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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  MERCEDES C300 2015 WORST CAR OF THE YEAR - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Tony - January 19 - 7:18 pm

  It is in fact an absolute joke. Dont buy it or lease it because the drivers seat is so badly designed that you are going to end up in the hospital. The front interior of the car is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. Theres nowhere to put the cell phone. Youve got to be a rocket scientist to put the a/c on and off. The car also stalls and you cant start it again. Also the power steering randomly freezes with no warning and you are stuck until it decides to work again. I have driven all the cars in my life and this car should have never been on the market. There is not much difference with the 2016 C300. DONT BUY IT. THE MERCEDES C300 IS THE WORST CAR OF THE YEAR. TONY

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  High price to pay for annoyance - 2015 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
  By Gary Lorenzen - January 16 - 6:56 am

  I got this to replace the 3500 express van. I needed a reliable flexible unit. What a joke. You cant take the rear seat out unless you visit the dealer; if you take out the middle seats it requires two people and one of them had better be quite healthy. All the interior panels rattle when chilly outside and reach a horrendous crescendo when cold. The brakes squeal so bad people cover their ears and wince. The transmission has a mind of its own; 25 mph in a small town it wont shift until you speed to get the revs over 3000 then up shifts 3 times and then down shifts to where it should have been in the first place (I was told this was normal...right). DEF issues are normal for this unit - 3 tries and 20 days in the shop before I could travel any distance. Speaking of DEF problems the start countdown can not be trusted for the DEF warning it goes from 13 to 5 or where ever it wants to stop. Dealers recommendation dont shut off the van. Starting issues at times (usually inconvenient) it wont start unless you keep cycling the key (hot-cold- first start- multiple starts just whenever). I paid thousands more for less reliability and only 3 more miles to the gallon. On a plus side the seats, heated mirrors, and cruise control (when not windy) are great. Basically count on this van costing you about $2.25 per mile just to pay for the thing. Got rid of it with only 9500 on the odometer, lost 20k in cash and damaged reputation of not being able to make it. Corporate really doesnt care and one rep kind of chuckled at my dilemma. There is much more like top speed governed, but wont delve into those things now. No wonder FedEx is starting to use Transits.

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  Engine replacement 52,000 miles $13,000.00 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Lou Nischan - December 26 - 11:02 am

  Had a turbo replacement for the 05 CDI with no engine damage at 149,000 miles - no problem. Just was informed by the Greenwich Penske/MB dealer that the 2007 Bluetec had a blown turbo which destroyed the engine. Cost to repair $13,000.00 - market value around $8,000.00. The turbo parts enter the engine itself and destroy it. A known design problem which has happened to thousands of Bluetecs. MB Corporate says: "Tough, car is out of warranty - we decline any responsibility. We can refer you to a good junk dealer.

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  Money pit from hell - 2015 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
  By Brian Vogt - July 25 - 6:30 pm

  I own a highend transportation business and have a large variety of vehicles from Escalades to big Diesel buses and keep my vehicles inside and go over and beyond with maintenance. I dont have enough time to tell you all the problems with my Sprinter you would be reading for two days. this week I spent 2,800 on exhaust filters and sensors drove it 22 miles took it back and spent 750 for another sensor drove it another 30 miles engine light came on again and still at shop.Do not buy one of there vans I dont care how good a deal you think it is. And remember iam just telling you the problems for one week. If you need something the size of a Sprinter go by a Ford Transit much better vehicle. Oh and on the Sprinter Mercedes says they have the best resale value my ass go try and sell one been trying to sell mine and cant even get to a car lot before the engine light comes on.

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  Poor Quality Mercedes - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By fac - January 24 - 10:00 am

  My car has been to the shop over 22 times for all different problems and they way I have been treated.Poor senior managent and the quality of the cars is not what they just to be.

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  Comfort zone - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Philip Kennedy - January 1 - 8:13 pm

  Left the 330BMW convertible as it was both uncomfortable and small. The CL500 has made my wife and I feel that it has put us back in a smooth ride again it makes us feel very safe.The style is nice as there isnt a window bar betwween the front and back window giving you as close a feeling to being in a convertable. Very roomy with enough horse power to get onto a parkway that is moving at a fairly fast pace.

