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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  Great Car with exceptional balance! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By MB lover - May 10 - 6:40 am

  Bought it used at 13k miles in 2/2006 and its 62K now in 6/2010. No problem whatsoever (but I dont race or abuse it though, always garaged), solid and well-built, its powerful when needed (thanks to the Supercharger), fuel economical when driving conservatively (4 cylinder topped 36mpg in 2 hour trip on secondary hwy with A/C set to 1, backseat fits 2 adults almost 6 feet tall (my car pool). Panoramic roof fills the car with openness, trunk is so roomy and practical with both backseat folded down, styling is subjective (just the right balance- I love it!)

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  Up your technology game... - 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Dave - May 9 - 10:07 pm

  I have to disagree with the other reviewer regarding the technology and specifically, the navigation unit. If you are used to Mercedes legacy systems, this new one is far more robust which will require a definitely learning curve and require time to familiarize yourself with the locations and the procedures for creating your own customized shortcuts to make navigating the system even more user-friendly. I have not had my unit freeze up, however, I dont doubt that it can happen being that it is software. I am used to V8 engines so this will be an adjustment however, I did test drive the vehicle climbing steep hills and it had no problem. Im returning to Mercedes after leaving them since 2003 due to electrical problems of my E class back then and stayed away to due the dated technology (which I love) and found that Mercedes decided it was time to catch up with this car. Good job! The seats are comfortable (I have package 2, sport package, and sport wheels). Be aware that the 19" wheels come with run flats...something I neglected to check before purchasing the car. These tires typically cost more to replace. If you can swing it, definitely go for the panoramic roof. Definitely "opens" up the cabin to make it feel more spacious to your back seat drivers and lets in a considerable more amount of light in the vehicle while driving. The ambient lighting is a nice touch if you are impressed by that sort of thing...makes for a nice interior at night while driving and adjusts to the brightness and color that you also like. I opted for the illuminated star in the front which makes the front end stand out....just another aesthetic if you enjoy that sort of thing. I have a iPhone 6s and have found that the system works well with the phone and with Siri (holding down the talk button on the steering wheel accesses Siris commands). Played with Apple CarPlay as well...initial thoughts is that I wont have much use for it based on the system being able to handle calls, reminders, and texts through Siri using the steering wheel. Also tried the MercedesMe remote function through their app and was able to lock, unlock, start and even send a destination to the car prior to entering it from inside the house. I found that convenient to use the app rather than having to use the car nav system to just send the address to the car. The app also has some more useful elements of setting a valet perimeter for when your car is handed off to a valet to ensure they dont exceed what ever diameter you set (you get a text). Overall, great value in this car for comparable pricing that I did with the 5 series BMW. I decided against Jaguar XF and XE due to the technology has not been advanced despite the new screen in the XE and other Jaguar parts/reliability issues Ive experienced, Audi because I didnt thing the ride was a s quiet or smooth, and Lexus because their cabins too have now become a bit more noisy than I like with their louder engines you hear coming through the front of the car in the cabin. I hope this review helps others. Worth noting, this car is very new so their may be future issues/recalls that I am unaware of as I write this review. The most recent is to have the homelink programmed if your garage door does not hold your garage door opener code...its a simple software update and it works fine now.

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  Great Car! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Chris - May 8 - 5:50 pm

  The comments from this website really made me backed out from buying the car, but I finally couldnt resist and bought it. Now I have owned it for a month, and I LOVE IT! Accelertaion on the freeway is very smooth. If you are going to buy the car, the extended warranty is highly recommended, because there will be some mechanical problems. There IS a cup holder in the back. You have too pull out the thing in between the seats.

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  Update after two years of ownership - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By joe43 - May 6 - 3:34 pm

  I have now had my ML550 two years since my last review. I actually enjoy my vehicle even more than before!! I have had no problems with it and the power is just so amazing with the gas mileage not so bad (avg 15mpg). I live downtown and do not drive a lot of hwy miles but when on hwy I get 19 to 20 mpg. Small trucks with V6 engines do not get better in town gas mpg. The quality has stood up and I intend to keep this ML550 for a long time! I just love this SUV!!

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  Not what I expected. - 2002 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By djt - May 6 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned 2 Lexus LX 470s, upon purchasing the G 500 I realized just how much Id given up. The interior is much narrower than the LX, the ride is much firmer and the cabin is much darker (due to the lack of a glass sunroof). All of this is immediatly apparent when you first test drive the G, but its initial seductiveness makes you put all of this aside. Unfortunatly the sexiness wears off very quickly and all your left with are the shortcomings. As soon as DMV processes my title, Ill probably sell the G and look at either the 2003 Range Rover or another LX 470.

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  total package - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By tractorbill - May 6 - 10:00 am

  A great driving car in the mountains and for road trips with 7-8 day durations. Trunk is large enough for two sets of clubs and luggage for two for a full weeks travel. The power calls one back to the days of the pony car. When shopping for a new toy considered the Porsche 911 and the new Jag, but there was no contest. Power and speed plus a trunk gave the CLK a major edge. Having owned more than 15 sport cars during my time and 10-15 luxury type sedans, this is the most fun and responsive car yet. Features I like are the throaty V-8 when the peddle hits the metal,the passing power, and the downshift capability in the mountains.

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  what i thought - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By mel rust - May 6 - 10:00 am

  the clk 500 coupe has alot of power for a small car. i wanted the cabriolet but the wait was to long!!!

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  HOPE THIS WAS A FLUKE - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By XBEEMEROWNER - May 6 - 10:00 am

  SHE WAS A 323 BMW OWNER THAT SHE JUST LOVED AND DROVE FOR 80K MILES WHICH FOR HER IS A LIFETIME.SO, WE WAITED FOR HER OBSIDIAN BLACK TO COME IN WITH ALL THE XTRAS. SHE PUT 4K MILES ON IT BEFORE THE CHECK ENGINE LITE CAME ON, SO SHE TOOK IT TO MERCEDES AND 7 WEEKS LATER AND A NEW ENGINE LATER WE FINALLY GOT THE CALL IT WAS DONE. I TOLD MERCEDES TO BUY IT BACK BECAUSE I WAS NOT GOING TO ACCEPT A NEW MERCEDES WITH A REBUILT ENGINE AND SHE WOULD GO BUY SOMETHING ELSE. AFTER SHOPPING AROUND AGAIN SHE DECIDED SHE STILL WANTS A C230 SPORT SEDAN SO WE WILL TRY IT ONE MORE TIME. CROSS OUR FINGERS....

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  BEST CAR EVER!!! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By KAMIN - May 6 - 10:00 am

  this is the best car i have ever driven, it has everything. I can drive it like a sports car, yet pack in 5 people and make it into a luxury sedan! Its perfect!

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  Lone star - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By diesel benz forever - May 5 - 8:50 pm

  I have driven MB for 20 years. The 1999 turbo diesel is a great car. It has plenty power on the highway. I am the second owner. It did have 70,000 km mostly highway. Replaced glow plugs, rotors, pads, front bearings, and the battery. I want to keep it and will replace timing chain before it hits the 300,000 km