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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  Not for this BMW lover - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By boop - November 9 - 12:43 pm

  First: sloppy tranny. The gear changes are very jumpy and noticable by passengers. On hill, I can floor the accelerator and get little to no power. The dealership, saw it twice, & states the tranny is fine. Take your foot off the gas and it downshifts noticibly, all by itself. It does not hold tight curves or the road on bumpy surfaces, very scary. Drives like an expensive Blazer! The Nav system is one of the most complicated I have seen. This is no X5I Question the skills of anyone calling him/herself an avid driver, if they say they like this vehicle. There is one positive, It is sending me right back to the wonderful skilled machinery of BMW for the rest of my life

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  Disappointing Car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By koehnsf - September 28 - 10:00 am

  This car is very fun to drive when it is working. We have almost 30 pages of service records in 2 1/2 years. We tried to get Mercedes to buy this car back, but no luck. Then the dealer offered us well below retail on a trade in. It has been in the shop 13 times--phone has never worked right, a/c broke twice, fuel gauge, windows, rear screen, etc. etc. Our dealer (Stead Walnut Creek) had treated us with contempt. We have been told by a Lemon Law attorney that they fight every single claim to trial, which is obviously worth the effort to a small minority of people. We are done with Mercedes forever!

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  Nightmare with E class - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tell Truth - September 28 - 10:00 am

  Last Saturday I was driving it back home with my family in it. We were talking about weather to keep this car after warranty. Just when I was about to turn right to my home, I felt I lost control of the steering wheel. I pressed the brake as we were driving at a downhill and realized that the brake is not working. The car stopped at the curb. When I went to fix the car a guy waiting there told me same thing happened to him.

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  A Mind of its Own - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By X-TWA - September 22 - 2:00 am

  Was very excited for the new E320 to become available. That was the last excitement I experienced.First,imagine driving at around 10mph and having the transmission start fluctuating between 1st and 2nd gear causing the car to buck..service dept says that is normal ..second,imagine trying to simply accelerate slowly fwd after backing out of a parking space and there is delayed response and then the engine almost stalling....Service dept says this is normal..very disappointed with the entire Mercedes experience.Please get Volvo to bring back my S-70 "box" that I so loved for 8years+ (2cars). Mercedes and my E320 have " A Mind of its Own" !

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  Not exactly thrilled - 2010 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By WCLD - September 19 - 2:00 am

  The drivers seat is not ergonomically proportionate. The sides of the seat protrude out creating an unnatural position for your arm. The remote needs to be accented with white so you can see the buttons easier. Running boards get extremely slippery when frost on car and pre-heating car doesnt help. Could do without the light vents in the sunroof. Burns as much gas as Chevy Suburban but not as versatile. Tire pressure lights always on even after service. Sound system has much to be desired.

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  DONT BUY! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By tell_the_truth - September 18 - 12:25 pm

  I cant believe nobody has mentioned the balance shaft gear failure! This is very common issue in all Mercedes Benz cars that have the M272 engine in it. This is a major issue that costs over 5K to replace and thats if your engine is not destroyed by the metal that goes through your engine as this gear/sprocket fails. Do a little research and see for yourself there are multiple class action lawsuits regarding this matter and since 2010 MB USA fails to accept responsibility and sticks its customers with this huge repair bill! Beware this issue starts with the P0016 together with the P0017 engine code with failure soon to follow! Also shame on Edmunds for not listing such a well known issue!

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  Disappointment for the Price - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By TOMS - September 17 - 10:46 pm

  This is my second E class, I had a 98 E320, wish I could get it back. The car is beautiful, rides nice. Radio and CD player failed in first month. Car has been in 4 times for transmission problems, every fix makes it worse. Avoid any Mercedes with the 7speed. My 84 Ford Tempo had a better quality transmission. Car slam shifts between gears. I had to stop drinking coffee on the way to work to stop the stains in the carpet from the spills the car jerks so hard when it shifts. We were about to buy my wife an R class until I found out it had the 7 speed. I am currently considering pursuing Lemon Law remedy. Oh by the way the car doesnt even come with all seasons, I had to spend $1,000 on snows.

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  What a nightmare - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Rick Kueber - September 14 - 10:36 am

  In less than 6 months of ownership, my R500 is being towed back to the dealership for the same problems - SRS warning light. According to Mercedes this may cause the airbags to deploy randomly (nice) or not work at all. Also, the low coolant level light is on. For $70k, one would think you would get a much better car. This will definitely be my last Mercedes. Audi Q7, here I come.

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  High maintenance car, low quality - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Stefan - August 23 - 2:23 pm

  Bought the car in Oct 2000 new, loved it for the longest time. But then the little things started, later got bigger and bigger. Like so many else had to get new brake pads every year (~$300), and new rotors every other year (~3,000). Then a pipe in the steering wheel went out on a 2hr trip. The pipe ($2?) was covered by warranty, the $1,500 damage to the steering wheel was obviously not covered. Great. Got it repaired, drive out the dealership, next day power brakes warning light goes on, damaged from some problem, another $1,500. Not with me, my friends. Bought a 2003 Nissan Murano just now, and the ride is so much smoother and more comfortable, no service issues.

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  Be Warned of Low Quality & RipOff Labor. - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Andres Callegari - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Be Warned of Low Quality & Rip Off Labor prices. there are large number of failing componenents (fuel pump, steering components, sensors, brake switches, ignition coils, etc) that will let you stranded.. The labor is a rip off for a low quality component vehicle. $600.00 for changing a coil, $280.00+ for oil and filter changes, $1000.00+ for fuel pump changes. MB customer service is a joke and dealers are a nightmare. MB refuses to perform TSBs unless you get stranded. Value went from $45,000 to a dealer trade in value of $20,000 in 2001 to the year 2003.