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  Worst vehicle ever! Better get real good warranty! - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Brian - November 22 - 3:38 pm

  Fell in love with the looks of this vehicle. We had a VW Passat TDI but needed a bigger vehicle, and this seemed perfect. We wanted the diesel for the torque and fuel economy. Very soon after buying it (used with 69,000 miles) we began having problem after problem. Key fob quit working and then mysteriously began working again and now quit again, front wheel bearing went, had it fixed, then had to bring it back after they said they needed to replace it again, got it back and the other one went, then the air strut which began popping over every bump soon after buying it. Motor mounts went, steering column module went bad, transmission valve body had to be replaced, and it still revs and slams into second gear the first time take off in cold weather. Oil cooler seals leak, dealer supposedly changed them but they began leaking again. Never noticed the leak until AFTER they changed them bit it is a common problem. Cost: almost $3,000. AdBlue tank heater went bad, $2,000. Glow plug control module went bad, sway bar bushings and links went bad, tailgate sometimes doesnt close unless you hit the button several times or lock and then u lock with the key fob if you close it with the fob. Cant fold the second row seat back down because the seatbelt gets stuck and I have to unbolt it from the bottom to raise the seat back up. Vehicle now has 83,000 miles. Our Land Rover LR3 never gave us any problems except for an air compressor thay went out and a wheel bearing, which I easilly tackled myself. Fuel economy is dismal for a diesel. Best I can get on the highway is 22 mpg with the cruise set at 75. Cebeer console is poorly designed. You cant put anything in it. Cargo cover is poorly designed. You cant use it without scratching the sides of the vehicle, and the seatbelt snag on it making it a pain to get it into the grooves. I could go on. the LR3 also rode so much smoother, and the headlights were 100 times better, especially the high beams. Cargo carrying was also better even though the GL is much larger. The air suspension also raised and lowered very quickly on the LR3. Takes forever to raise on this vehicle. If you buy one get ready to become good friends with the service people. On the bright side youll get to test drive alot of cars because at least they give you a loaner car. I cant get rid of this thing either because despite the fact that I got a good deal below book value, it depreciated like a rock. I regret buying this car. Ive had BMWs, Land Rovers amd another Mercedes, and while Land Rovers are supposed to be unreliable, this Mercedes is way way worse than any Land Rover Ive ever owned, even my 2002 and 2003 discovery II. There are other things Ive had to get repaired bUT since there are so many I cant remember them all. I will rejoice the day I can finally get rid of this. Never again will I buy another Mercedes Benz.

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  m/b now owns my pile of junk Florida Lemon law - 2015 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
  By william LEE mitton - November 12 - 3:08 am

  vehicle will not operate in any city ,urban , metro environment . DPF will not re-gen and re-gen failiers dumps diesel into crankcase to mix w/ motor oil. My sprinter 2015 after 18000 miles never needed a drop of replacement oil (burn-off) in fact my engine had 17 gallons of fuel mixed with oil , before m/b bought it back 11/17/2016 lemon law case # 2016-0378/stp florida court . Every 600 miles or so high oil level lite and buzzers come on and you have to drain fuel/oil mix 2 or 3 quarts and then go another 600 or so . 47 days of loaner cars then said it was my city driving was the problem . State of fla. asked m/b lawers how could they sell a vehicle to anyone that doesnt live in Montana , cause thats the only place this could possibly work ! this whole DPF system is junk

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  has no value - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By rob - September 16 - 1:00 pm

  The 1998 Mercedes-Benz C230 Sedan requires high test fuel yet has no power to speak of. Its gas milage stinks for such a small car. It is not very comfortable or roomy on the inside. This car would have been an OK choice for a single person. Its resale and trade-in values are terrible. If I would have done appropriate research beforehand and known all of these things I would have NEVER of purchased this car. It is surprisingly bad for one of the alledged higher end vehicles.

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  Hunk of Junk - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Sorrowful - April 3 - 7:26 pm

  Looks pretty, but everything around the engine has fallen off or broken. The repair costs have been outrageous a real nightmare of a car. Stay clear of it.