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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  Perfect car for me - 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By Julie V. - September 14 - 8:51 pm

  Over the years I have driven a bmw, Porsche, Saab, and several infinitis, the last a g35 coupe. It was a great, fun, fast car, but also uncomfortable inside and a gas guzzler. My new mercedes cla 250 doesnt have nearly the power, and the transmission in the economy mode is clunky, but it handles nicely, gets good gas mileage (Im averaging 26.5 in the city), and is a great looking little car. If you turn off economy mode, the car is perkier and handles just fine. I hardly ever drive with anyone in the back seat, so its cramped nature bothers me not, especially after the coupe! At this stage in my life I dont want a big gas guzzling car, just a spiffy, well made, fun machine, and this one fits the bill.

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  ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEMS - 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
  By James - September 14 - 10:21 am

  I bought a sprinter RV 2011 MB chassis with 14500 miles on it . And on the drive away from buying it the engine light came on got towed and MB replaced EGR valve out of dealer @14608 miles drove 823 miles to next dealer they replaced nox out @15345 miles drove 3454 miles to next dealer they did IQT out @ 18799 miles,..Now I sit at another dealer with about 20689 miles waiting for a engine light problem to be fixed so I got 1890 miles on the last fix ..This is from March 17th 2017 to Oct 5th 2017 I am at my 4th Dealer visit in 6 months and drove only 6189 miles Totally MB needs to fix this issue

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  2005 Mercedes E320 CDI - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By G. Ward - September 13 - 8:00 am

  I have been very pleased with my E320 CDI in the year I have had it. My mileage has been between 33 and 35 mpg, and even higher on longer trips. The car has excellent pickup and is much better than the diesels I have owned in the past. The only problem I have had is that the clock in the dash gains a couple minutes a month and it is not exactly easy to reset. The dealer told me that this gain per month is within tolerances, but none of my clocks gained that much in the past. I have had one burned taillight in the year Ive had the car, and one recall to repair the computer assisted brake system. All in all, it is an excellent car.

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  Mid-life refresher - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By smithy11clk320 - September 11 - 10:43 pm

  The CLK320 Cabriolet is truly a fun car to drive and a head turner even in a crowd of Benzs, BMWs, Caddies, et al. There are a few weaknesses though in the clunky suspension and lack of steering feedback. As I tell my son, its a luxury car not a sports car speedster. For class, style, and practicality I dont think theres anything on the market even close, although reviews that say it seats 4 adults "comfortably" must be based on the opinion of some small folks. You can get 4 in, but nobody is very comfortable. Engine is strong, even if not real quick off the line and the highway ride is dangerously smooth - 100mph creeps up on you easily. If youre looking at this car - BUY IT - you wont be sorry!

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  OH MY HECK!!!!! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By spin man - September 11 - 12:20 pm

  This is no SUV for the typical affluent housewife. It is an awesome military born rugged SUV turned luxury- --well, as much as possible. It takes a heavy hand and a heavy foot, but that is not a bad thing. It is more of a mans car, no doubt. I love it because it is never going to lose the visual appeal it possesses. It is strong, demanding, and has incredible presence. That is what makes the G500 stand all alone. Nothing comes close.

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  Worth The Money.... - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Ben_FL - September 11 - 10:00 am

  This car is like a fresh bread from the oven. Very comfortable. For the time Ive had this car I dont have anything much to complain. The only thing I would have wished for better is the fuel consumption. But owning this car means having your pockets ready for the gas.My only disappointment is when the battery went low without any indication.But all the same the positive overcome the negatives. Recommended car for you out there !!

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  I cant be happier.....I just sold mine. - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By chong - September 11 - 10:00 am

  Engine and transmition problem, electrical problem, window wont open, doors wont lock, lost power steering two times within a year, dealer charge me $1500 to replace a light bulb in the running broad, cracked rear side panel, change break pads three times in the first 30,000 miles, low feul light blinks and no dealer can fix it and many more.My EX-ML almost killed me three days ago when it lost its power steering. And I just fixed the power steering two weeks ago because I got a recall from Mercede. THE RECALL LETTER SAID THE ML CAN LOSE IT POWER STEERING SUDDENTLY AND MAY CAUSE DANGEROUS SITUATION. This really happened but after They FIXED the problem!

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  OUTSTANDING !!!!!!!!!!!! - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By H-Bag - September 11 - 10:00 am

  Either Im the luckiest man alive or those germans really know HOW TO BUILD THEM !!.....This 4matic is coming close to 100k miles and so far no problems at all other than regular maintenance. Also this car is a BEAST in the snow w/artic alpines of course.

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  ML500 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By CMT - September 11 - 10:00 am

  Love the ML500. Park Place gives excellent service.

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  STAY AWAY - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By gr-1 - September 11 - 10:00 am

  many problems with power steering front end navigation and oil leakes