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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  what a ride!!!! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mbzman - October 7 - 10:00 am

  Decided to move up from a Honda Accord, and cannot believe the difference between the two vehicles. Everything about this car is amazing. The vehicle dynamics alone should be a selling point. Just got back from a trip up to Morro Bay, Ca., and avg. close to 29 mpg @ 80+. More importantly though, is how this vehicle behaves, whether its the steering, braking, or cornering, it really shows its heritage, especially when compared to my Accord. Dont get mewrong, the Honda was a great car, but there is no comparison between the two.

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  Review By Owner - 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By FLFX - October 7 - 3:20 am

  Much better in in aspects then my 04 S430. By far the best under 100k Luxury Sedan. The car adapts to your driving style! How the new Consumer Reports can rate the Lexus LS higher is beyond me. It takes a bit to get used to the new COMAND, yet after that you will never want to go back to plastic push buttons again. How on earth could anyone think the controls are difficult to use, unless they never used a computer mouse in their lifetime. I am picky and looked at all in this class, and very satisfied with my purchase. European Luxury Sedans just have better road feel than the Japanese. The S Class has more steel interior parts than Lexus LS & is just a better handling car.

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  My Car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Patty Squyres - October 5 - 8:26 pm

  This car had bumper to bumper warranty for four years. It has had no major repairs. It had the belts replaced two or more years ago.

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  Not bad - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By rfarnum - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Took a few months for me to figure out that everyone isnt looking at you because youre driving a Benz. This is my daily driver, its a great, solid car. Gas mileage is good to very good (26-27 average). Any time I drive a rental or a friends car, I get back in my Benz and smile. Its a very well built car. The heavy, solid feel of the door shutting is ample justification for the price of a Mercedes. This car is pretty wimpy for its weight. I have to do manual shift-drops for passing--the throttle tip-in is too slow. We have put a great deal of money into maintenance and repairs, but thats a price of driving a German car, no matter the make.

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  Very Nice Car - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Dennis - October 3 - 2:20 pm

  I would buy another one.

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  Sweet - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By hoonsgal - October 2 - 1:50 pm

  I just purchased the ML350 after seriously considering the Lexus RX400h and the Acura MDX. I really fell in love with the ML350s appearance and the smooth and relatively powerful ride. The interior is very comfortable and spacious and this car is a joy to ride. I will say that if navigation is a big priority to you, the Acura is much better. The system is clumsy and you cant even find a Starbucks on it! But, it is functional.

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  My first Mercedes is a winner - 2000 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By cfreema7 - October 2 - 12:30 pm

  Very stylish and great performance. This is my first MB, a used CLK320. I like the power. Moving from a BMW 525, this car moves like lightning. I was a little disappointed in the 22 mpg city/freeway I was getting, compared to the 26 I got in the BMW, and the 28mpg advertised. The cockpit is a nice fit. The cup holders are awkward when open and the glove comparment can be used for just that - and nothing else. But putting the top down, this car moves like the wind and I get plenty of compliments. One handed convertible process is ok. The V6 out drags anything it comes against, and the suspension tracks perfectly through 30 mph U-turns. Im sold and looking forward to my first CLK55.

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  Still a nice car at 14 years old - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bobaquino - October 2 - 10:20 am

  This is my first Benz, I bought it not long ago from old lady that passed away so truly it was the "Little old lady that drove it on Sunday" car. It had less than 68 K on it which was extremely low mileage for a 14 year old car, but unfortunately she took very poor care of the car bordering on car abuse. I have been going through it repairing what I can and getting all the service caught up, mostly by doing the work myself. The trick to owning one of these old Benzs is that you dont want to constantly pay somebody else to do the work, (no dealer) you need to be able to fix it yourself. Fortunately, the car is actually quite service friendly, though parts can be expensive.

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  Comfortable - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Bert - October 2 - 8:33 am

  Previously had a 2003 M5. Sold it because it was uncomfortable and unfriendly around town. I spent years looking for that elusive comfortable race car. March of 2009 I finally found it. After looking at GTR, CTS-V, Mustang, GTO, Corvette, Audi S5 and R8 and Lexus ISF, I stumbled across the C- 63. It is the real deal. Power and torque galore, great handling, exhaust note. Comfortable around town, long trips or driving hard. A luxurious, comfortable "Beast" of a car. After 1 year I still look for excuses to drive it. It is simply exhilarating to drive. I have driven on track in Formula Fords and Mazdas (150 MPH) on road courses, NASCAR oval and Sprint cars.

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  Love My Car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By S-Mazz 500 - October 1 - 10:00 am

  I love driving this car. I got the almandine black matallic with java interior. The car turns heads. Love the keyless go and voice command. Its comfortable, quiet and smooth. SAT became available after I ordered the car. I set up an install but stopped the installation when dealer called to tell me they would have to mount antenna on truck and needed to drill a hole in the lid. Almost 7k miles on the car without any problems. Oh, hit some road debris and tore a hole in a tire side wall. Called roadside assistance via the wrench button. I was back on the road in less than 45 minutes. Great service all around.