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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  Love this car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Previous LS430 Owner - August 30 - 6:26 am

  This is the most fun car I have ever owned. After 10 months driving this car I am still finding stuff to like about it. The main features are all really great but there are countless smaller items which I enjoy. Like the car puts itself in park when you open the door. Automatically releases the parking brake when starting. Has a gas cap holder built in to keep it off the paint when filling up. It is loaded with thoughtfull little touches.

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  Excellent Car - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By philmar14 - August 29 - 5:07 am

  I bought a CPO C250 black sport sedan with 9000 miles a year ago. This is an excellent car. Fun to drive and the 1.8 turbo charge engine has lots of power. Ive done an extensive researched before I decided to buy this car. Im impressed with all the options I got, Navigation that has directions you can read on your speedometer, Harmon Kardon speakers the best on the class, Bi-Xenon - lighting package, back up camera and 18" AMG wheels. This is a beauty inside/out.

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  Engine noise on warm startup - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ml350owner - August 28 - 2:46 pm

  Hi , I read many reviews or complaints regarding the famous engine noise or knocking that lasts 2-3 seconds only on warm start up after the car has sat for 1-2 hours but not completely cooled yet.I believe I have the explanation for it since I had the same thing in my old 1991 E260, simply the problem is that mercedes uses an oil pressurized system for the variable camshaft timing of the valves, there is different setups for cold or warm start guided by the car computer, in cold start system is fully drained but pressure not needed in that system for cold cam timing, in immediate restart system still fully oil pressurized so no noise, in between u hear the noise, no effect on engine life :-)

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  Great Mini SUV - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By MJMROVER - August 27 - 8:22 pm

  Weve had our GLK for 5 months now and love it! Our other vehicle is a Land Rover LR3 (also an amazing vehicle!!), so we didnt need another large SUV, but still loved the practicality of a SUV design. The GLK replaced our 2004 Lexus RX330. Dont let the GLKs timid design fool you. The 302HP and German suspension makes this car fun to drive. Its main CON would be the rear seat space and storage space. Another four inches would have made a huge improvement. I have not experienced any of the wind noise that some complain about. Overall, very happy with our purchase.

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  Smart and Sporty - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mark Ching - August 27 - 6:06 pm

  This is my first fully loaded C230WZ Benz. I was fortunate to find a silver w/ ash interior. The car is a head turner. Ive cruised down to Waikiki beach and tourist end up taking pictures of the car as if theyve never seen anything like it! I have to admit I cant seem to take my eyes off it. I think its a great car with plenty of appeal inside and out.

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  Great car, once I stopped babying it - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By dw - August 27 - 3:06 pm

  Got a great deal on a CPO 07 C230 with only 10k miles. It seems theres a glut of off-lease cars on the market right now (not surprising considering the problems with brokerages & banks). Great interior and exterior, but I miss having a fold-down rear seat. I first thought it drove a bit larger than it really is. Then I drove it aggressively on a twisty road. Wow. Body roll is very well controlled, and grip is outstanding. Real-world acceleration is outstanding; the 7 speed runs to high rpms as required in sport mode. It has a long-travel throttle that makes it easy to drive sedately or aggressively, once you get used to it. Hwy mpg is much better than I expected based on EPA ratings.

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  Still a Tank; interior falling apart - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By mags3333 - August 27 - 3:03 am

  Our ML320 is a tank. Its been serviced well & have had no reliability issues. But, the electrical problems. These repairs cost **$$$$** so we have lived with them. Odometer light went out, radio has to be manually turned off/on, gas mileage tracker quit working. Once, when it was parked out in the rain, it freaked out & the interior lights and whistles went off and flashed until we turned the car off. We park it in the garage now. A life saver in the snow - the four wheel drive was awesome (live in FL now - its awesome on soft beach sand). We need a third row, though. The children are going to kill or maim each other soon in that back seat. We are trading it in soon.

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  2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK Conv. - A Great Car Thus Far!! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By CityGuy - August 26 - 4:56 pm

  I just got my 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK320 Convertible and so far I love it! It is very solid and stable. I am pleased with how much power it has. The interior is amazing and the top works great. I like the stereo, the controls, and all of the amenities. It feels great on the road and seems to handle well.

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  Expensive. Not worth it! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By j - August 26 - 4:40 am

  Purchased this as a Starmarked vehicle with extended warranty. Have had more problems and needed repairs for a vehicle that cost as much as this did. Brakes have a squeal that our current dealer has checked at least 3 times and claim that nothing is wrong. Had the glue on the doors melt onto the windows. Now have multiple broken gadgets. Windshield wiper fluid tubes are rotten. I dont open the sunroof anymore because there is a suspicious cracking noise when it opens. The front seals at the windows are degrading, leaking water with rainshowers. Time to get a new car. Never again a Mercedes.

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  Like Driving A Bank Vault - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Chicagoan - August 25 - 9:26 pm

  A test drive won me over. Ive driven 4s for years, a Volvo and 2 Saabs. The V6,by comparison, is powerful. Mileage isnt bad, and the feel is SO solid. Im more concerned about the cost of maintenance than anything else. It is a very luxurious car. Back seat is cramped, but I rarely use it.