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:

• 

  2004 ML500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By TGI an 04 - February 13 - 8:10 pm

  Its no secret the early MLs were plagued w/problems. By 04 Merc was trying to win back consumers and my ML was a great value. All the bells and whistles, no defects, price reflected poor reputation and turned out to be a solid performer! From formal outings to hauling kids, lumber, furniture and landscape rock - still looks good as new.

• 

  Jittery Transmission/ so-so performance - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By carlmk - February 13 - 8:00 am

  The transmission/power is not as smooth as any of my previous four E series MBX( or my wifes Volvo S80). Complained to dealer many times and finally one of the service persons told me they had complaints that the 2003 is not as smooth as 1997-2002 series. The problem seems to be in the torque converter. In the 2003 it has a lock-up for all gears. Previous models locked up only in high gear. The dealer upgraded the software. This improved the performance... cut down on herky jerky xmission. Still not as good as my 2001. The dealer told me the lockup does not drop out instantly causing the poor effect. They are going to check if there are any other factory suggestions.

• 

  We love this car! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By baj764 - February 12 - 11:00 pm

  This is a vast improvement over previous M-Class vehicles. They were nice but not like this. The direction that MB has gone with the M, R & G Class vehicles is great. I believe that they set the standard for how a luxury SUV should be.

• 

  s class performance - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By kevinze - February 10 - 10:00 am

  one of the most incredible rides on the planet and a beautiful site to look at everyday.

• 

  wow - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By honda - February 10 - 10:00 am

  This car is the best bang for your buck on the market today. Great look, great fuel economy, great ride, and very fun to drive.

• 

  best value for the money - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jonwwbb - February 10 - 10:00 am

  we had our c230 for over 2 months now, and we love driving it a lot, great gas milage especially for hwy driving,

• 

  GREAT CAR! - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By ahaq - February 8 - 6:39 pm

  Bought my S350 Turbodiesel about 2 years ago. Has been a great car! Theres obviously regular maintenance that needs to be done, but other than that a very reliable car. BUT YOU MUST GET ONE WITH A RE-BUILT ENGINE! The W140 Diesels were known to bend rods, mine was rebuilt by mercedes before i bought it so i was lucky. Fuel consumption is good, comfort is great, this car turns heads! I have 2 12 inch subwoofers in the trunk which add to the great bose factory system. I highly recommend this car, but make sure the engines rebuilt :)

• 

  C Class is OUTSTANDING - 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By fgentsch - February 8 - 6:48 am

  Have had C classes since 2009 and this is by far the best. Really like the excellent gas mileage of the C-250 four cylinder engine, often getting well over 36mpg on the oven road and always at least 25mpg in town. Beats out the C-300, though a great car, but a bite more thirsty. Sporty yet distinguished in appearance. Great ride and handling.

• 

  Not A Mercedes - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Not Happy - February 8 - 4:33 am

  I trading in my 1996 Ford Explorer XLT in on a 2001 "Mercedes Benz" ML320. I traded in my T-O-T-L Explorer because while reliable, it had interior rattles. My brand new ML320 rattles worse. In addition the ML had the following failures: 1. Power windows. 2. Automatic door lock system. 3. ABS system. 4. Poor front and rear plastic bumper fit. 5. Poor driver side side-view mirror adjustability. 6. Uncomfortable front leather seats. 7. Rear seats do not fold down flat.

• 

  Woeful Experience. - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ShocDoc - February 7 - 5:40 pm

  Purchased my new 05 E-55 after having owned 3 problem free Porsche 996s. Initially I loved the car but quickly lost the attraction after the engine stopped running on a very busy local highway at rush hour. Car was towed in and repaired (loose wiring harness). Two weeks later my interior insulation filled with fuel due to problem with the fuel pumps. Left rear shock leaked and car would settle over the wheel when parked for a few days. Brakes squealed like a Yugo. The squealing brakes problem never stopped after several visits to MB service. Lost confidence in the product and sold the car. Done with MB. Without question the worst vehicle I have ever owned.