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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  An amazing automobile - 2009 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Jack W. - January 13 - 3:23 am

  The R350 is an absolute blast to drive. Perfect for our family of 5. My wife simply loves driving this car and so do I. The panorama roof is spectacular along with the exceptional fit and finish. You feel very safe in this auto. Voice activation works very well and the sound system is superb. With the shifting capability on the steering wheel the car has plenty of power and is very spirited. All seats are comfortable and access to the third row is easy. Highly recommend this car if you need more room but dont want to lose the fun of driving.

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  J.C.s SL - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By jecorbin - January 12 - 10:00 am

  An awesome machine. Had a 1998 SL500 and loved it. Amazing that Mercedes could improve on an almost perfect car.

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  My first Mercedez C240 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bogar987 - January 12 - 10:00 am

  First class automobile, inside and out. Fun to drive, I love it, I love it!

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  As good as it gets - 2008 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By This is it - January 11 - 4:36 pm

  While growing up heading into NYC, I would see the Sl 500s and told myself that some day I would own one. Went to get my wife an E 350, and this car was sitting along side it. Having MB handle the depreciation, it was still above my range, but what the heck. Yes, the Corvette and the BMW are faster, but what a way to get there. I dont need to feel every break in the pavement. The transmission is superb and gets out of the way. The engine is silent. The breaks keep it safe (the one thing I miss on my 335i). I dont know what people dont like about the Bose Stereo, and I am an audiophile. If you have the bucks, this is the car.

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  Big & Green - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Mike Hlinak - January 11 - 2:43 pm

  I gave my Acura MDX to my daughter and was looking for another solid SUV. Fell in love with the MB GL450 at first sight. Beautiful inside and out. Then saw the 320CDI version and drove it. Couldnt believe it was a diesel. Who would believe that you could have large comfortably luxury in an SUV and get 27 mpg on the highway? I was only worried about recent MB quality surveys on Consumer Reports but felt a little better given that the GL was totally redesigned.

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  Great SUV! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By spikeya4 - January 11 - 7:03 am

  Having heard some initial horror stories about reliability, there was a tinge of nervousness mixed into all of the excitement of the new car. I had the ML350 built-to-order and waited over three months for its arrival. Since that point I can tell you it was worth the wait and the reliability has been outstanding! This SUV is solid both inside and out and my only problem was that the power lift gate would not seal (which was fixed promptly). I am very impressed with the quality and appeal of this vehicle and would recommend it to anyone in the midsize SUV arena, it far surpasses anything from BMW/Lexus/Volvo, etc.

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  Best Sedan - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Pete - January 9 - 10:40 am

  This absolutely the best driving sedan I have ever purchased. The CDI is a awsome engine. On highway driving 85mph, I am still getting 35mpg, and in the city I am getting 24mpg, but again I have a lead foot!

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  Its A benz!!!!!! - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By benzin - January 9 - 2:00 am

  This Car is Extremely wonderful I have put 112,000 miles on it since I got it and that seas a lot. Have had no problems at all. It’s a Mercedes what can I say but just wonderful.

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  Great drivers car - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Bob - January 6 - 5:25 am

  I bought my 2012 C 4 matic sport model new in 2011. The car has been fantastic and still drives like new at 40k. I just made my last payment in oct and the mercedes dealer called trying to get me into a new one. I have driven the new ones when mine has been in for scheduled maintenance. The only thing I like better about the new models is that they have more power but I prefer the 2012 in every other way. Drawbacks are back seat room, not usually an issue for me, and the awkward climate controls. I also wish it had a keyless start and cooled seats as my previous Lexus did. The car drives superbly though and is enjoyable on curvaceous roads.

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  Smooth Operator - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Drucilla - January 6 - 1:38 am

  I recently purchased the 2015 Mercedes GLK350 2WD and its a great SUV. It has a smooth ride and handles the road quite nicely. I have not noticed the wind noise that others have referred too so I will give that some time. My vehicle came fully loaded with Navigation, Blue tooth, Command; the works. The gas mileage is the icing on the cake as m seeing about 22 miles per gallon using the ECO option. All in all, I dont have any regrets in purchasing this beauty.