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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  True Luxury in an affordable package! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Kris, L.A. - November 23 - 1:10 am

  We love the 3 setting memory seats and power head rests with height adjustment on both sides not just driver. The 7 speed auto transmission with 2 reverse gears is very smooth, giving 30-31mpg highway at 70-75mph on a cross country trip. The power rear sunshade and excellent climate control just seem to work better than in others cars. Surprisingly more leg room and baby seat room than we expected and more than in several much larger vehicles. Most of all, this is just a very quiet, very smooth, truly luxurious vehicle to drive for miles and miles.

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  Worst vehicle ever! Better get real good warranty! - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Brian - November 22 - 3:38 pm

  Fell in love with the looks of this vehicle. We had a VW Passat TDI but needed a bigger vehicle, and this seemed perfect. We wanted the diesel for the torque and fuel economy. Very soon after buying it (used with 69,000 miles) we began having problem after problem. Key fob quit working and then mysteriously began working again and now quit again, front wheel bearing went, had it fixed, then had to bring it back after they said they needed to replace it again, got it back and the other one went, then the air strut which began popping over every bump soon after buying it. Motor mounts went, steering column module went bad, transmission valve body had to be replaced, and it still revs and slams into second gear the first time take off in cold weather. Oil cooler seals leak, dealer supposedly changed them but they began leaking again. Never noticed the leak until AFTER they changed them bit it is a common problem. Cost: almost $3,000. AdBlue tank heater went bad, $2,000. Glow plug control module went bad, sway bar bushings and links went bad, tailgate sometimes doesnt close unless you hit the button several times or lock and then u lock with the key fob if you close it with the fob. Cant fold the second row seat back down because the seatbelt gets stuck and I have to unbolt it from the bottom to raise the seat back up. Vehicle now has 83,000 miles. Our Land Rover LR3 never gave us any problems except for an air compressor thay went out and a wheel bearing, which I easilly tackled myself. Fuel economy is dismal for a diesel. Best I can get on the highway is 22 mpg with the cruise set at 75. Cebeer console is poorly designed. You cant put anything in it. Cargo cover is poorly designed. You cant use it without scratching the sides of the vehicle, and the seatbelt snag on it making it a pain to get it into the grooves. I could go on. the LR3 also rode so much smoother, and the headlights were 100 times better, especially the high beams. Cargo carrying was also better even though the GL is much larger. The air suspension also raised and lowered very quickly on the LR3. Takes forever to raise on this vehicle. If you buy one get ready to become good friends with the service people. On the bright side youll get to test drive alot of cars because at least they give you a loaner car. I cant get rid of this thing either because despite the fact that I got a good deal below book value, it depreciated like a rock. I regret buying this car. Ive had BMWs, Land Rovers amd another Mercedes, and while Land Rovers are supposed to be unreliable, this Mercedes is way way worse than any Land Rover Ive ever owned, even my 2002 and 2003 discovery II. There are other things Ive had to get repaired bUT since there are so many I cant remember them all. I will rejoice the day I can finally get rid of this. Never again will I buy another Mercedes Benz.

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  Almost Perfect! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By pdn - November 21 - 12:13 am

  The C280 has a distinctive and elegant appearance unlike any other car in its class. This car feels solid. Very pleasant to drive and extremely responsive. This car makes you want to drive. The C280 is the best car I have ever owned or driven. Period.

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  Vastly overrated - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mbnot4me - November 20 - 2:40 am

  Having operated a C320 for three years, I now see why MB has become an “average” car in the ratings. It has been one small thing after another, and a couple not so small. After spending $750 for four new tires that did not solve a constant vibration, someone cared enough to see what was actually wrong and found out the car had a warped drive shaft at 18,000 miles. Of course, nothing was said about the tires. This is my fourth and last one (unless my wife changes my mind).

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  Wonderful - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By William - November 18 - 11:36 am

  This car has been a joy to drive. Although I have not had it for that long, I can tell you that Mercedes did not leave things out because it is one of their base models. Performance is also comparable to the BMW 325i, 325xi. I can promise you will have fun every day in this car.

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  WE WOULD LIKE IT OUR WAY - 2004 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By ntfire - November 18 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS FOR THOSE WHO NEED 4 WHEEL DRIVE. I AM OFF PAVEMENT AT LEAST 20%. 10% WITH DIFFERENTAILS LOCKED. THE CAR IS THE GOLD STANDARD OF SOLID, A PRICE TO PAY FOR THIS, WEIGHT. VEHICLE PROFILE IS UNITILITARIAN. LOTS OF DRAG IN HI SPEED. MBENZ OFFERS MANY MORE OPTIONS TO THEIR EU CUSTOMERS THAN USA, I AM NOT GETTING WHAT I REALLY WANT. LESS THAN 25% OF THE AVAILABLE OPTIONS AVAILABLE IN EU ARE AVAILABLE IN USA. I OWN AN EU MODEL .I KNOW IN EUROPE A IT IS STILL QUITE A CAR. ONE DAY THEY WILL OFFER THE US THE CARS THE WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE . THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO OPINE.

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  My Last Mercedes - 1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By VWRattletrap - November 18 - 10:00 am

  This was the car that turned a certified car nut like myself into someone who just wants cheap transportation. I bought this car new and in the first year had over $10K of warranty work . . . I finally sold it after 12 months and bought a Volkswagen! A partial list: engine torn down to replace timing chains due to constant whine, transmission slip shifting, rattles, radio not connected at the factory, temperature sensor intermittent, damaged paint, and finally, the total arrogance of the factory zone reps!

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  The Secret MB -- the CL tops the List - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Hawes - November 18 - 10:00 am

  I have 4 MBs (03 SL-500, 02 ML500, 97 S- 420, and the CL 500. Have owned over 23 MBs since 1984. Traded an SL-430 (lemon) for the CL-500. Incredible auto. Balanced, incredible road car, gas mileage (S**ks), but you know that when you buy one. -- I actually prefer it to to the SL-500!! Great driver -- and the seats!!! Go for CL-3 package. Great build quality (for current Benzes, that is) and full of pleasant surprises (e.g., rear head rests raise and lower, great handling, UV resistant glass). This is a sleeper in the super luxury category.... Ive a position on a new Bentley GT and not sure I want to give up this car to get it. Its that good.

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  Just OK - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Ann Traina - November 18 - 10:00 am

  alot of small things regularly go wrong with the car. The keys seem to have problems, the cup holder constantly gets stuck, the r,f turn signal wiring seems to have a problem, and (most of all) I dont like that the AC- heat button you have to press so many times to go from hot to cold(press button 1x time for each degree you want to change). It should have a dial.

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  2004 Mercedes Benz 230 Kompressor - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Rosemary Patrick - November 18 - 10:00 am

  The car is very nice and stylish. It is fun to drive with excellent handling. I would recommend. I didnt get full leather as the option was expensive, but the car comes with leather inserts so I dont think you can tell the difference. The black car is beautiful.