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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  S600 04 startup glitches - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Sixftr - October 14 - 2:00 am

  Second day, car failed to start. Roadside service hung up on me. Battery replaced, seems ok. Two days later, radio sound went out, came back after setting over night. Repeat a week later. Mercedes service discovered a software upgrade to computer system that had to be orderd. Motor for active suspension replaced.

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  Its been a good car. - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By DI - October 12 - 9:23 pm

  We bought the car used with 64,000 miles on it. Its been a very good car, fairly reliable, but routine maintenance at the dealer has been expensive. Good gas mileage for its size, good cargo area for my needs. Now has 112,000 miles and motor still great. Never left me stranded, but my clock stopped working last year and instrument panel would have to replaced at a cost of $1,000, so not doing that. Comfortable for me, but not my husband who is tall... he doesnt have near enough leg room, and even getting into the vehicle is a tight fit for him. It needs about another 6-8" of leg room for people over 6 ft. Back window wiper is loud. I still have the original radio which is pretty useless.

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  Stunning - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Robert - October 11 - 12:50 am

  This car is good all around. More then enough power to rival the 5M and B7 Alphina but not quite up to par with the pannera.

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  Not so happy - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Kathy Reichenbaum - October 10 - 2:33 am

  A serious problem with a loud banging noise- and feels like a flat tire- in shop for the second time- was told it was the 4-matic system this is a $70,000 car. Not fixed yet. I have 4,000 mi. on the car. Mercedes is not what it used to be.I own many cars. I feel the quality of this car is poor. I also feel that Mercedes is not being responsible enough for quality control.

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  Baby Benz is a Great Drive! - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mikeb130 - October 8 - 1:43 am

  Traded my 2000 BMW 323ci for this car about 6 weeks ago. Have to say I am very impressed. From the moment you walk up to this car, it says, "I mean business." Outstanding exterior styling - mine is Mars Red and has the 18" AMG wheels. Cant tell you how many comments Ive gotten from total strangers at the gas pump or grocery store. Inside, things are well- organized and comfortable. Not sure why they put two control stalks on the left side of the steering wheel and none on the right, but you get used to it. Great manual tranny - shifter at least as precise as the Bimmers. Excellent stability in braking and cornering, good power. Overall great car!

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  A NICE SUV - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By FFS - September 30 - 2:00 am

  This is one of the safest SUVs available in the market. The 3.2L engine has sufficient power for most applications. Handling and ride quality are good for a truck with a body-on- frame design. Climate Control is very efficient but the sun sensor is a little too sensitive. Reliability has been very good with 12,000 trouble free miles so far.

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  Ive Had Issues - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By PPilot - September 29 - 2:50 pm

  I love this car but unfortunately I have had issues. The check engine light came on and took 3 trips to the dealer to fix. The steering column angle sensor went bad and had to be replaced and most distressing (the new 7-speed transmission) a clunkly downshift from 3-2 when coming to a stop. The dealer fixed this but 2,000 miles later it is back. Of course everyone knows how it is impossible to come to a smooth stop with those electric brakes. It kills me because I love the car.

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  Love this car! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By LeQuon - September 28 - 10:00 am

  I drove an SLK 320 and traded it in for c320 because I wanted a car that was more practical. I dont know why there are bad reviews about the car, I guess some of these people were unlucky and got the defects. Anyhow, I love this car! It is smooth, luxurious, and comfortable. I cant ask for more! I havent had any problems since.

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  WARNING! Bad Engineering ahead - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By vwbus1979 - September 27 - 1:21 am

  After five long years of owning my 98 E300 TD, I am left with a completely destroyed car due to poor engineering on MBZ. Turns out MBZ designed the transmission cooler INSIDE the radiator. The tranny cooler contains oil and the radiator contains water. Think about it. Yup! The two mixed last weekend and water went into the transmission, completely destroying the transmission, torque converter and engine electronics leaving me with a $7k bill for a car worth only $9k. Last summer, it was $4k to replace the diesel injectors. The summer before that, $2400 to replace the A/C unit and belts. The car only has 104k miles on it. It is now scrap metal. Unreal.

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  Love it Love it Love it - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By kalvin97gagt - September 26 - 4:26 pm

  Bought this car about 3 months ago used with 37k miles from the 2nd owner. Its what you expect from a german car, tight and solid but yet refined while hugging the road like a sports car. The ride is perfect, not harsh and not too loose like other non AMG models. The engine roars you through the rpm range and makes a great sound. The car is plenty quick, but it would be a monster with the 5.4 Supercharged version found in the E55