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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  Better than ever!!! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Second Timer - March 11 - 10:00 am

  We traded a 02 ML430 with 78K that was the best car we ever owned. Now, the 03 ML500 takes top honors. the drive is improved and the power makes it handle like a sports car going up hills. Great tow car, smarter trans, and some new convenience features. Im getting better mileage than the 430: over 19 mpg (mostly freeway) because the torque just eats up the hills.

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  Love the car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Ron Talbot - March 10 - 8:33 am

  This is my second E-model turbo diesel. I was happy with the trade on my E- 300TD. This E320 CDI exceeded my expectations for overall quality and roadability. There are a few options I feel should come with the car but all in all I feel its a 9.5.

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  GL450 Falling apart at 65K miles - 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By beachbenz - March 9 - 12:34 pm

  Ive got a 2009 GL450 with 65K miles. My wife drives it for light suburban driving only. In general, we like the vehicle, but it has been in the shop at least every three months. We are now out of warranty and have had a flood of issues in the past month. Three weeks ago the driver-side door lock mechanism went out. The audio (radio, phone, everything) went out last week and the system needed to be reset. This week, both front struts went out and nearly killed her (car was out of control). The bill for the struts and the doorlock is $5K, but the dealer offered to pick-up some of the tab. Ive owned a lot of new mercedes, but wont buy another one.

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  1st MB Ask again later - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Roland Boulette - March 8 - 6:03 pm

  make sure you grt some type of warranty , even a few months on major power train .... just in case

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  Glad its gone - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tom - March 8 - 3:06 am

  Just traded my 01 E320 4M with 118,600 kms for a 2006 Lexus GS300. I bought the E with 80,000 kms on it and a vibration cropped up between 60 kmph and 80kmph daily until it warmed up. Not tires, but a known problem with MB and they say it cant be fixed at London ON MB. Also 2 front fenders rusting through along with bottom of the doors,my problem not MBs, and various suspension issues. CD changer and audio system was all fuzzy sounding and the drivers chair creaked like an old lazyboy. Service got expensive and it was just time to let it go. It was disappointing because we thought we would have many years of service from this car but we became afraid that it would end up being worthless.

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  Luxury Liner - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By ar - March 7 - 11:36 pm

  This 95 is a dream come true. ibought it brand new off the lot in 05 and all I can say is "they just dont make like this anymore"! Lots of people complain about the fuel mileage, but I get 20+mpg, and better on the highway. This car was built 10 years ago! They really new what they were doing when they built this car. It is solid as a rock, and drives like dream!

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  engine racket on start up - 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mitchellrowe - March 7 - 1:56 pm

  best guess is intermittent defective oil pump . on half the start ups ( cold or hot ) , loud valve taps / rattle ... most likely due to oil lying in the oil pan . seems an odd explanation , as benz uses synthetic oil that sticks to moving parts ?

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  Love it - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mercy - March 7 - 11:30 am

  This is our second Mercedes, we love it. Runs beautifully. The intereior is very roomy. Lots of great features. I really enjoy driving it.

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  Mercedes R350 - 2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By jayw5 - March 7 - 2:26 am

  The Mercedes R350 is the worst car ever, visibility is poor but the car is very stable driving at high speeds. I purchased an extended warranty thinking that I was going to keep the car but I am rushing to get rid of it. The car only has 45,000 miles but have replaced the battery three times due to a faulty computer, and front shock @ 20,000 miles and the other front shock @ 40,000 miles. Each shock is $1,300 dollars, no mechanic want to touch it.

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  One Great ML 500 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ranvcn - March 5 - 4:53 pm

  One great SUV. My husband and I had the 2004 ML350 for about a year. My husband was pleased with the ML350 stating it was a truck and was suppose to drive like a truck. My opinion was a little different, I hated everything about the ML350. Well..whenever the 2006 ML came out we went to the dealership to test drive. My husband was in shock with how different the ride. Of course, I was sold after riding for a block. We purchased the ML500 and we are in love with the ride, sleak style, comforts in seating space, the great speed on the highway and much, much more.