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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  my first - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By tbox4 - April 6 - 10:00 am

  Smaller than I would have preferred. But interior, engine size and overall styling leaves me satisfied. Im 61" and the seating is just enough to keep me from squirming. I will easily opt for the E-class next time around. This car turns heads and is whisper quiet inside. I think Im hooked on this truly superior automotive line.

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  First Merdeces - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By SDJim - April 6 - 10:00 am

  Ive always wanted this car and am not disappointed. It looks great in white. Have had it for three months and havent had any problems with it. Makes my 30 minute freeway commute very comfortable. Accelerates well for passing and the ride is smooth and quiet. A few ergonomic issues with interior layout. After getting over the initial thrill of owning it I realize its a starter-level luxury car, but it still makes me feel pretty fancy driving it. Love seeing the Mercedes star on the hood when Im driving.

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  CLS - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By DocBenz - April 5 - 10:13 pm

  Love the design, especially with AMG package. Very good acceleration and handling. Mercedes could have added the self-closing doors as in the S Class but otherwise a solid and quiet car. Navigation system much improved. Keyless Go is exciting. Have not had it out on the highway yet but look forward to an improved ride over the E Class.

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  Excellent Commuter Cehicle - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JPercival - April 5 - 8:06 pm

  I use this car predominantly for my 20 mile per day commute to work. It is a pleasure to drive and has excellent fuel economy for its class. On weekends Ive taken the family on longer trips - and even though its a small car everyone has been comfortable. I now have 5000 miles on the odometer and have had zero problems with this car.

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  Like a beautiful, high maintainence woman - 2016 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Jerry Tennant - April 5 - 1:24 pm

  This is a beautiful automobile and fun to drive (except confusing controls). However it is very unreliable. The media system didnt work when I bought it and it took a couple of months to get parts from Germany to fix it. The ordered parts didnt work so had to wait longer for more parts. Soon it wouldnt start---the almost new battery was defective! Windshield washer wouldnt put water out. Then the drivers vanity mirror simply broke off. The media system is a disaster! You need the manual in one hand to figure out how to select the media you want. It is insane that the CD player wont automatically change from one disk to the next. When listening to a multidisk audiobook, you have to recognize that it is playing the same disk over and have to manually switch to the next disk while driving. This process is hidden behind, "media", pull the knob downward, select "devices", use the knob to select the next disk (even though you may not remember what number the next disk is). Try doing this without taking your eyes off the road! Wont recognize newest iPod plug. But it looks great if you dont mind a $600 oil change. The only car I ever owned that was less reliable was a new Rolls-Royce Silver Spur.

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  So for 60k I cant get a radio that works? Really? - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By trntexas - April 4 - 1:33 am

  We replaced our 08 ML. The fit and finish are as expected, the performance for a 6cyl is good, but...I have a 2011 Jeep Compass (I wont spend the money. Its a car, its not a fashion statement) and the radio will quickly connect my phone through bluetooth for complete hands free. It downloads my contacts, it has voice recognition, it streams music from my micro sd card, and it streams music from my internet connections(pandora, slacker etc). The Merc wont do it. My wifes phone is the same as mine. Now while the average user may not appreciate this. When you pay 3x for a vehicle you dont expect customer service or the factory to make excuses for why it doesnt work. Disappointed for sure.

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  Whats not to love??? - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Ms. T W - April 3 - 8:53 pm

  Class and sass! After being loyal to BMW for the last 9 consecutive years, I didnt think MBenz could change me. After seeing, then driving the "05 E500 I was in love! I cannot believe all the luxury features in this vehicle from ventillated seats and seat heaters to seats that massage your lumbar area and power bolsters in the front seats that hug you at every turn! It drives very smooth and quiet (you almost forget the tiger under the hood). For the extra dollars the V8 cost over its sister V6 version, it has proven to be more than worth it. Besides getting the obvious boost in HP, the V8 has features that are standard on it that would be an option on the V6. I truly adore this car!

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  Mothers, you need to read this! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By thankfullmomof2 - April 3 - 8:43 am

  Ok, lets get to the point. I see some reviews about the poor quality of this vehicle. Its not true! We got this vehicle a couple of months ago, I am a young mom (that was not about to drive a minivan around) with two girls ages 6 and 3. We were on the freeway one night, in the carpool lane when traffic suddenly stopped. With the great brakes in this car I was able to stop without hitting the car in front of me. But the car behind me was not so lucky. They plowed into us going approx. 70mph! Both of the people in that car (a Nissan Altima) passed away. We survived with minimal injuries. When the police arrived they credited the good build of the car. We paid less then $3500 to repair!

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  A charmer with power to move you - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By dakatwnpa - April 1 - 10:00 am

  The CLK500 is really in a class of its own. It more luxurious and comfortable that the 3 series and it is not seen at every corner or around every block. It doesnt punish the driver over rough road yet it is able to still provide an adrenaline rush when you push down on the accelerator firmly. Also insofar as styling I believe it looks authoritative without looking overly designed or gimmicky. The seats are very comfortable, the climate control is easy to operate and the sound system is really rather pleasant sounding. The low tone exhaust system reminds you in an non-intrusive way that a muscular V8 is awaiting your need for speed.

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  Love it! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Marti S. - April 1 - 10:00 am

  This is my third Mercedes - Ive been driving them for 20 years. This car is a dream to drive and a real head turner. It odesnt get much better than this!