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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  Beautiful but Fragile - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By osanchez - February 18 - 6:56 pm

  I have owned several Mercedes during my life time and I can telll you this has been my worst experience with MB. Three blown tires, broken A arms, broken subframe, bransmission issues and not to mentioned expensive parts and repair costs. This vehicle was made to be driven on air not on realistic day to day roads. I will not recommend this vehicle. Very beautiful but fragile!

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  Wasted money - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By michael - February 15 - 11:00 am

  My 1998 ML320 has 67K miles and it is the worst car I ever had. The car had multiple repairs on windshield/sunroof motors, various sensors and transmission parts. But worst of all is the security system. For the last 7 years, keys had to be changed 6 times ($105- 150 a piece)due to a faulty chip. They also had to be changed every time the battery would be gone. I was stuck several times, and had to interrupt a trip and be towed. Once you reach a total of 8 keys, you have to change locks and computer parts (approx $5500). When tried to complain to MB, they have a standard answer- keys are not covered by warranty and there is nothing we can do. Dealing with MB service is very frustrating experience

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  2004 ML500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By TGI an 04 - February 13 - 8:10 pm

  Its no secret the early MLs were plagued w/problems. By 04 Merc was trying to win back consumers and my ML was a great value. All the bells and whistles, no defects, price reflected poor reputation and turned out to be a solid performer! From formal outings to hauling kids, lumber, furniture and landscape rock - still looks good as new.

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  Not A Mercedes - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Not Happy - February 8 - 4:33 am

  I trading in my 1996 Ford Explorer XLT in on a 2001 "Mercedes Benz" ML320. I traded in my T-O-T-L Explorer because while reliable, it had interior rattles. My brand new ML320 rattles worse. In addition the ML had the following failures: 1. Power windows. 2. Automatic door lock system. 3. ABS system. 4. Poor front and rear plastic bumper fit. 5. Poor driver side side-view mirror adjustability. 6. Uncomfortable front leather seats. 7. Rear seats do not fold down flat.

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  Drives much worse than its looks - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jh10880 - February 5 - 11:00 pm

  I bought 2010 C300 certified by dealer with 36K miles. After few days I noticed the power steering noise which is driving me crazy (unless I turn the radio on to drown the noise). The car has no power at all. After traffic stop, you can see every type of car passing by. When I take my foot off the gas, it feels as if someone has pressed the brakes. I took it back to the dealer who told me this is normal. I complained about the noise from the engine when it starts (the sound of metal pinging) and the power steering noise, the dealer kept the car for five days, after which they told me this is normal. If this is normal then shame on you MB, this is not what I expected (unfortunately t

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  Very mediocre--but nice looking - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By socalh2oskier - January 27 - 7:43 am

  This is a nice car, but the driving experience leaves much to be desired. The Harman Kardon stereo is mediocre at best. The steering wheel presets aggravatingly will not scan presets. The computer should be reset so you dont have to mash the gas pedal to the floor to get a downshift (and then when it comes, it is jerky and more power than you want in most instances). The seats do not have adjustable lumbar support. The nav is unduly complicated and slow and does not work very well. Compare this to a bmw 3 series and it gets blown away in terms of comfort, functionality, and performance--the only thing this car has going for it is that it Mercedes did a nice job with the exterior.

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  My Final Benz! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ed cooper - January 24 - 7:33 pm

  I have had 61 new cars in my life, and 8 M-Bs before this. Clearly, this is the worst car ever owned and the worst Benz! When it wasnt in the shop or on the back of a truck headed to the shop -- which happened every 2 months or less -- it was excellent. The dealer tried to help, but he couldnt make a silk purse out of this sows ear. Hopefully I can dump it before a potential buyer finds that it is a Consumer Reports "used car to avoid!" M-B has produced a real disaster, and was totally unwilling to even discuss assisting me with my problems beyond the now expired warranty. Maybe its time to return to Japanese quality -- quality cars which have never let me down/left me stranded.

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  Lots of electronics-many things go wrong - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By wertheryng - January 22 - 2:00 am

  I love driving my 2000 ML320. However, I hate taking it into the shop. Now, it is coming off warranty, and Im worried about the total cost of ownership. Heres some examples of the problems: Electronic Window Switch broken Loose Lower Power Steering Cooler Line Fuel Pump Insufficient Glue Residue on Door Window Noisy Drivers Side Door - Strap Loose Rear Seat Stuck in Down Position SRS Controller Needs to Be Replaced and More

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  ITS NOT ALL ITS CRACKED UP TO BE - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By JOHNNYBGOODONLY - January 17 - 10:00 am

  IT STILL RIDES ROUGH - EVEN FOR A LUXURY VEHICLE. SHOULD HAVE GONE TO LINCOLN.

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  This should not happen to Mercedes - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By om424la - January 16 - 4:15 am

  2007 E320 Bluetec V6 Diesel, Nothing major but bunch of small stuff that disables car for days. Cracked inter-cooler hoses, failed Mass Air Flow sensors, Failed EGR valve, Clogged DPF filter, scary one was when fuel filter clamp failed, sprayed fuel on hot turbocharger and ignited, my lucky day I was standing in traffic so I was able to see cloud of the smoke coming under the hood and can of soda put the fire out (I should let it burn). All this under 74K miles. This is my 8th Mercedes and seams that newer the car more problems with it.