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:

• 

  Perfect and Very Fun car! - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By David C Klasse - September 22 - 10:00 am

  My 1995 C280 is the perfect balance of luxury and sporty. Ive driven the car 55,000 miles in the past 2 years since I bought it, and Ive had nothing but joy in ownership! I have minor repairs every now and then, but its never stranded me. Great overall car!

• 

  Great Car - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bobby Boy - September 22 - 10:00 am

  Great car. Solid. AWD is great in heavy rain on the highway.

• 

  R 500 early review - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By mmcfadden - September 21 - 1:00 pm

  Ive had this car for 1 month and have driven 2,000 miles. I love everything about this car. It handles like an E- Class. There is the typical MB/BMV sedan driving feel. I opted for the airdynamic suspesion that is wonderful. On/off exit ramps feel terrific with the sports mode, highway- comfort mode and around town-normal mode. A better rear seating arrangement than an S/ML-class. The command center is reasonable intuitive but you have to spend a little time getting to know it. I integrated the phone system, NAV and ipod system. EZ to use. My only complaint is lack of adequate luggage space for long distances when using all seats. Will need cargo rails with large cargo carrier. Buy!

• 

  Love the car! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By camille - September 21 - 12:26 pm

  Just came off a 3 year lease of a BMW x3. Looking for a smaller SUV like the Mercedes 350 GLK. This car drives sooo much smoother than my X3! Even my husband fell in love with the car. I feel so safe in this solid car. I have the black and silver running boards on a black car. Very smart looking. I am soooo happy!!!

• 

  My first MB and its a winner. - 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By johnsmoke - September 21 - 4:43 am

  After 1000 miles I can only say that its been a pleasant experience. After driving BMW 3-series and Acura TL, this car is quieter, smoother and more comfortable, without the built in "sports car" bounces. Have Premium I Package which has some but not all of the goodies of the prior cars yet at less cost for the lease. Can live without the NAV (got a Garmin, which is transferable) and the Premium II package ($$). Fit and finish are excellent. Engine is underpowered for the weight and the rear seats and trunk are short on space. Seldom carry passengers; so they are slighly inconvenienced for a short time. Could use technology updates in communication area, like Bluetooth enhancement.

• 

  Best Car Ever - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Cindy - September 20 - 4:03 pm

  The best ride ever! I bought this car new and drove it for over 11 years. Well made and very low maintenance and great gas mileage for a V8. Unfortunately, I loaned it to a friend that wrecked it. I miss my wonderful car.

• 

  Great used car value - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By B L Chambliss - September 20 - 12:29 am

  I purchased my C-300 in December 2015 with 61K miles. Since then, I have had only two service intervals, approximately a year apart, although I drive the car daily. Neither service was overly expensive (about $200 per) (it is now late April 2017, 74K miles). It needs some new tires, which run from about $100 up locally, installed. Yes, I could buy the 300mph rated tires, but why??? Generally, I might have two gripes: the fuel economy isnt great. In my 03 SAAB 9-3T I was getting in the city almost what the Benz gets on the highway. And the SAAB had loads of acceleration, whereas the Benz kind of drags in comparison. Well, three gripes: the A/C vent directional controls are the flimsiest things. The SAAB, in comparison, was excellent quality, for 12 years no interior issues at all. HOWEVER, there is no question in my mind, if I were going on a trip, I would take the Benz any day over the SAAB. I have had 0 mechanical issues with it, I get a decent MPG on the highway (EPA says 25, I get about 30). Acceleration isnt fantastic, but it gets the job done, and it has a nice growl. Tired of living with 2003 technology, I searched for a C-300, or 3-series BMW, or VW CC, with a tech package. The Benzs reliability sold me between the 3 options. So I found this model, low miles, and the NAV package. The thing about the NAV package is that you can hook up so many different ways to hear your music. Or watch DVDs if you are waiting in the car. There is the 6-disk CD/DVD changer, the Sirius/XM, FM/AM, Aux, but also you can use the interface in the glove box to connect iPods or other MP3 players, and a slot of SD cards in the dash. The car comes with Bluetooth but its only for telephony. However, Bluetooth adapters are available which connect directly to the glove box interface and provide seamless connection to your Bluetooth device. If you have Apple products, the device can be controlled via the COMAND menu controller. I have an Android, so it doesnt work quite that way, BUT I still enjoy my books and music via Bluetooth through the cars audio. COMAND is a fantastic system. I do not know if the whole system is available without the NAV. If not, I would suggest paying the extra money to get the navigation so you get all the extra goodies. The ride is what you would expect from a Benz - steady as a rock, smooth, stable. The front seat is excellent if you like the Teutonic firmness. If you like a cushy Caddie seat, this is not for you. The rear seat is small, and not easy to exit from. However, I have sat in the back for a hour or more and, although Im 510", have not felt cramped as long as the front seater can scoot up some. Plenty of storage spaces are around the car. I would say this is a good, comfortable, reliable, personal car, though it might not be the best soccer mom car. Update: having owned the car for almost two years now, I wouldnt retract what I said earlier. The car now has 81k miles, and still performs well. I have not had any cringe moments, not a single engine or transmission issue, and no interior or convenience problems. There is one spot MB needs to improve, and hopefully with newer models they have done: a/c vent directional control tabs. Apparently they were designed to break if a driver actually touched one. Replacement vent assemblies are relatively inexpensive (~$150) and can be done at home with the puller tools. Very simple to replace. If this is you, be sure to order the correct replacement. Not all dash vents are equal.

• 

  Wow-Get one before they raise the price - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Dr.Vin - September 19 - 3:16 pm

  I got this vehicle on a day that a major storm ravaged the NJ area. I had to get out of Dodge quickly and I packed the kids, dog, etc. into the new Merc. I was thrilled with the vault-like stability and the "hewn from a block of granite" feel. Features are terrific. The voice- activated "COMMAND" system is the best Ive experienced. This thing makes my Range Rover almost obsolete.(almost) Years of trauma surgery makes me want to have my family in a tank, and the GLK feels like exactly that. Bonus- this thing handles better than the CLK CAB that I traded for--and worlds more practical. The fact that the GLK is assembled in Bremen is readily apparent. After years of complacency MB is back.

• 

  new game in town e 320 cdi - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By piojo - September 19 - 10:00 am

  i know this particular model is not in your records yet, but just let everybody know that this is an umbilivable expirience, i purchase a new car every year for the last 15 years, i dont remenber ever been so taken by every aspect of a car , preformance 6.7 zero to 60, handling all you can dish for a 2 ton sedan short of an m5, looks (very personal i know )but i love them, an to crown it i just went round trip from miami to key west on half a tank of diesel ( $ 1.72 a gallon) and 33.2 mpg not on a freeway all for $50,000

• 

  "Silver Arrow", as good as it gets - 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Bobby Leamon - September 18 - 5:33 am

  I recently bought a 2002 "Silver Arrow" with only 16,500 miles on it and I am absolutely delighted! The car is all I could ever hope for and has the feeling that only a well built ,heavy roadster can provide to its driver. I drove several SLs before deciding on the "Silver Arrow" and although all of them were excellent,the "Arrow" just plainly had them all beat in the looks department. The interior appointments and special features made me appreciate all the more, the quality of such a wonderful vehicle.A nyone wishing to purchase a quality SL would do well to look into the "Silver Arrow" version, I know they will not be disappointed, I certainly wasnt !