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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  Its The Bomb - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By clutcharies - January 7 - 12:24 pm

  Have a 2004 C230 Kompressor Sport Sedan. Im the original owner and have 257,000 miles on the car. I bought the car for reasons of safety, endurance, looks, and a sporty feel. Its given me everything I wanted. As long as I follow maintenance schedules I expect to exceed 400,000 miles. Ive not had any major problems with the car. This is the best car Ive had in my life.

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  E320 sedan loving it - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By cintol - January 5 - 6:20 am

  My wife calls this car her rocket when she touches the throttle it is gone. Excellent mpg 21 in the city, moon roof opens with touch of button but you have to hold the button for it to close. In order to fix the pixels for time and temp dealer says need to replace whole instrument cluster $800 overall we will never buy anything else but Mercedes from now on.

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  Love It - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Davis - January 4 - 11:53 pm

  I drove an Acura prior to the GL. I looked at the Navigator and Cadillac SUV, but settled on the GL. It handle well under all types of road conditions. The ride is excellent and comfortable in locally or on long distance travel. My kids love the third row and the room is great. It has been an excellent investment.

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  Dont miss the point of this vehicle - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By Knights_Bridge - January 4 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle gives you everything you want in the "modern day station wagon", also called the SUV, with the snob appeal of a luxury car. Go anywhere - literally - (except low level underground parking garages). A point to be made here is that you are buying this vehicle for what it is, A Mercedes Truck, not for anything else. Comparing the G500 to the new luxury SUVs is a like comparing a Hummer to a Rover... youre buying the Mercedes because of what it is... expensive fun!

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  ml320 - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By santiagooooo - January 4 - 2:00 am

  rack and pinion problems vehicle not reliable

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  Close to Perfection - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By benzlover - January 4 - 2:00 am

  After having owned both a Lexus LS400 and a Jaguar XJ8, I have finally found perfection in an automobile. This is quality and luxury at its best!!

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  C230K - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JJ Luranc - January 4 - 2:00 am

  Residual values on Edmunds.com mis- stated - much too low.

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  HIgh Mileage Review - Buyer Beware - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Paul L. - January 3 - 11:00 pm

  Im starting the seventh year of ownership of my E-class. So far Ive replaced: Front passenger seat belt buckle Both catalytic converters Front wheel bushings Instrument panel Rear Shocks Steering wheel switches Three audio speakers Both sun visors Car has 210K miles, I feel too much has gone wrong with the car for it being a MB. I also have an undiagnosed mystery noise in the back seat. Front end vibrates at high speed.

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  Dissappointed - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Kim - January 3 - 4:40 am

  I purchased my car June 2007. Received a great deal! 6 months after purchase, I started experience strong fuel order. I took the car in about 3 times for this and on the third time, they finally figured it out when my husband took it in. Just last year, Dec. 2008, I took my car on a family vacation to Florida. It stopped on us 2 times in Florida. Each time it was taken to a dealer and everyone assured me they fixed the problem. My husband was 50 miles away from home, guess what? It stopped on him again. I have no confidence in the MB product and refuse to drive it outside of city limits in fear it will strand me somewhere. Need to get a new car. Its only 2 years old!!

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  Best vehcile weve bought so far. - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Chetan Shukla - January 2 - 8:23 pm

  Bought this under the European Delivery Program. Picked it up in Sindelfingen, Germany and drove it first on the Autobahn. Great insurance & service. Loved driving in Europe. Car drives great. Very good and solid road feel. Very comfortable for the front passengers. Rear seats feel a little cramped for knee room. Our kid is in a M-Benz toddler seat (great seat with very nice head rest for sleeping - worth the extra $/Euros) and her feet touch the front seat back all the time. We also got the rear Entertainment system with dual screens, Universal Media Interface (that only gets installed when car arrives in the US at MB preparation center). Panoramic roof is very nice.