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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  Its an acquired taste - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By MB&Caddy - November 25 - 8:00 pm

  Ive owned my ML500 for 5 months now. Coming from my 01 Seville STS, was a change of course. Overall I think the vehicle hits the mark. Not perfect, but what vehicle is. Gas mileage is decent, but this is my 2nd V8 in 5 yrs so Im used to the gas guzzling. Off the line snap is good enough to put you back in your seat. First trip was to Gatlinburg, TN and the MB was nothing but solid. Had to dial down the cruise in the mountains, it kept accelerating. Solid, comfortable, great view in traffic and a huge sunroof. Slips in and out of traffic and parking is a breeze, waiting for first real experience w/ bad weather. This thing shrugs off rain and wind like its nothing.

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  not a luxury car - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mbchica - November 24 - 8:43 am

  I have driven several luxury sedans and SUVs. If you are in the market to buy a high-bred, trust me when I say that this is not a luxury car. It is peppy enough considering what it is. It feels like nothing more than a VW Jetta. The interior is very plain and honestly kind of feels cheap. There is literally what looks and feels like aluminum on the doors and dash. Yes I understand that for 30K you cant expect to get much from MBenz. The car is cute and most likely reliable in the long term, but thats about it.

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  Its a Benz - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By aavoice - November 24 - 8:10 am

  I got this car with 75000 on it and have had to spend some money on it over the last two years. I had it repainted but it was due to a poor repair job the previous owner had done for a minor bump to the rear. Major expenses have been to rebuild the transmission, replace the wiper assembly and replaced the headliner. My mechanic recommended a transmission shop that did a good job for $1400, the wiper assembly was replaced with a used unit and after a year is starting to act up and the headliner was expensive with quotes of up to $500. The struts are getting weak so expect to have to part with some more cash soon. I look at it this say; I could spend it on car payments or..Hey, its a Benz.

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  Definite upgrade over ML350 - 2015 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By markss2 - November 23 - 9:37 pm

  Traded in my 2012 ML350 and wanted more power and features. ML400 delivers both. New MB 6 cylinder turbo is much more powerful at any RPM. Its not quite an 8, but gets better fuel economy than the regular 6 in the ML350. This engine is a new gem in the MB lineup. The ML400 adds a bunch of features standard, plus I ordered AMG wheels, halogen lights, panoramic roof, cooled seats and a few more. If you like the ML350, youll love the ML400. More money, but definitely more fun to drive. You may find a better value SUV, but the ML400 is tops in performance, ride quality and overall quality. Happy I stepped up.

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  ML500 Sport - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Rosenblum - November 19 - 10:00 am

  I went with the sport package and put aftermarket 295s with lowenhart rims, looks great with tinted windows. The Nav system is great once you figure out how to use it. Bose is fair. The small radio and Nav controls are a friggin joke. They have to make the car safe because you stand a great chance of having an accident while you change radio stations. Ive had two service problems.Wish I went for the AMG to get the bigger engine.

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  POOR CRAFTMANSHIP - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Nathaniel - November 19 - 10:00 am

  I had my SUV for 3 months and been to deeler couple of times due to poor product design: First the astray failed and have to keep the car overnight co, they have to take apart the median console area. Second the driver side sealer pop out they to replace the section that hold the fancy mercedes name as you step in the car. But its fun to drive, the luxury feature are great then again it drink gas. Overall Im happy, as long little things will hold.

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  Not Perfect - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Jay - November 16 - 6:33 pm

  There are some things about this car that are exceptional. Engine, drive train, performance, handling and styling are all terrific. MB has also done a really nice job with the electronics. I could figure out how to use all of the controls without the manual. The less good news. Stereo sound should be better. XM radio doesnt work well if you have many trees in your area. Dashboard dials look worse than my old E class. Materials on interior arent noticably better than on my old E class. The biggest beef I have with the car is that it has some squeaks and rattles in the dash and doors. This is unaccepatble in a car of this price/class.

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  Seat Belt problem?? - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By sab2k - November 15 - 10:00 am

  I love this car, but the drivers seatbelt starting acting up. I took it in three times in two weeks with a persistent and recurring problem. Anyone out there had a similar problem? How was it resolved? Anyone out there with similar experiences at Caliber? Could be the dealers service personnel not trained sufficiently to work on thee masterpieces.

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  BIG PROBLEM - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By BIG PROBLEM - November 15 - 10:00 am

  Purchased new for my wife, It was in shop more days than she drove it, They said it was a computer problem, who knows? Had a S-class before, will purchase LEXUS for her. Let M/Benz get the bugs out of this one first!!!!

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  Could be better - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Hatrick - November 8 - 4:56 am

  I had this SUV for a year now and I must admit that MB has not yet sorted out transmission and brakes on this model. It seems that "electronic brain" is not governing transmission shifts correctly and is very evident during "stop and go" traffic: 1-to-2 gear shift, during downshift or at brake time. Just touching the brakes, creates an immediate and unnecessary downshift, sometimes more than one gear. Good vehicle for someone who does not care how it drives - just gets there. Although, it is very good in the snow. During cold weather, electronic cluster displays erroneous messages (Low Coolant and Washer Level) and front shocks made strange noise, until the car warms up.