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 ! Mercedes E350 Coupe 4 Matic Sport - 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By dchuba - December 19 - 4:58 pm

  I have always thought the Mercedes Benz E class was a beautiful car. But I also like a more sporty option. And the Mercedes Benz E class Coupe was the perfect choice. It has stunning looks and sporty styling inside and out. And the luxury of this vehicle is top notch. And this is coming from a Bentley and GTR owner. Trust me this car is a joy to drive and handles great. With big wide tires it’s sure to handle all the bends the road my through you way. As for the acceleration put it in sport mode and hold on because it’s fast. And the luxury on this vehicle is fantastic. The harman kardon sound system, user friendly interface, navigation, beautiful leather bucket seats, beautifully designed steering wheel, glass top, and the list goes on and on. As for the reliability it’s also very good and would be a great choice for a daily driver. And it will also turn heads daily. However the maintenance is believed to be high by some, but in reality is extremely reasonable. But if you are use to driving a honda and switch to Mercedes Benz, yes of course it will be more expensive. It’s a better vehicle with better parts. And trust me if you get this vehicle you will love it.

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  Three words - "piece of junk" - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mark Atlanta - December 19 - 10:36 am

  I have owned 5 MBs since 1989 and through the years have been pretty much pleased. I bought the C230 Sport, bright Mars Red. Styling is hot - but that is where it stops. The aluminum interior trim looks like it was cut from an old tin can. Performance was lacking and at idle the car had a lot of engine vibration. At 3,000 miles, most of the lightbulbs had blown, and the windows would periodically start going up and down by themselves. First service appt. cost $ 300.00. MB should take a clue from BMW and quit putting 4 cyl. engines in these cars. I just traded this car last week for a new 2006 BMW 330i (resale was awful) and traded my SLK230 for a new Z4 - 3.0. My MB days are over.

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  by Jim S. - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By James Sandsmark - December 19 - 12:46 am

  The turbo-diesel has all the response and acceleration of my previous 2000 E320. On trips, I typically get around 34mpg. If I keep the speed @ 65 or less , I have experiened 37.6 mpg over a 250 mile stretch

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  Best in class SUV, elegant and great handling - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By B.Bangaru - December 18 - 1:03 pm

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  2017 GLE 350 - 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class
  By Hale Malia - December 17 - 4:48 pm

  Great ride and handling as you can expect with German Cars in general. I owned the ML350 before and I thought it had better ride than this one. Gas mileage is OK and consistent with specifications. Roomy interior but higher seats seem to interfere with tall person getting in and out. Pros: looks sharp and has a great road feel. Lane departure warning is excellent and highly recommended. Cons: electronics user interface are extremely poor, even dangerous. Voice command is decade old technology. Dont waist your money on Smartronix package it is useless at best - Does not self park as you might be led to believe and the cameras do not activate automatically when you pull into a parking spot. Small screen without touch screen option is a HUGE miss considering the cumbersome user interface. I bought the car 2 months ago because Android Auto is a "must have". The car is already in the shop because Android Auto is not working. Just think That because something sounds great, it may not be implemented as such. Mercedes has not been able to fix the Android Auto problem and has no projected date when it will be! Mercedes is a hollow brand, neither luxury nor reliability or customer service.

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  2004.5 230 Sedan is a work of art - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mr. Hyde - December 17 - 2:00 am

  Going from a modified to rally stage 02 WRX @300HP, the get up and go of this car is much less...But wait..while I cant sprint and hit the corners as hard, this car really moves with an agile confidence. The more I drive it the more I am impressed. Wrap it up with the MB styling...I love it..the 04 wheels and pipe give it a great look and profile. Add in some comfort, and borderline luxury and it is a sweet ride... Close to a work of art in my eyes.

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  Great car while in warranty !!!!!!! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Paul - December 16 - 10:53 pm

  The design department did its job flawlessly with the C-Class; The car is a delight to drive when new and shows great composure on the road and lots of punch, inside the car you are surrounded by exquisite quality (if you choose the OPTIONAL luxury packages), but beneath the skin there is a time bomb. Materials, components and especially electrics and electronics are a nightmare and they seem to be designed to withstand only the use for 3 yrs / 60,000 miles. I experienced serious problems with electrics and electronics, AT gearbox (transmission conductor), steering rack (!!!), countless electrical surges and...lousy dealer service. Treat yourself with A NEW MB, BUT ONLY WITHIN WARRANTY !

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  buy something else - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ptowmdriver - December 16 - 10:00 am

  my ML320 has had 37 service calls in 48 months, 19 of those for the same 3 problems (locks malfunction,windows malfunction, window controls stop working). I love driving the car but it is terribly unreliable. Fortunately I have a great dealer who picks it up at my home and brings me a

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  Mercedes Service Managers Nightmare - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Mike Payne - December 16 - 10:00 am

  The first day we brought it home, it wouldnt start, and had to be towed back in! Then the GPS wouldnt work, Oh yes, the telephone technology was obsolete from the date of purchase. Mercedes knew about it, but their rep told us, you paid for a phone, you got a phone. Then there are the windows. Ask anyonw who has owned one. The switches are bad. On at least five separate occasions the windows wouldnt roll back up. the cupholders, the Service Manager at Towson Valley Motors said, "Oh,they all fall out!" Oops. Almost forgot the glue that comes up from the window and makes a mess that can only be cleaned by the dealership. Another, "it happens all the time!"

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  Borrrring - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Kiwi_Susan - December 16 - 10:00 am

  This car is the best SUV I could find....but thats not saying much. After owning 4 other non-SUV Mercedes, I call this car my Alabama-redneck Mercedes. While I understand that this car was built in the US - it doesnt appear to have the smart German engineering that Im used to from my previous MB. What a shame of a car.