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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  Very satisfied after 9 years - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Chuck - November 1 - 6:53 am

  We did purchase a I-Net bumper to bumper warranty for $2000 and thats helped. Id say weve almost even on that. Very few serious repairs. Did need a cat converter, a/c compressor and a few other minor things. Outside Mercedes warranty work, Id say we had $1600 of I-Net warranty over 6 years. We take very good care of the car and it only has 82,000 after 9 years

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  Good but could be better - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By BoBoBo360 - November 1 - 5:46 am

  This is a very nice car. Did a very nice job in the interior with the leather stitching and beautiful wood. The seven speed transmission is good for fuel economy and its smooth. Big fat tires even without the sports package. Has ADSII a much better version of the semi air suspension compare to ADS.

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  Smooth and powerful - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Mike from Ashburn - November 1 - 1:16 am

  It has been a great experience thus far. I have had to hang on tightly when occasionally my foot gets too heavy. I didnt expect the engine performance and its been a pleasant surprise. The control is more complex than it has to be (how many menus just to change the light?) But after its all together easy to work with and maintain. Its only been a month so well see if it lives up to the Mercedes reputation for quality.

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  3 years later - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tony - October 31 - 3:06 pm

  I reviewed this model favorably when I first purchased used in 2006. Now, it is a different story. Repairs are extremely expensive and many can only be done at a dealer. Yesterday, the car left me stranded for the second time in 2 years. Again, an excellent independent shop is not equipped to handle. Another fuel injector type of problem. I have owned BMWs, Infinity, and Jags in the past so Im used to expensive repairs. But this car has been babied and just turned 70K miles, too young for these types of problems. Buy only if still under manufacturer warranty. Otherwise, avoid all German sedans and buy an Infiniti. Sure, the style/status is not the same, but an Infinity IS dependable

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  If you have car seats - 2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Plano, TX- Mom - October 29 - 10:06 pm

  We came across the R350 when looking at the GL450. We have two car seats but needed a 3rd row periodically when my parents are staying with us. You can only access the third row from the passenger side in the GL (and most SUVs)which is difficult for my parents. We then looked at the R350 and you can access the rear row even with car seats in the 2nd row,from both sides. The 3rd row are real seats and have very good leg room and child seat anchors if needed. The ride & handling of the car are very good. We also got the P2 package which gave us some great options, mem seats, nav, HK stereo, hands free phone(w/bluetooth) etc. After looking at 6 vehicles, we are thrilled with the R350.

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  Dont run the EClass through a carwash - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Kelly - October 25 - 7:43 pm

  Was so excited to finally get our E350! We saw the steel gray color and the new body design and loved it! Still looked sporty enough for us! Was totally panicking when after running it through the car wash, the blower went out. And then the blower went out again. Was told by a dealership, not the dealership where we purchased the vehicle, that you need to shut off the heat and air conditioner when running the EClass through a car wash. This is ridiculous and Ive never heard of such nonsense. Weve owned several cars of many different makes and models and have never had a blower go out while running it through a car wash.

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  Wifes car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By JustOK - October 24 - 9:03 am

  As the title explains, this is my wifes car, I drive a 4-Runner. With a totally un-biased account, I can honestly say this car is too narrow for my 6 215 lbs. frame. The seats arent very comfortable, No lumbard support/ adjustment. The controls/ navigation are difficult to master and as mentioned in previous ratings, one cup holder. Now with all that said, I do have to compliment its mechanical refinement. I mean The Germans are leaps and bounds ahead of us in the automobile industry. I dont have to change the oil for 13,000 miles! We debate over 3 to 5000? The 5 ltr. engine is mated to a 7-spd A/T. for a flawless performance. Man, I wish it were wider...or I was smaller.

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  Lemon Land - - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Disd - October 23 - 10:00 am

  This dog dont run. a/c was so bad it took the dealer four tries to find the problem deep in the system. Defective windhsield water bottle caused the cooling system to report as bad. A defective valve set the car into LIMP Home mode. $2,000 repair under warranty. Mercedes does stand behind their warranty but has no sympathy or extra effort for putting you thru the gauntlet. Were on our fourth replacement key. I would not recommend that you get involved with them. Better off with a more dependable car than going through warranty hell and trying to deal with the anonymous zone guy who wont speak directly with you.

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  Beautiful Convertible Mercy 04 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By MARIAN GRIFFIS - October 16 - 3:51 pm

  Thought I had a transmission problem so I bought a transmission-it wasnt a transmission problem so I have a extra transmission to go with the car It was a simple reset of something. But it does need some Struts. We still drive it & Love it but now we have 4 Granddaughters & we cant all go & no one eats to be left out. They all want to go

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  What an amazing car!!!!! - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Ruffian - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I just bought a 99 E430 with 68,000 miles on it. I am stunned by the performance of this vehicle. The transmission is silky, and the higher speed the more it seems to settle in. The thing Ive enjoyed most about this vehicle is passing cars on the highway (the first time you really gun it will give you goosebumps) and the feel of taking a curve. Entrance and exit ramps and cloverleafs have never been so fun! Each time I drive it my heart races-- no kidding. The best money Ive ever spent.