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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  Worst Car I Owned - 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class
  By Lolita Stewart - September 1 - 2:19 pm

  This is the worst car I drove in 40 years. At first, when I drove it with the dealer sales rep, I was impressed of the technology, i.e., navigation, Attention Assist, Lane Assist, etc. Perhaps, the salesman was very convincing that I did not pay attention to other important factors I have to consider before closing the deal. It was too late for me to realize that the car I got did not have a spare tire, but instead a run-flat tire. The run-flat tire is a small tire compared to a spare tire. This means that if I got a flat tire and used the run-flat tire, I cannot drive normally as the tires will not be balanced and I will be prone to accident if I travel for a long distance. And in case I got accident because of this run-flat tire, I will file a lawsuit for a manufacturers defects. This GLE 350 was manufactured without taking into consideration that a car should always be DRIVEN WITH ALL FOUR TIRES OF SAME SIZE AT ALL TIMES.

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  Should have kept my chrysler 300c Hemi - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Rose - August 29 - 6:13 am

  only one day into my new car and I am not pleased. the C300 really lacks in comfort and room. If your claustrophobic this is not the car for you. The seats are small and uncomfortable. Programming your settings is a choir. I have 3 years on this lease and I am counting the days. Purchased this MB instead of another Chrysler 300C V8 Hemi because of Chryslers Financial state. Personally as far as comfort goes... Maybe in time I will feel different about this MB, but why do I doubt that? "Should have had a V8"

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  MB ML320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ,ljkhjfjhgdh,m - August 18 - 2:00 am

  OK Vehicle for actually an American built (in Alabama). truck. Good Derman engine and drivetrain. Poor US assembly. Fairly reliable, but major parts blew with no help from factory (warranty expired). $3000 for tranfer case at 102,000 miles, steering box at 111,000 cost $2200, Rt Engine exhaust manifold cost $750 installed at 160,000. High pollution engine. Pulled trailer 1500 miles no sweat. Wont buy a another MB. Now going to try Toyotas reputation. BTW, this was a work truck for me, not a wifes car to take to the store.

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  Do not buy a Benz - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By GK - August 18 - 12:26 am

  I bought this vehicle from a corporate car dealer with original warranty still on vehicle. In the past 1 year I have been at the mercedes dealership more than 10 times. CD changer went out, instrument panel display went out, a/c noise, front suspension bushings replaced, exhaust pipes 2 of them replaced, and many more small problems. The loaner car guy knows me by name now, I have been there so many times. My Acura 3.2tls is a much better car. I will never-ever buy a Mercedes again. Too many problems and always in the shop.

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  Pure Aggrevation - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Germer - August 12 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle has been in the shop more times than I can count. I just thank God I purchased the extended warranty. Not a month goes by without some problem, be it heated seats not working to transmision/brakes etc..My advise would be not to even consider buying this car. Its extremely unreliable - Couldnt unload it fast enough. MB did not do their job

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  Disappointed - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By NoMerz - August 5 - 6:53 pm

  I got my 2001 in February of last year. For the first 10K miles, the car drive like a dream, but after the 10K mark things started to happen.-Rear Sun Shade motor replaced-Vibration at speed 40 mph when parked over 5 hours ibration disappears about 15/20 minutes drive)-Uneven wear (wavy) on the outside treads-CD/Radio on/off intermittent (Fiber Cable replaced) -Purge Valve replaced-AC acting up-hot air out of vent -Whine in low speed (0-20 mph)

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  So Sad.... - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Bryan E - August 2 - 10:00 am

  Just dont do it..... Left me stranded 3 times in 6 months. So fun to drive and rides wonderful. So sad that reliability is so terrible. Window problems, electrical problems, fuel pump...endless. Back to the Japanese automakers for me.

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  Still Improving - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By J Moran - August 2 - 10:00 am

  With less than 3000 miles the AC went out . This should not Happen, but it has with outher models. Quality Control seems to be slipping.

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  Maybe next model will do justice - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mark - July 17 - 5:20 pm

  Leasing, so exonerated of any worries. Good pulling manners, the star still attracts decent admiration from aspiring debutantes. The design is a mix of the old MB with BMW 3 series features a and a reminder of the old Honda Accord right on the butt (or boot).

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  Caveat Emptor - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By LVS - July 4 - 6:30 pm

  I purchased my CLK coupe in April of 06 and have regretted it every single day since. It looked beautiful at the dealership with its full Brabus tuning and appearance package. But as they say about Monets paintings; it was good from afar and far from good. The litany of problems with this car ranges from a new transmission at 20,000 miles to multiple broken window motors. And I dont even want to get started on the apocalyptic depreciation. In exactly 2 years of ownership, it is worth less than half of what I bought it for. It is such a terrible feeling to get into a car everyday and wonder what will go wrong with it next. So please take note and do not buy this car.