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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  2015 MB C-class - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By MBW - November 3 - 5:27 pm

  Use US News and World; search under used cars for reliability, safety, cost, etc.

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  Still needs improvement - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By docstevew - November 1 - 8:46 pm

  I believe Mercedes still has a lot of room to improve on their "high end" car. It was always my dream to own a "Big Mercedes" for the style, luxury, and comfort. I find it to be satisfying with the car, but disappointed with the lack of attention to the details. This car always had some minor electrical problems (turning lights,ets) that the dealer can never seem to figure it out. Navigation system needs major improvement (with touch screen). Nevertheless, I like the style and smooth acceleration of its fine motor. Its like a dream come true, but not quite perfect.

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  Surprising Wagon - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By pennk - October 27 - 10:00 am

  I have owned it for 1 month, and so far there have been no problems. The car rides good and drives great. I love the feel of the car. The only concern is that sometimes the engine seems very sluggish from the start, especially when it is hot out.

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  Never again for Mercedes - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By jhduesterbeck - October 26 - 12:36 am

  I traded in my Cadillac Deville that had no problems with 112,000 miles (never one repair) for this SUV assuming that it would be more reliable since it was made by Mercedes- Benz. Was I wrong. After 55,000 miles I had to replace the drive shaft. Then the harmonic balancer went out and took everything else out with it, that cost 1200.00 and turned out to be a recall. M-B reimbursed me 200.00 of the 1200.00. I have also replaced the transmission, transfer case, rear shocks, front struts. I have put almost 10,000 in repairs in this vehicle. The only good I have to say is the safety. I was the first car rearended by a surburban in a 4 car pile up and neither myself or daughter was hurt.

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  Lovin it - 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Jay - October 19 - 5:36 am

  Just picked up the ML for my wife. We looked at the X5, Q7 and the MDX. The ML interior is great compared to the others. The ride is fantastic! I believe that whatever issues this car had previously-they have corrected. My wife is in heaven. She loves the seats and says they are the most comfortable she has ever had. The ride is very quiet and the handling is smooth. We are very happy with our choice.

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  Spare a trannie? - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ed buhl - October 18 - 7:16 pm

  This rocket ship has been nothing but trouble. Turbo chirping, replace torque converter, replace trannie (68000), replace trannie computer, replace motor on drivers seat. This car has had factory service and was never abused, just driven. Would never own another Benz. Look forward to turning it in at lease end. Its in the shop now. Maybe they should just keep it !

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  Happy - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Happy - October 18 - 6:40 pm

  Love it! I have several vehicles and this one is a toy just for a kick. But I have found I am enjoying it more than any of my previous toys,(Corvette, 430 SLK, Jag XJS & BMWs)Power,comfort, handling and all in the best looking car on the market.

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  Love it!! Love it!! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Matt - October 16 - 3:13 pm

  I shopped around looking for a nice-looking, fuel efficient, powerful vehicle. Checked out Infinity, Mazda, Lexus and MB. This car has it all and won hands down. I can load up 6 sets of golf clubs, a dog, 2 kids. Plus this sucker is fun to drive. The craftsmanship is somewhat on the chincy side, but this puppy hums. Wish it had an I-pod hookup (but this is an 02). Test drive one, you wont regret it!

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  not again - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By stuf - October 14 - 2:00 am

  This auto has fantastic styling and engineering yet lacks reliability. The electrical system has had several problems since I reached mile 16. I have had the instrument cluster replaced 6 times for malfunctions. The automatic windows have been reset or replaced 9 times. The best attribute of this auto has been the great gas mileage 23/30.

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  ML 350 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By EAGLE - October 14 - 2:00 am

  With all the packages really makes vehicle looko like a high class SUV, and drive is smooth like a car.