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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  New Mercedes fan for life - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By MBZ4LIFE - March 5 - 2:00 am

  After extensive research and calculation, I realized that the C230 was the car for me. Its plenty quick; and the luxury it affords distracts you from caring about 0-60 times. I found a Sport edition fully loaded (heated seats, rain sensing wipers, CD changer, etc) w/ only 39k mi and paid less than $22k at a dealer! I suggest anyone in Southern California check out Penske Motorcars in West Covina.

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  annual - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By EJD - March 4 - 11:23 pm

  I enjoy the car very comfortable on trips with plenty of room. Electronics maybe too complicated for the MB Techs, because they dont always get the problems rerpaired the first trip. NAV system could be more user friendly, and more modern features. Overall great car

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  Betzy - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bob - March 3 - 10:26 pm

  Best car I have owned and almost fun as a 356. Gas mileage 24 to 26 local, 29 to 31 interstate. Very neutral handling. Have had a couple electrical problem but it just gave a warning on the display and I had them fixed. Vision in reverse a little confusing caused by the glass between the tail lights. The 2.3 liter Kompressor is the most powerful and torquie four banger I have driven. Comfortable on trips. Got the glass roof but it started making noise. Dealer fixed the noise but wish I got one without glass roof. Love it.

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  Check your sanity before you buy - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By hutsul - March 3 - 9:32 pm

  Had car for 4 years. Numerous issues-failing suspension, rear hatch, electronics, etc. Nice car when its running. Im convinced they are lemons from the start. Now at 110000km steering rack needs to be replaced. Mercedes staff see you as a money bag, no help, would not stand for their product. Mercedes should be ashamed of building such a poor quality product. In order to preserve my sanity moving to Lexus- boring is goooood!!!.

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  Excellent Drive ....Terrible Reliability - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By catherine nicholas - March 3 - 10:00 am

  On performance I give it very high marks. However, mercedes cuts corners on quality. This is my second CLK. My first was plaqued with problems ranging from engine trouble (random stalling)to window failure. In fact, I couldnt sell it because mercedes couldnt not get the "check engine" light to go out. I was forced to trade it in. My second CLK has had one problem after another ranging from not starting, to seat controls, to air conditioning..the list goes on. The wood grain bleeds into the leather on the doors. Dont order the hands free phone. 50% of the time the car doesnt recognize the phone is plugged in and you are forced to pull over to reset the engine. Bad sound quality also

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  A better car than I expected... - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By usapete - March 3 - 10:00 am

  I had owned a 2002 Mercedes C240. All the news and great reviews on the new Diesel model caught my attention. I went for it. The 2002 C240 was a great car. I did not expect any car could get better - but the 2005 Mercedes E320 CDI Diesel is fantastic!

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  Awesome car for a great price! - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Marbelly Walker - March 1 - 5:18 pm

  I got this car as a demo car with almost 8,000 miles for a great price. The car has a lot of space and it looks very nice.

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  I paid for the EMBLEM - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By kjbroker - March 1 - 12:06 pm

  My 2010 c300 is stunning to look at and has a smooth ride. However, some design features are stupid. Examples: dual climate control cannot be controlled using drivers knob (you have to turn both), there is no trunk pass through or fold down seats, the I-pod integration stinks - almost impossible to use, actually the entire sound system is difficult to use (radio presets must be accessed through the steering controls instead of the console joystick), drivers view of the windshield wiper controls are obstructed by the steering wheel, turn signal and Cruise control stalks are in weird positions. Engine needs more power and not very responsive when you Punch it. Beautiful car but needs improvement!

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  Mercedes Aint What They Used To Be - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Dennis Hupp - February 28 - 2:00 am

  First year or 2 had very few minor, but annoying problems -- glove box wouldnt close properly (still does not) and loose knob for adjusting the drivers seat back. Then fuel pump broke in 3rd year at 24,000 miles. Defective dealer workmanship resulted in 2nd fuel pump replacement less than a year later. At 31,000 miles and 4 1/2 years (after warranty expired) the fuel tank started leaking and needed to be replaced ($1,500.00). What do the commercials say about Mercedes quality engineering???? Give me a Toyota Highlander, Acura MDX, or a Lexus RX- 300 instead.

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  BMW Beater - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Vin - February 28 - 2:00 am

  I have has this for 2 mouths and it is great. Every time I get in a feel like i find something more exiting to do. The V* is amazing with smooth acceleration, it ride is a perfect cobination of luxury ride and sport ride.