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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  Great car, terrible fuel mileage - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ben - April 12 - 7:03 pm

  I just got into my first Mercedes, and I love the car except for the fuel mileage, no matter what I do or how I drive I can not seem to get better than 17MPG, which I think is horrible seeing that I went from a diesel F250 that got 19MPG. Other than the mileage, the car is terrific, very nice ride

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  Too Few Comforts, Too Many Repairs - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Steve Procter - April 12 - 2:00 am

  I compair this car to my 1994 Mercury Sable which cost 1/2 as much. The Mercury does it better in each of these areas: Trip computer poor, no auto heat/air control, intermittenent wiper limited, cup holders in wrong place, visors dont cover two windows at once, switches in wrong places, arm rests too low, way to many trips to the dealer, parts expensive, many rattles.

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  My 5th Bens - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By sealaker - April 12 - 2:00 am

  I started in college with a 1971 220D. Four speed manual. After 497,000 miles I figured it was time to move on. After a donation to a charity my sun yellow was a thing of the past. Since that time I have mostly had 300s. My C-230 Kompressor is all that. I got the sport package and am glad I did. My wife has the C-280 but I think that mine handles better that hers. We enjoy taking the Kompressor in the mountains as we zip up and down the tight roads. It is an absolute joy to drive and everyone that rides in it is very impressed keeping in mind of the small red-capped power plant. Hats off to Mercedes for a well built automobile!

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  Wow - MB C230 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Matthewinky - April 12 - 2:00 am

  What a blast, without blasting your bank account.

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  c32 AMG - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jeff Booker - April 12 - 2:00 am

  OUtstanding performance. Best 4 door performance sedan on the market. Very unique car.

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  It was such a good lease deal with took two! - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By pete albano - April 10 - 7:10 am

  After 5 volvos between the 2 of us, and a Land Rover, VW and Honda in between and with Volvos reluctance to negotiate their high leases, the MB 2015 GLK AWD was not only refreshing but the most luxurious riding vehicle we have owned to date! Edmunds is right, this car is solid, over 4,000 pounds in weight, holds the road and with an an engine you cannot hear. The acceleration has no turbo lag and we are spoiled with the quiet, smooth ride and the engines effortless changing of gears we cannot hear or feel it. (Take that volvo and VW) I am 61 215 male athletic build, front seats are comfy, head room we love, harder to find cars with expansive head room. The AWD will be much appreciated in the harsh Minnesota winters. The safety mechanisms are second to none. Plus knee airbags for the driver! The 19 inch tires plant you firmly on the pavement but dont be fooled, this baby can get up and GO! We are in love with the engines power for highway driving. Truly this is luxury at its best. Volvos are nice, but Benz is superb! The best thing about both our 2015 GLKs are the lease rates. MB leases its demos (take note Volvo, thank you for rejecting my off on your 2015 Volvo xc70 demo which after my offer sat on the lot for 3 months!) My GLK is red, black leather no sunroof or manual gate but everything else. $329 month 2 year lease 7500 a year (yeah we dont drive much) My partner, 2015 GLK white, tan leather, wood dash, dual sunroof and power gate $350 a month 2 year lease 7500 a year. It was $3k down on EACH vehicle, hefty, but leasing costs. We look forward to the redesign and re badging the 2016 GLC and look forward to a long long long relationship with MB. (take that Volvo!)

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  Awesome ride! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Scott - April 10 - 6:03 am

  This is an awesome car. Looks great and is fast. This is my first Mercedes and I had high expectations. I was not disappointed.

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  9 Years and still nice - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By John - April 10 - 5:06 am

  Bought my E320 new in 2001. Overall, excellent ride, classy vehicle, virtually no maintenance until about 90K miles. Between 90 and my current 115K miles, I have probably put $3k into the car for repairs (cat covert, air, regular service) but nothing before that except scheduled maintenance. Some electrical problems started to show up at 110K miles so I may be looking again. Overall, I am very pleased with this car which looks great even after 9 yrs and 115k miles. Service at dealer has been good except for 45 minutes of shop time to replace a headlight bulb. Complained the next visit and they made it right. This is my second MB and I will probably buy another one.

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  Best value ever! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By sjb50 - April 10 - 2:20 am

  Bought this in 2007 with 8k miles. Love this car. handles well in sport mode, very peppy, great shifting with 7 speed. Superb mileage, over 30 highway. Comfortable and great in corners.

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  Just Right ! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mark - April 8 - 10:40 pm

  I spent many months trying to find a fuel-efficient, 2-door sports coupe, with lots of power and room for 2 or 3 ice hockey bags. The C230 Komp was, and still is, the hands-down winner. Ive carried mountain bikes, built-in ovens, televisions, and hockey and lacrosse bags in this little gem. The versatility, fun-factor, and sporty appearance of this car are hard to find in any other car.