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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  Fun to drive when it works....... - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By EireForEvr - May 12 - 2:00 am

  Since the day I have taken delivery, I have had problems with the car dropping out of cruise control. There is a problem with either the Brake Assist System or the Electronic Stability Program or both. I am getting ready to take the car to the dealer for the 4th time. I dont blame the dealer - think I just got a bad car off the assembly line. Absent this problem, I think it is a great car. I love driving it.

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  Pleased with purchase! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By James - May 11 - 4:33 pm

  I purchased the 2008 ML CDI with Package One last month. Pewter with Macadamia interior. I got the appearance package with i-pod connection. I am very pleased with the decision. Ive owned MBs for the past 20 years, including the old diesels, and this is by far the best vehicle Ive ever owned. I drove 330 miles on half a tank of fuel! Comfortable, relatively quiet, nice features. This is my first SUV, so its taken some getting use to, especially after driving an S320. Ride is a little stiffer. But I have no regrets and would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone.

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  Emotionally engaging, visually pleasing, and viscerally stunning - 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By drbcr - May 11 - 4:26 pm

  The safety features of a car are an important consideration for me. I decided to look into BMW, Audi and Mercedes. Currently, BMW does not offer a car that competes in this class (perhaps the 5 series Gran Turismo?) I was able to test drive the M-B CLS 4matic and the Audi A7. Audi did seem to have a sportier feel to it. Both cars have a wide array of technology and safety features, but M-B believes in taking a more pro-active role in terms of safety (Active Blind Spot Assist/Active Lane-Keeping Assist). The sensual sheet metal, safety features, exclusivity, and twin turbo 4.6L V8 with 4matic sold me on the M-B. I had no idea that a car could be so interactive, functional, & beautiful.

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  2003 CL55 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By stevendworkin - May 10 - 11:33 am

  Just boght a used 10,000 mile CL 55. Drove it down from New York to South Fla. and never experoenced such a comfortable drive. Quiet, powerful, comfortable, and a great sound syatem along with 21 mpg economy. Best car for the price. Love the looks & performance

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  A Lifetime Dream Car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By ardeevin - May 10 - 7:53 am

  I have owned many dream cars including a Ferrari, muscle cars like the SVT Mustang, classic muscle cars like the 1970 442 Olds W-30, beautiful cars like the mid-60s Corvette coupes and I can say without hesitation that the 2005 CL 55 AMG surpasses all of them in every category and I will not likely ever part with my car. I have owned it for 7 years now, my extended warranty ran out last September and I am still loving the car as much or more as the day I bought it. It is still a major head-turner every time I take it out which indicates to me that the design of the car is timeless so could be considered as "automotive art" on top of all the other benefits. Treat yourself and get one.

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  I Made the Right Choice! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Reggie Lewis - May 7 - 7:13 pm

  I recently purchased my C-Class 350. Before doing so, I was torn between this car and the new 08 Cadillac CTS. After test driving both vehicles, and thoroughly comparing all features, I decided to go with the Mercedes. Now, Im pleased to say that I made the right choice! I love this car! It has quick acceleration, handles beautifully and had a smooth quiet ride. I ordered it fully loaded and have upgraded Mercedes AMG chrome wheels. The multimedia sound system is awesome and the craftmanship is very sounded! The Germans really know what they are doing when it comes to putting out quality automobiles. I could not be happier! I am so glad I invested in this car.

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  Transmission Problems at 104,000 miles! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By davidms - May 6 - 9:30 pm

  Well, we bought the extended warranty (36 months / 100,000 miles) on our CPO 2007 E350 in February 2011 when we purchased the car. We were coming home from work in January 2014 when our transmission locked in 1st gear and could not be shifted manually or automatically. I contacted MB and was told that since the car now had 104,000 miles on it, I was was no longer covered and there was nothing they could do about it. They were very uncaring about my problem. We had the transmission serviced and were told that the transmissions in the 2007 E350s were American made by Chrysler (not good to know after the fact). We were told further that we should get rid of the car as soon as possible.

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  Our First Benz - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By oldcem - May 6 - 2:26 am

  When I test drove this vehicle while shopping for a replacement for our 06 Jaguar S-Type, I was surprised that its performance, handling, braking, etc. were very close to the sports sedan I was replacing. We,ve had the GLK for several weeks now, and, Im more impressed with it with each passing mile. The vehicle is dead quiet on interstate runs, and, steady as a rock. Even though ours is a lightly optioned vehicle, it offers enough features as standard equipment that Im very satisfied with it. The 3.5 Liter V6 has plenty of grunt, and, the 7 speed transmission is excellent. Ive owned several other AWD vehicles, but, this one is far quieter than the others - no annoying gear whine.

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  Very satisfied - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jim - May 5 - 1:40 pm

  This car envelops you with luxury like very few cars can. The interior looks hand-made, and the controls have a pleasing action and response. I was turned off when I first saw some posts regarding reliability problems with this model, but after checking the first owners service records I didnt see anything to worry about. Since then Ive only had one major issue (air-ride failure) which was covered under warranty. This car has so many unique and complex features, its bound to spend some time in the shop. That shouldnt stop you from experiencing E-Class ownership.

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  Smartly Delivers Mutually Exclusive Qualities - 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By rhut - May 4 - 3:41 pm

  luxurious ride yet sharp handling, smooth and powerful yet efficient engine, efficient all wheel drive, craftmanship and styling; Incredible engineering achievement that grows on you with every mile and challenging road traveled; able to deliver traditionally mutually exclusive qualities: adaptive air suspension gives you flat cornering and sports car like reflexes with an S-class like ride quality; biturbo V8 engine pulls, revs, and hangs at the throttle like a sports car engine yet delivers routinely real world 28 mpg on spirited long distance highway/country road driving in a 4wheel drive 4200 pound car; the most impressive Mercedes in a generation !