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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  Newer E320 Wagons - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By SandyF - October 1 - 10:00 am

  WE upgraded from a 2000 wagon. The 2004 model amazed us in the improvements both on the inside, but more importantly on the drive. The newer models start from a stop faster and they corner even better. Only negatives really are the price and the reduced head room for the rear (3rd) seat.

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  Quality All Around - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By RABMAN - September 30 - 7:36 am

  High quality car with great handling and performance. The 550, V8 is far superior to the 350 and well worth the added $8K. Sound and multi-media system is A-1, dynamic seats are fantastic.

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  Great car, with one fatal flaw - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Tim W - September 30 - 3:09 am

  I really like just about everything about the car. I have the 4-cylinder Sport model, and despite having a seemingly modest 241 HP, that figure may be a conservative estimate by MB, and with all 273 lb/ft of torque available from 1,500 RPM on up, this car accelerates very well. Shifting can be a little rough at times, although it has seemed to be improving somewhat over time. The driving mode selector lets you get even a bit more response if you want it, but the standard "comfort" setting is more than adequate for everyday driving. The interior is considered best-in-class, and possibly among the best period, for good reason. Being a larger driver, Im always concerned about interior room when looking at cars considered to be in the compact class, but thats not really an issue with the C300. Theres plenty of headroom for taller drivers if you forego the optional sunroof. The power drivers seat will adjust as far back as you want it to go, and I really like the flat-bottomed steering wheel that comes with the Sport package. The car looks really sharp inside and out. I have the 19" AMG wheels, upgraded lighting package, and rear spoiler. Combined with the aforementioned premium interior, it looks like a much more expensive car than it is. The one problem I have with the vehicle - and its a serious one - is that most examples of this car, including mine, have a terrible wind noise issue that is bad to start, and only gets worse over time. The sound with the window completely shut is basically the same as having your window cracked open half-an-inch in other cars, and at this point in mine is about equally loud. It has gotten to the point where it is so loud that it will overcome the sound system at moderate volumes on the freeway, forcing me to set the volume louder than I would otherwise be comfortable with. If MB acknowledged the problem and at least claimed they were working on a fix, it would make me feel better about it and possibly just consider it a maintenance item, but at least to this point, they have not, instead claiming it is just a characteristic of the vehicle. For that reason, I wouldnt recommend buying this car unless/until MB provides a fix. Its shame, because its a great car otherwise. I havent had it long enough yet to comment on reliability, maintenance, or resale value. Update - 07/16 - I brought my vehicle in for its first regularly scheduled maintenance and mentioned the wind noise issue. Without any further trouble or negotiation, my dealer acknowledged the issue and upgraded my front windows to the dual-pane version that does not exhibit the wind noise issue. It took a week in the shop, but the issue is fixed. So Im a happy camper in that regard. If you have a C300 with the wind noise issue, definitely push it with your dealer. By this point, theyve probably seen enough cases of it to accept your claim without much issue, but if they do push back, there are plenty of other examples you can use to support your case. My observed MPG is based on using "Sport" mode almost all of the time, and driving with a lead foot. The car is very quick, and its hard to resist accelerating when the opportunity presents itself. So I can see how you could easily average over 30, but Im happy with upper-20s while driving relatively aggressively.

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  ML 350 4matic 2011 - 2011 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By benzhound - September 29 - 3:09 pm

  I own several MB products; this ML is a joy to drive and although it does not take the corners like my MB coupe and sedan, it is a solid performer, well laid out interior and has all the current tech features. Controls are easy to use, has great cargo capacity, roomy cabin, adequate power, smooth transmission and the blind side assist feature is like an extra set of eyes.

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  I love this car - 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
  By Kelly Wells - September 29 - 10:51 am

  I looked very seriously at 4 vehicles before buying the Mercedes GLA 250 : the Volvo V60, the VW Alltrack, and the BMW X1. The Mercedes has everything that I wanted. It has the Apple CarPlay, which I love. The controls are really easy to read and understand which makes driving the vehicle safer for me because I am not taking time to figure the display out. BMW - display was too busy and complex for me. The Volvo, seats not that comfy in my opinion and visibility terrible. The Alltrack was nice but to be honest, the customer service at the dealership stunk! The salespeople at Mercedes were so attentive and on point the entire time, that the sales process went very smooth. This car has driven like a dream for the 1000 miles Ive put on it to date, and I really like it. Cons are that the glovebox is small, the headroom is a bit tight at times if you are tall and the back storage is a little tight, but the drive and comfort on the road and ease of controls, heat, radio, etc. I just love the layout of it all and the interior is very stylish!

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  Myahshauntis Review - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By Myahshaunti Mercer - September 28 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is best for those who are out to profile. It handles great and is very roomy. The engineers didnt cut corners when it came to the comfort and durability. I have twin 2- year old boys who play very rough and they havent done a thing. I recommend this vehicle to anyone who is looking for room, luxury, and above all, class.

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  German Cars Not so Perfect - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tonito - September 28 - 2:00 am

  The car has less than 2000 miles on it and has been in the shop TWICE already. The first time, they replaced a sensor to correct an idle problem. Within 48 hours, the "check engine" light came on and it went back to the shop. This time they kept it overnite, replaced another sensor and now Im keeping my fingers crossed.

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  Best yet. - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Benz Owner - September 28 - 12:50 am

  This is my third E-class (1997, 2003, and 2010), and its the best of the bunch in most areas. The transmission is a major step up, and the ride and steering are even better than before. The "Command" system requires a steep learning curve, but it is all you could ask for in terms of options. Im not sure what the mileage will be after some long trips, but in the 1600 miles Ive driven so far (mostly around town) its 21.7, which is not bad but not quite up to the 23.5 that I got with the 2003 (overall for 107,000 miles). I hope the reliability improves: it was substandard on the two previous models, which was my only major complaint. Outstanding safety features make up for this, however

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  Good bang for the buck - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mickey D- N- Tn. - September 27 - 3:30 pm

  This 99 E 320 had 6500 miles on it when purchased.We have have averaged around 10,000 mi. per yr. and 32 MPG or better on hwy. Recommended scheduled maintenance by MB certified tech and that is it.What more could you ask for?????

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  Excellent small SUV - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By CDZa - September 25 - 11:43 pm

  This is a good quality, German car. Very reliable. Feels extremely safe.