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:

• 

  Some issues - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By HML - April 2 - 3:46 am

  Love the drive, the ride, and the looks... But Mercedes has some issues to work out. Nickel and diming on the options list for a $50,000 truck any way you slice it - doesnt leave the buyer with a warm and fuzzy. Had a 2001 ML - Dimming Mirrors, memory seats et al came with the package. Why cheap up? Nav/Radio/CD has died on me 3 times. Alternator took two weeks to get part after it failed. Hard downshift issue continues to be a problem - especially as I use it in moderate off-road. (Although DSL works great!) And Ive only had it since mid-September! If you go off road at all, get the air shocks. 19" wheels otherwise will bottom under moderate conditions.

• 

  Simply the best - 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By michael georgariou - March 31 - 12:16 pm

  A car I have fallin in love with. When driving it seems the car is an extension of my body. Easy to drive and all controls make sense. The best car Ive ever owned.

• 

  Good all around Wagon - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ymbz - March 31 - 10:03 am

  I purchased this wagon with 82k on it and now it has around 117k. It has had a few repairs, but nothing truly outrageous. It drives very well, especially at high speeds on the highway. This wagon can take on 85 mph all day. I have averaged about 21 mpg, with about half highway and half city. The 4Matic AWD is truly a dream. One nice touch is the third seat. Its not habitable by adults, but my children think its a novelty to sit in a rear- facing seat. One maintenance item to watch out for: the rear window regulators WILL break, and they are about $400 to replace from the dealer. Try to find a European auto mechanic rather than always bringing it to the dealer.

• 

  Ole Reliable - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By dluvly01 - March 31 - 7:40 am

  Never let me down plan on 1 million miles >

• 

  great truck - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By richard - March 31 - 6:03 am

  This is a great truck/SUV. Mercedes finally got it right. It has power and the styling is unique. I really like this vehicle.

• 

  Why so many Noises & problems? - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By raymond tang - March 30 - 2:00 am

  These are all the parts which Ive replaced during my 25,500 miles driving history: 1) all four shocks totally replaced within 10,000 miles due to non-stop clunking noises 2) all the doorss power locks were replaced due to failure to close doors, the door gears simply wont activate, doors would bounced back when tried to close 3) right headlight burnt out at 9,000 miles 4) driver side window could not close; Also, 5)Check Engine yellow light was on at 25,000 miles, emission problem. Most annoying problem: Non-stop creaking, clunking, squeaking, cracking noises everywhere during the drive. Just could not imagine how this car was assembled in USA.

• 

  The best car Ive ever owned! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Scott Hall - March 30 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car for just a few weeks now, and every time I drive it it gets better. I had a CLK 430 before this, and the ride is softer, the acceleration and handling better, and the build quality superior to that one. I looked at the Lexus GS430, the BMW 5-series and this and the MB wins hands down. The stereo is awesome and the seats are comfortable yet sporty. Nothing to complain about - just a blast to drive!!!

• 

  Smoth ride, wind noise, slow rain wiper - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By jennifer - March 29 - 8:09 pm

  This car ride very smoothly, but like the other reviewer, my GLK350 also has wind noise. And its always in the passenger front side. I took it in to the dealer and they had the window shield replaced. The situation still not improved. I didnt hear that noise when I drove Avalon or any other verticals. It was raining really hard today and my rain wipers werent fast enough for me to see the road, this were never happen in my past with the other cars. I will not buy this car again. * Correction: Dealer replaced windshield seal at first (did not work). Finally they replaced the front windshield glass, that got rid of the annoying wind noise.

• 

  One of the Best Latest Efforts From Benz - 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By 4maticbenz - March 29 - 7:53 pm

  This car has got it all: style, comfort, sportiness, oppulence, neck-snapping performance, build quality that reminds me of 1990s Mercedes, and the safety and security of AWD. I get countless compliments and stares while driving the car and the interior styling is quite impressive as well. Even with the airmatic suspension set in sport mode and the transmission engaged in its sport setting, everything is just buttery smooth. Its truely an outstanding car.

• 

  Proud owner since August 2011 - 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By pstef482 - March 28 - 9:21 pm

  Purchased mine certified pre-owned from the dealer with approximately 5,000 miles. I have the premium package and really enjoy the car. As of today it has near 70,000 miles on it and still on the original tires/brakes, etc. Had an issue with the AC last summer but the dealership was able to resolve which was covered under the warranty. The service is top-notch, but you certainly pay a premium. Drives well in the snow. Tinted the windows for privacy, and have black exterior/interior so overall it looks very sharp. I tend to average low 20s local and 26-28 mpg highway, which is better than advertised, using premium.