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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  Love it!!! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Aronky - November 5 - 5:56 am

  Love this car...Im 16 and this is my second Benz after wrecking the first one. It has tons of room, very nice leather that NEVER wears. Sound system was great. A few problems with ball bearings and engine mounts, but inexpensive to fix and caused because the previous owner was apparently abusive. Great acceleration and handles great. So good off-road, can go everywhere all my friends with lifted trucks can. Feels really solid and was built with great quality. I would recommend this car to anyone who has kids or needs room for stuff but still wants performance and comfort.

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  I Cant Stop Driving this Car! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By leightnite - November 4 - 10:56 am

  My wife and I were looking at the IS and the 3 series. Test drove a ton of cars, and ended up getting a 07 C280. Ended up test driving a C300 and loved it so much we took back the other one and bought the C300. What a difference a year makes. This car is unbelievable. It is very firm and hugs the road. I have put about 3K mi on it from a road trip from Va to FL and back and I have never enjoyed driving so much. If you are looking at this car, youmust get the multimedia option! You will be sorry if you dont. I avg. 26mpg w/ the cruise set at 80. Just wished the the tank was bigger. The car is just wonderful! Gets looks everywhere I go and I cant stop talking about this car!

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  Safest among SUVs - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By FBgreatfalls - November 4 - 10:00 am

  Great SUV to drive around the town and on Hwy. Very easy to handle and park while fun to drive. ML350 has a good pick up and power delivery due to its higher and smoother torque delivery. It is kind of heavy (about 4800 lb) for its size but it is built solid and feels like a full size SUV. A bit tight in the back seat but still comfortable with proper air flow. If you get this car, try to get it with GPS and Bose audio system.

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  The 4MATIC is great. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mbdriver - November 4 - 2:00 am

  I am really enjoying the C240 4MATIC because of the great lines, quiet, stable ride, the unbelievable handling and the overall fun factor of this car. The two real reasons I considered this car were the many safety features and the all wheel drive. The head, side and front air bags give great piece-of-mind. On the lighter side, the Bose stereo sounds great, the ride is ultra-smooth and very quiet, the leather interior is very comfortable, and the dual-climate control come in very handy.

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  Yet another ML for me. - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Mark - November 3 - 4:30 am

  My fourth ML, the first three were--simply put--mediocre. Finally, Mercedes made an SUV that is up-to-par with the Lexus and the BMW. It looks great, it runs great, it is just the right size, and the price isnt overwhelming. What more do you want? This baby is fun to drive and feels like a sports car. The overall quality has finally met Mercedes standards. No more parodizing the "USA Built Mercedes" excuse. Highly recommend this SUV. If you have had an ML in the past, well this is a whole new animal. If you have not, then you are definitely missing out!

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  My Problems with MB of N.A. - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By DNK - November 2 - 12:00 am

  Better than expected ride and handling. Great for road trips. MPG are better than advertised. But lacks nice wheels/rims. I did an upgrade, makes all the difference in making the vehicle look much sportier.

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  Cachet name, but ........... - 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By in the fast lane - October 31 - 11:23 pm

  I drove the new E class as I was contemplating a new lease deal. Unfortunately, this new E class with the 4 cylinder turbo engine was not as good as its ancestor. The old sport 4 door E350 with the larger six cylinder engine was larger, quicker, quieter, had a better ride. IMHO the new E300 was a disappointment. For a car which lists over $50,000 leather seats were not even standard (they had vinyl seats called leatherette). Not what you would expect in a car of this class. I did read Consumer Reports prior to test driving the E300 and I would agree with their objective 50 test assessment.The E300 was not a top 10 luxury car selection. On their suggestion I am presently deciding between a Infiniti Q70 and a Lexus GS350. Both are very RELIABLE and are fun to drive. IMHO, every car has its quirks but you just dont too many of them. Read CONSUMER REPORTS then do some driving before you lease/buy.

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  Hopefully Helpful - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By geek - October 31 - 12:43 pm

  City and Highway driving. Live where it does snow - 4 Seasons. All wheel drive a great feature. If you own the rear wheel drive version or any other rear wheel drive car and live where there is snow, winter tires are a must, enough said.

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  Loving it - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By ADNoVa - October 30 - 5:43 pm

  Picked up the GL 320 about two weeks ago and couldnt be happier. Got rid of an XC 90 over size and quality issues. Compared to the GL, the XC90 feels absolutely asthmatic. Love the power and torque of the diesel. Its a little noisy in first gear but its no worse than the whine and groan of the Volvo. I drove every full size (not giant size) SUV and nothing in this class compares to the GL in terms of space and comfort. Getting 23 mpg blended around town is a happy bonus. Drove the V8. Love the sound and its faster overall, but around town with kids, not worth the fuel economy trade off.

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  Not a single problem with mine - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By jjstern - October 30 - 10:00 am

  Call it dumb luck but Ive never had a problem with my M-class. I use it for my job and it is the most capable off- road vehicle we have ever had in our fleet. When you see it going through 2 1/2 to 3 feet of water and the door seals are so tight not a drop gets in you know the truck is built right.