bose stereo and power seats. Still a great value.

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  Fun to drive - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Don - July 8 - 10:43 pm

  Just picked up the GL CDI last month. So far it was worth the 4+ month wait for the CDI. Great value and priced near the ML gas loaded. Just done the second tank and nearing 900 kilometers (Canada). Lots of power/torque. Great ride. We also have a SL550.....another great MB

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  Hot rod sedan. Great for work or pleasure - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Ric h Woods - July 8 - 3:56 am

  Of all the luxury sedans Ive owned, this one is the best. Overall, nothing can touch it. Performance, features, and even price (based on everything you get) is superb. This wont be my last S class AMG car.

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  Sweet Car - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By KoolB70 - July 8 - 2:00 am

  Have not had this car long, bought it used with 60,000 miles as an alternative to a larger SUV. So far it has been perfect and fits our 3 kids just right. Three car-seats easily fit across the second row of seats and the 3rd row seats provides added seating versatility. The car was in excellent mechanical shape when I bought it. I did have to pay for sceduled maintenance and replace a few items due to normal wear and tear. Mercedes maintenance and replacement parts CAN be very expensive.

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  MB Chrysler - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By si_cool - July 8 - 2:00 am

  Its a Chrysler. Did MB buy Chrysler out or the other way round?

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  Get Noticed - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mshelby - July 8 - 2:00 am

  Great and extremely fun car to drive. If you like appearance this a great luxury car to get for its price, you will GET noticed! This car has wonderful takeoff speeed with its supercharged engine. CL 230K has wonderful accelerating speed, and shifts gears automatically w/out notice, just keeps accelerating, also great passing speed on the highway. Great entry-level vechile for Mercedes if you want to start getting into Mercedes

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  mb serie c kompressor - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By eduardo abaunza - July 8 - 2:00 am

  it has been 1 year since we got our mb serie c kompressor and we are delighted with the performance, the conform and the look., it gives yoy and extra incentive to go out into the concrete jungle.

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  Extremely pleased I chose ML350 over BMWs X5 - 2013 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By RCA - July 7 - 4:22 pm

  The safety features on this car are fantastic. It aces the NHIS safety tests and scored Top Pick in safety, which is one of the main reasons I even looked at the Mercedes brand (which I had otherwise always associated with an older generation). Im glad I looked though! I was very close to buying a 2013 X5 (last in that generation/platform; 2014 model is noted on review sites as having lots of electrical issues), but heard from a MB-owning friend that hes come to like his ML above the more expensive BMW he also drives (which, he admits, is a more fun driving experience). So I looked at MBs.... first the GL (too big for us), then the ML350 (certified pre-owned from dealer, 2013 bluetec model) . Felt that the gas version lacked torque, felt a little sluggish. So I was *about* to go back to the BMW dealer when MB dealer suggested I test drive the diesel. Wow. WOW! The car grips and feels like youve strapped a booster rocket to your back as it accelerates. As they say, "you read about horsepower, but you feel torque." And, MPG is much better... Ok, back to safety: aside from pre-safe and some of the other standard safety features one would expect from a luxury SUV, I have the driver assistance package on mine which is excellent. Blindspot, for example, doesnt just light up a triangle on the mirror like the Volvo XC90 does, the car notices if youre planning on moving over and if there is someone still in your blindspot an audible alert beeps at you. Its like having a co-pilot drive with you. It also has lane-keeping assist, drowsiness detect, etc etc. Being new to the MB family I find new things every day that the dealer didnt even tell me about that Ive come to love ... for example, I have keyless entry which also lets me close window and pano (and lock doors) by touching a special spot on the handle; no need to start the car back up to close forgotten windows! My only complaint is the COMAND system. Its ok, but certainly not great. The new X5 screen (or the new GLEs for that matter) is *much* better. Nav works fine but I still find I just use my iphone & google maps to get me to where I need to go (to be honest, I did that in the 16 model X5s I rented as well...). Overall I couldnt be more satisfied with this vehicle. Highly recommended as a safe, comfortable SUV that feels like it can take you up a snowy mountain on a winding dirt road, cruises great on highway, and looks good while doing it.

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  G wagen is best - 2002 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By monnie - July 6 - 10:00 am

  This is the greatest suv ever..and Ive owned alot. Blows away all the competition and is more off road friendly than any others, yet drives in the city like the big MB sedans. Buy one!