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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  Enjoyable drive - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By KS - August 7 - 8:43 am

  I have owned this car for 7 months now. To sum my experience up: I like it. Love the look (mine is black). The one-hour drive I spend everyday to/from work is enjoyable, relaxing and comfortable. The car is very responsive (for a mild driver), turns corners very well. It feels solid as you maneuver it. I did not like the fact that the default CD does not read MP3 files, which was not mentioned anywhere when I did my research before purchase (fortunately I got the 6CD option). Gas mileage for my first 8000 city/highway miles is around 26.5MPG. Having seen some complaints about Benzs reliability elsewhere, mine is so far trouble-free. Hope it will remain so.

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  Love this SUV - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Love this car - August 7 - 2:40 am

  I bought this car in Early June when the car had barely been put on the market. I was one of the first to buy the Special Edition ML350. I love this car. It is a great car to drive when going out with friends as it is both roomy and has a great sound system. The power on the AWD 3.7L 6cyl is fantastic, as well as the easy handling I wanted to get a hold of one of the last 350s being produced since the 2006 is coming out soon. In my opinion, the 2005 ML350 is so much better then the 2006 since MB is deciding to make the ML LESS of an SUV (through body chassis,performance,etc) and more like a family wagon looking car.

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  My 4th Benz - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Andy - August 6 - 2:00 pm

  We own this car now for 3 months and this is our 4th Benz (240D, ML320, CLK430). The difference between my old CLK 430 to the new C300 is quite dramatic and a very nice upgrade. Im 6.4 ft tall, in my 40s and this car fits me perfect. Seats are very comfy, steering and just driving it is a lot of fun. While I do miss my V8 the car has enough power for everydays driving and I have to say its quite quick on the freeway. Now my wife wants to drive it all the time and I have to drive our old car.

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  Enjoying our E400 Cab around town or on road - 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Glenn H - August 6 - 5:47 am

  Face it, most people, if they can afford it, purchase based on exterior styling. We loved the look of the e400 Cabriolet. Having had an earlier Mercedes convertible sedan, we knew what we were getting into. In this kind of car, you trade off style and fun for a certain amount of constraint in the sizes of the passenger compartment and trunk. Still we can seat four fairly comfortably and the trunk can be packed full if the ragtop stays up. With top down, the system for sheltering passengers from wind is very effective, and the "scarf" neck warmers really work. This is our first turbo V-6 and both its performance and fuel economy have been pleasant surprises. So has the near-instant response of the paddle shifters for changing gears. The car handles quite well, with suspension just stiff enough to yield both cornering and comfort. Steering feel is also pretty good, but slightly over-boosted for my tastes. The car is built at the minimum legal ground clearance, so we have to watch it when parking near curbs (long, low nose) or going over speedbumps, drainage, etc. Our biggest complaint is the interface to the entertainment and (especially) the navigation systems. If your standard is iOS or Android, the touchscreen and voice recognition of the Mercedes will seem overly complex and clunky. Who wants to spend that much time learning the interface, which is far from intuitive? Having said that, I do not know of any car with an electronic interface that works much better.

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  Lowest Model Range But Highest Standards. - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By redrex - August 6 - 1:23 am

  Bought 2007 used w/11k runs like a Swiss watch. This car has precision DNA from the quality of fit and finish to highly responsive handling. Replaced oil and tires....thats it. Value for $$ would be difficult to beat. When you look forward to running to the store for milk just to drive your car (even of you dont need milk) you know you have something special.

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  !!! - 2016 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Oscar Crevetch - August 5 - 3:31 am

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  Excellent car, but gremlins live in the cabin - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By tcatter - August 4 - 8:52 am

  Ive owned this car for approximately 3 years and no one dares to race me, even Porsches. I bought it with 3000 miles on it and it now has a whopping 15,000. Ive had creaks in the seat that dont seem to go away and the fat foreman and Beverly Hills MB cant "identify" the problem because when he sits in the passenger seat the sound disappears to his his ass. Another problem are the sensors which buzz and ask to see the users manual. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR WITHOUT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. It is an exceptional piece of machinery but not for anyone who pinches pennies.

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  Love It - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Walter Silverstein - August 4 - 6:03 am

  The car looks and runs great. It is a pleasure to drive. This is my 16th Benz, and they are still great. I also have a BMW 745IL, but enjoy the Benz much more.

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  Mercedes-Benz c280 Sport - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Travis Leffew - August 3 - 6:26 am

  Had little to no problems with this car. It has 136,000 miles on it and everything works as it should. The only thing is where the inside lights and the moonroof button is, there appears to be a speaker (perhaps for the phone) and it has a light "buzz" sound. Other than that this is an awesome car. I have a 97 Mustang and after driving the Mustang, after I had been driving the Benz .. Lets say Ill stick with the Benz. Only negative feedback is Ive tried to get an aftermarkets sound system and rims, and it just seems more difficult and costly with this car. I prolly will never have another Benz (Mustang lover at heart) but def a great deal! And I get asked if it;s a 2000+ yr all the time!

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  The best - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By xman - August 1 - 5:10 pm

  This car is amazing and it is fast for a diesel. The E class is also nice in the interior. The gas mileage is suprising for a Mercedes Benz of any kind, let alone the E class