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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  SL500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Kenny G. - July 1 - 10:00 am

  This is the only car...Everything else is a substitute...

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  Tight Handling Safety Features - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Neilpat - June 27 - 4:10 pm

  Really safe and solidly built. Leased 15000 mile contract. Mileage acceptable, sporty and classy compact. Easy to park. Great highway performance. Enjoy driving it.

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  Nice Ride - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Satisfied - June 27 - 4:06 pm

  Drive it and youll likely buy it. It must be the best riding SUV on the market, bar none. Love the Airmatic suspension as it really soaks up the rough roads in PA. Speaking of rough roads, not one rattle. Love that. Have only owned for 1 month, but so far the love affair continues. The 19" Continentals are a bit noisier than the 18" standard Michelins, but this is a very very quiet car. And by car, I mean smooth riding SUV. Very satisfied.

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  excellent - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By thomas park - June 27 - 3:34 pm

  excellent vehicle

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  shaspa - 2005 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By sharon spatz - June 27 - 2:03 pm

  Such a solid drive. Extremely comfortable. The quality of the vehicle is so amazing. We feel much safer with this heavy vehicle.

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  Solid Performance - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Veronica - June 26 - 6:26 am

  Great car. Solid performance, gas mileage as stated; zippy acceleration and powerful driving. After an eight-year SUV hiatus away from my last Mercedes, its great to be driving a Mercedes again. I quibble with Edmunds observation about back seat roominess; my husband is 62", and he sat in the back seat for a test drive with no complaints.

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  C280 - More Mercedes than Chrysler - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By BeachLawyer - June 25 - 9:26 pm

  Sadly, this will be my last MB for a while. When compared to the new C class, the 99 has been rock solid and reliable. Cant say that for the post 2000 C class. Handles great, good fuel economy, a smart looking, buttoned-up German sport sedan.

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  First Benz - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bullet Bob - June 25 - 10:00 am

  After renting a 2002 E (2.7 turbo diesel), driving it to the MB factory and seeing the new E, I decided to buy one upon return to the US. This car is smooth, adequately powerful, elegantly engineered, and well-built. I also have a Lexus and a Porsche--the quality of the MB compares very favorably with them. The MB feels safer than any other car Ive driven.

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  One Out Of Sight Mean Machine - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Lew Keller - June 25 - 10:00 am

  This is one awsome automobile. The driving and performance is like no other automobile I have ever owned.The handling in general is magnificent, the way it runs is......well there are no words that I could put here that would do it justice.

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  too many issues with ML320 - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By omar804 - June 24 - 4:14 pm

  worst car i have owned, its always something with it, always issue pops up, 1st it was the door locks keeps poping up and down on their own, than it stalls, i had change the fuel filter, and now its not clicking on the first try, and the parts are expensive and maintenance is expensive as well. from what i heard