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 my C300 - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By flyer - May 7 - 7:06 am

  Absolutely love it! Even though it could use a little more power I am very satisfied otherwise. Handling is great. Build quality and quality of materials are top notch. I was pleasantly surprised. I was looking at a BMW 335ix and it was a lot more money and I couldnt justify the added cost for the added performance.

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  Decent Value - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Carguy - May 2 - 10:53 pm

  112,000kms when I bought it. Ive put 15,000kms on it and have replaced the air mass sensor, wiper regulator, brakes, rad flush. Every few months the engine light comes on for some reason. On the other hand this car is 10 yrs old and does give you great value for the vehicle. The inline 6 has to be one of the best engines ever made. Very roomy and all creature comforts. Many of these cars are 1 owner cars so you can find many that have been well looked after. Forget about a Camry or Accord you and have a Benz with more options, lower miles, and more class for about some price.

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  My first Mercedes - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Paul - May 2 - 10:00 am

  You get what you pay for. This vehicle is solid while comfortable and quiet. Rides like a car, great in the snow and rain. Smooth on the highway and delicate around town. Beautiful lines outside and in. A real value for the money. I told my accountant I was looking to buy a car and considering either a Toyota or a Mercedes. "Thats quite a difference" he said. Not really, any idea what the base price for a land cruiser is? $54k! The Mercedes was 10 less. I know 8 vs 6 cyl and whatever but... Even take the Highlander and compare it with the same accessories and you are paying pretty close to what your paying for a Mercedes. Go for the MBZ

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  R350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By AT - May 2 - 12:16 am

  This is our first MB and we love this vehicle. It is very roomy, comfortable, and large enough for 6 men to drive and ride. The cargo space is more than adequate with the third row seats folded down. Folding and unfolding the third row is quicky and very easy. The V6 is enough for this heavy vehicle which handles surprising sporty. The nav system is very hard to get used to but once mastered is a must have. Also, must have Parktronic to park as it is very, very long. Have had dash rattle issues that were quickly resolved by the dealership. No mechanical issues whatsoever. A pleasure to own.

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  Really enjoy it!! - 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Michael Wagner - April 26 - 10:47 pm

  I now have 94K on the vehicle and it is still great. I have done most of the work on the car since I like doing that and German cars are very straight forward to work on. I have only had to do brakes and oil and tires so far. Having an intermittent issue with the air suspension now, but will figure it out and fix it. The system is pretty simple and Arnott makes a good replacement for it that has very good reviews. Went to the Continentals for tires...a little stiffer, but so much quieter than the Perellis. Ive taken it on long trips, and into the mountains skiing in heavy snow. It handles everything quite well. They dont makes chains for the 20" wheels, but didnt need them. Repaired the suspension, but went with the Arnott solution since this seems to be a weak point on this vehicle. Relatively simple to repair and replaced both front and back plus the pump at different times due to failures. I now have over 147000 on my GL550 and the only other repairs beyond normal maintenance were the internal gaskets on the front of the engine for power steering unit and oil filter mount (the metal unit the oil filter attaches to). These gaskets get hard and crispy and begin leaking. Also had one oxygen sensor fail, but also an easy fix. The garage mechanic can handle all of these fixes. The vehicle continues to perform well and still really enjoy driving it. I did go to the cross drilled rotors and ceramic brakes. Eliminated the brake dust issue and perform better going through the mountains.

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  Great Family Vehicle - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By CADriver - April 21 - 4:10 pm

  We previously owned a mini-van and were looking at both station wagons and mini-vans when we found the R350. It had the smoothest ride of any car I have ever driven, and was not much more expensive than a Honda Odyssey, our second choice. We immediately took it on a 2,000 mile trip from Southern California to Oregon for a week of camping. We were impressed with how much gear we could fit in the back while also carrying two adults and two children. Everyone at the campground was coming by to check out the car because of its impressive exterior styling.

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  Bit disappointing - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ttibio - April 20 - 9:39 am

  Just picked up a loaded, ordered spec 2014 E250. Selected this primarily for the Distronic Plus with Steering Assist, diesel range and AWD. Cost not a particular concern. M-B USA definitely miss the point here for all their marketing prowess - international versions have smarter equipment choices. As everyone notes: no power folding mirrors!? Forget the rest of the gizmos, not being able to fold in mirrors easily in NYC in a luxury is incredible. Tiny nav screen, no available rear heated seats, old fashioned Apple 32-pin connector on s new 2014 model).. cmon how much are the bean-counters at M-B USA really saving here? Not a good first impression compared to my BMW Porsche or Range Rover.

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  Beautiful Design; Initial Problems Resolved - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By enthusiast897 - April 20 - 12:27 am

  I bought this car because of its truly beautiful lines. The car is a typical Mercedes---solid, airtight, good fit and finish. My car had some initial issues with rough shifting and Mercedes was able to correct the problem to my satisfaction. Overall, I think Mercedes builds solid, well designed cars and this model is a respectable entrant in the mid-size luxury sedan category.

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  No Complaints - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Zach - April 19 - 9:40 am

  Was my grandparents SUV but is now mine. Never any major problems for either of us. Great midsized SUV. Takes bad weather like a champ. Reliability is as you would expect for a MB. Some of the exterior factory colors dont look great. Go with black if its an option. My only complaint with the car would be the fuel efficiency.

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  wasnt to pleased - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By patricia warren - April 16 - 7:10 pm

  i did love my car at first until i realized,i had to replace brakes every 20000 miles.i had to return the vehicle several times for headachey, minor issues in the beginning of my lease.once i hit 50k miles. down hill my vehicle went.brakes for the 4th time.radio out air out tail light out for about the 10th time.power steering out. just one thing after the next.