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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  I wish I was a Mercedes Service Advisor - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By RoberNdenver - March 30 - 2:00 am

  Issues during the first two years, I am on my third fuel tank (service department can not figure out why the check engine light comes on, but threes a charm??), driver window would not go up (repaired twice because the second time is always better), Gear shift at times will not go out of Park, CD Changer "not installed" , rear hatch would not lock, sunroof cover cracked, headlight washers would not pop up, trip computer went out, etc... By the way, at the dealer I use in Denver the Service Advisors are paid on commission based on the Labor portion of the bill. Keep the customer coming back in, "we hope your car falls apart" is what Mercedes is telling us.

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  Poor quality ML 320 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Big R - March 28 - 10:00 am

  My ML320 has the poorest quality of any car Ive ever owned. Many, many things have broken, the interior pieces keep falling apart, the heater/aircon is always too hot or cold, the rear window sometimes goes down on its own (also happens on a friends ML320). When the warranty expires Ill need a second mortgage.

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  MB= Mucho Bucks in Repairs - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Kevin - March 25 - 12:13 pm

  Save your money, buy something else. Repairs are endless. Engine rebuilt by factory at 50K due to high oil consumption (was still under warranty), both catalytic converters replaced. Check engine light is on more then off. Factory brakes replace every 20K miles (dealer says it is normal), and window switch panel replaced 3 times. Ive had other MBs, and this is trash in comparison. Nice looking vehicle, fun to drive, but the maintenance is terrible. I use a private mechanic now, put Brembo brakes on, and the brakes last much longer. Engine codes when it is not acting right arent specific, so you go through a lot of trial and error in diagnosing problems.

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  How can they build at this level? - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By grdow - March 20 - 11:16 pm

  I traded in my car this weekend. I had owned a 2006 430S 4matic for 4 years. In that time it was trouble free for 2 periods of 6 months. Traded it in with 80k which was limited due to the multiple issues that we encountered. First the tire pressure sensors went...3 times. Next the turn signal control stick disintegrated. Next the heated steering wheel control had the same issues. The washer fluid reservoir cracked ($450). I went through a 1/2 dozen bulbs and each time a bulb goes out it disables the electrical system. The ultimate issue was the continued shaking when the car went over 50 MPH. Apparently there is a known issue with the struts, but MB will not own up to it. Never again!!!

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  no more mb for me - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By fed up - March 18 - 10:00 am

  just got rid of my e320 (bought 7/2000). similar problems as everyone (electronics failure, back window failure, cheap plastic issues, light bulb blowing frequently, windshield wipers replaced often, brake pads replaced often, transmission issues, bad dealership experience-no loaners if not purchased at the service dealership in boston, false alert from computer, etc, etc, etc

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  The worst car I have ever owned. - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By cm8112 - March 15 - 11:26 am

  We purchased a brand new 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL450. Fully Loaded, including entertainment and towing packages. In January 2014 our problems started. The car had just a little over 60K miles. Airmatics were gone, one after another within days. One of them even blew up. 4 Electrical problems, including radio, and door locks. All repairs costed more than $4,500 within 6 months, and it continued until we had enough. It just started to fall apart after 60K miles. I gave it away for $26K. Lost almost 50 grand in 4 years. I was lucky with that history of repairs. Do yourself a favor get a Japanese car. Our time, hard earned money and peace of mind are valuable. Stay away of this car and brand.

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  overpriced coupe - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By mercedes fanatic - March 6 - 5:23 am

  The CL550 is not a bad car. But it is vastly overpriced. In reality, it is nothing more than a short wheelbase S Class (sold in Europe), with a different body (which look just like the diminutive C Class) The rear seats are a joke as they are hard to access and fit small children only. I later traded up to a 2009 S550 for the added comfort, practicality and ride quality. I found out quickly how much these things depreciate. WOW. 40% in one year. That the CL costs more than the S class is unrealistic. The sedan is actually worth more than the coupe; Ive owned both.

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  Questionable Build Quality on BlueTec - 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Carl - March 3 - 1:26 am

  This was my first Mercedes purchase; a Japanese car loyalist up til this purchase. Car drives amazing & gas mileage is great for this size car. I averaged 29 mpg combined. However, build quality is a DISASTER. Literally, on evening home from dealership the night of purchase, the left headlight went out and I received an LCD error warning about headlight failure. Took it back to dealership and 3 days in shop w/$3200 bill (under warranty). The C series loaner I got had same headlight failure during loaner period. At 5,900 the BlueTecs power steering failed while driving and I almost wrecked; steering wheel wouldnt turn. Car towed back to dealership by MB - 5 days in shop. NIGHTMARE!

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  Dont waste your money - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Adam - February 29 - 12:26 pm

  This car is not worth the money, at all. I have had numerous problems with this car, which are all well known by the dealers, but they wont acknowledge them until you bring it in for repairs. My dash squeeks, the front end can not be alined properly, the pressure in the fuel tank goes thud, thud, thud all the time, the electronics dont work 15% of the time, the seats are uncomfortable, I have a re-call notice for the airbag system, it has very little power, 7 speed transmision is not fun to use, and the lay out of the instrument pannel is down right awful. I would suggest buying the E350 or Acura TL, but do not waste your money on this car. This is a poor Mercedes.

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  what a lemon - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By cfoore - February 28 - 10:00 am

  Advice- if youre looking for a used vehicle- move on. This car is a real lemon. Ive called the national customer service but received the well rehearsed--- "its only our obligation to fix your car under the terms of the warrenty". I asked for a review of my file and was told by a Ms. Clarke "thats not how its done. "contact your deealership". implied-- we,ve got your money now sucker-- wheres our incentive to help you? The car has had 2 transmission leaks in 2 years and vaious other electrical or engine problems totaling 20 visits for non- routine visits.