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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  Disappointed Buyer - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By louise85 - September 8 - 3:33 am

  Purchased my ML350 3 mo. later, dead battery & Headlight out. Have had it in the shop 9 times in the first year, stalled @ lights, radio/stereo goes in and out, phone option purchased for an extra $1500.00 in less than 1 yr. it is obsolete.The black side panels next to the windows peeled had to be replaced.Rides very rough. Sad to say very disappointed. It was a gift from my husband for our 5yr anniversary, I look at it and only think what a waste of money. Have filed a claim with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and have notified my local news station to do a story on what a terrible company Mercedes-Benz truly is

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  Just bought new car in 3/04 - in shop - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By girl327 - September 4 - 10:00 am

  We just got the MB clk 500 and it has been in the shop 2x in 30 days. Today day 30 - the transmission gave. Love the style hate the quality. beware!

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  Crappiest Mercedes - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Ron mashrouteh - July 14 - 2:00 am

  Ill never by another Mercedes-Benz no matter what model.

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  TOTAL NIGHTMARE - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By KmW - May 27 - 2:00 am

  Power windows that wouldnt go back up (in a rainstorm)was my first experience. I have had to get new batteries 3x now at $35 a pop. I have had problems with my dashboard lighting up like a Christmas tree. My front brakes (according to the dealership)"went" at 27,000 miles to the tune of $300. Here is a small list of what has broken in the short time I have had this vehicle, water pump, anti theft, cd player, stereo speakers, srs, abs, there was something else but I cant remember those three letters ha ha, and most recently the radiator. Everytime I bring this vehicle in I lose it for a minimum of 3 days, as it would seem parts are hard to get.

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  Disappointed - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Disappointed - May 9 - 4:10 am

  Buyer beware of this piece of crap! The car has had nothing but problems - 3000 kms and it has been into dealer 5 times now. They have had it for two weeks so far. 1st they replaced the fuel injectors, now the kompressor. Wrong kompressor installed by factory - really makes you wonder - Still not fixed! Maybe the dealer is incompetent! No loner offered. I would really think twice before buying another Mercedes. A real Lemon! High end Junk!

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  Stay away from this car - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By george219 - May 6 - 5:32 pm

  Our car had issues as soon as we drove it off the lot, loose parts, noises, uncomfortable seat, rough/unpredictable transmission shifting, and vibration. We did not test drive the car beforehand because we are very familiar with the car having driven several over the years. The first week we had it (and if you have any issues, immediately turn around and get your money back) it was in service, loose parts fixed, two new tires, reprogrammed transmission. Still vibrated, still shifted poorly, so it went back again and again, all four tires have been replaced and the MB "expert" attributes the vibration to "road feel" which is most certainly is not. Car still shifts unpredictably at times.

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  mercedes c230 - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By noemi - May 3 - 10:00 am

  in four years had to tow this car twice to the dealer. It represents high brand name and poor quality and the service this dealer provides to clients made me regret dealing with them. I am not proud of owning a Mercedes.

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  Christmas tree - 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Not worth it - April 23 - 8:03 pm

  This car has so many problems its hard to tell where to start. The common thread is the constant check engine message. So many pretty lights come on its like a Christmas tree lighting up. Performance and mileage are a disappointment. Ride comfort is not at all what I would expect. My wife refuses to drive it, preferring a Saturn with over 200K.

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  ML500 - Very Poor Ride - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Not Too Happy - April 23 - 3:30 pm

  I am very unhappy with the ride. MB should be ashamed, no wonder they are loosing market share like anything. What the hell were they thinking when they designed the suspension system for this thing - ML500 with $50,000. The other problem, which my dealer tells me is normal - all tires are feathering a lot, he tells me this is normal. I am supposed to change the tires every 15-20000 miles? My god the ride is just so bad - 10 mins ride and your body is ready to fall a part. never expected a donut size tire either with MB, when others have full size spare. Dont know what to do with this.

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  I want to sell the it - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Yijian - April 2 - 1:23 am

  First time SUV owner. I feel ML is really a truck rather than a car. High performance engine, very responsive handling, strong feedbacks from the road. These also come with noisy engine, rough ride (for driver and passengers), bad gas mileage. Have driven other SUVs, ML is worst in term of comfort, long distance ride will not be fun for passengers. Interior is simple and dull. Window control, cruise control and cup holder seem in strange place, not very intuitive. Lack of standard features such as seat bel sensors, trunk open sensors, trip computers. No luxury features.