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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  Engine Problems-cam shaft adjuster - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mike Richards - May 27 - 1:28 am

  Costly repair popped up right after 50,000 miles (right after the warranty expires). Repair is going to cost over $4K. MB has problems with this issue. It seems similar to the issue in the class action from 2012 in Northern District of California.

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  a Benz with personality - 2011 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By sonderklasse - May 26 - 4:38 pm

  I sympathize with the reviewers who expected a smooth luxury cruiser, because this car is surprisingly challenging to drive, but thats a big part of its appeal to me. Step off is balky in C ("controlled efficiency") or S ("sport") modes, maybe because the transmission doesnt have a torque converter. But it smooths out considerably in M ("manual") mode and, in fact, the car seems considerably happier, although MPG nose dives. The C and even S modes lug the car unmercifully. Weird to drive a huge luxury car that needs driver involvement, but Im the rarity who likes that. Reminds me of my 2005 Maserati GranSport, although of course the Maserati shifts far more positively.

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  Ditched my dated 2012 C250 coupe for this - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jason - May 26 - 12:15 pm

  This is my 2nd Mercedes. My first was the C250 coupe, which I felt was underpowered. I also didnt like RWD, living in the Pacific NW where it rains a lot (well, it used to at least....) - I wanted something w/ AWD. When I saw the redesign of the C-Class, I was blown away and had to have it. Everything about the design is beautiful. Front, rear, side - doesnt matter the angle. Inside/outside - all like no other car (in this price range) in my opinion. Ive owned mine for 5 months and about 3,600 miles so far. It was built in April 2015. I know there have been issues w/ earlier builds - some recalls, issues w/ the MB-Tex seats bleeding, fuel door misalignment, rear bumper/tail light misalignment, etc. Ive had NONE of these issues. Theres a lot of talk about excessive wind noise. Not a problem for me at all. I have the 19" AMGs with run flats, so on rougher surfaces, there is a lot of tire noise. I also have the sport package w/ the stiffer suspension - and its noticeably rougher after having test driven one w/ the "comfort" suspension. If I could change one thing about it, I would mellow out the suspension, cause on some roads its a little busy and you get tossed around in your seat. Guess thats what the extra bolstering is for..... I looked at the 328, A4 & A3 when I was shopping. Nothing could compare to the interior of the C-Class. The A3 was surprisingly cheap looking inside. The A4 was a classic design, but dated and tired & I was surprised by the poor resolution of the LCD screen. Its since been redesigned and is much improved (especially the instrumentation display!) - but still doesnt have the unique, elegant finesse of the C300. When people see the interior of my car for the first time, they have a strong reaction. Its not like anything theyve seen before and theyre surprised by its beauty and high-end style. I love driving this car & make excuses to be in it as much as possible. I havent had a single issue - mechanical or otherwise. I know they exist, but those seem to be the loudest voices, as is usually the case. If I had to buy it over again, I would in a heartbeat. I love this car.

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  C 230 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ENDEAVORUS - May 25 - 2:00 am

  The MB C230 is extreamly fun to drive and an absolute pleasure to own. Numerouse safty and comfort features reasure the driver and give it a smooth ride usually associated with larger cars, coupled with the agility of a small sports coupe.

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  Highly competent but uninvolved - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By William Stivelman - May 25 - 2:00 am

  The E320 is wonderfully engineered. It almost drives itself. It drives more like a Lexus than a Benz of 15 years ago. I dont know if is good or bad. Certainly the driver is less involved, but handling and performance are clasic Benz, but more refined than before. This car says to the driver, "I can handle it." It isnt in the BMW tradition which says, "Push me to the limit," even though the Benz will deliver similar performance with a bit less flash.

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  looks only - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By relfamily - May 25 - 2:00 am

  reliabilitys very disappointing. on a monthly basis there is some small problem, which so far the excellent service dept. of this dealership was able to correct. but then there are some problems they cannot handle since it relates to the mechanical design of this car. we all know the low profile tires allow the rims to get nicked very easily ( there is a pending classaction suit ) the body flexes and there are noises from the roof latches and other parts of the car which MB have no idea how to correct. all in all this was a poor investments and u can get a better car for half this price. sorry MB but no wonder u are nbr 29 on the list of JDP..

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  S-500 sedan - 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By jcfalt - May 24 - 6:26 pm

  Fun and fast car to drive, would buy another one soon

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  I Highly Recommend the BMW - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Melissa - May 23 - 9:40 pm

  I traded in a BMW 330 convertible on this car a little over a year ago. I was looking for something a little more luxurious, but with the fun of the convertible. I really wish I had the 5 year old BMW back. This car looks good, but thats about it. Boring to drive, doesnt hug the curves like Im used to. Ive also been very disappointed in the interior of this car. Very cheaply designed for the price. Navigation system is so outdated that most of my commute on a highway completed two years ago is not even on the system. No one can tell me when this will be updated. I put the top down about once a week and put it back up in the garage. It is showing far more wear than 5 yr old BMW.

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  This Car Rocks! - 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ftmbowner - May 23 - 4:03 pm

  It does not get any better than this car. It turns heads, it rides like a dream and handles like it is on rails. It is a great fun car. All the fears about the cost of maintenance that scared me away from MB for years have been put to rest wth being able to purchase maintenance packages. HWY MPG is between 28-32 depending on how far you put your foot in it or how much traffic is on the road. City MPG is 23-25 which is the same as my Honda Accord.

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  Lease is up in May! - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By PatR - May 22 - 2:00 am

  During the first two years this ML was in the shop 13(not a good #) times. The next two years were flawless except for routine service. I can purchase the ML for $24,000, but I am worried about long term reliability. Considering a Toyota Highlander or a Chevy Trailblazer to replace the ML. How has everyones ML been after the first two years?