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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  Best of the line (so far) - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By chatham - October 4 - 1:56 am

  This is our third ML and this is the best of the lot. Better build overall and better finish. We did test drive four other brands and picked this (though the aging Acura MDX was a close runner) for best of class. Weve had it for a month and, thus far, no problems to speak of. If you can get a good price (takes effort) then I think that this is best of the Luxury SUVs. We have two other cars,but this is the one most often out (over Bentley and Miata)

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  Smooth as Silk - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By J Carter - October 3 - 2:36 am

  I traded in my Cayenne Turbo because I wanted a car with power, luxury, and reliability.The CLS has it all. It is silky smooth on acceleration. It has all the characters of a luxury car, and drives like a sports car. Enough room for four adults and luggage. I dont miss my Cayenne yet!

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  Fun car to drive! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Rick Diaz - October 2 - 6:33 pm

  Drives very nice. Nice dealership service. Only had electrical problem with sunroof and gas line. Very good overall.

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  Easy to love and great value - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Jhedges - October 2 - 12:03 pm

  I was about to buy a 2 year old X3 when it was sold on my way to the dealer. I went out the same day to shop around and ended up stopping in for my first time at MB. My wife and I saw the GLK for the first time (Jan 3rd, not on the road yet) and feel in love. I was also considering the c300 but the value is just not the same. The CUV provides a very roomy ride up front and room I can live with in the rear. I love the steel panels instead of the usual wood. That immediately tells me this is the car of now. It might be dated in a few years but right now it is hot. My brakes squeak a lot but the dealer has helped a bit. It is expensive to run but worth it if you want to look important

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  Fun driving experience! Great car! - 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By antonio246 - October 1 - 2:05 am

  Traded my 2012 C300 sedan for the 2014 coupe. Very happy with that decision. This car is a lot more fun to drive, better on gas, and downright beautiful. The seats are very comfortable for long trips. For a coupe the ride is pretty decent. Only slightly bumpier than the C Sedan. In Sport mode it handles amazing! I got all the same options the sedan had with the exception of the Media Package (w/navigation). that was a BAD decision. The Becker Map Pilot is a piece of crap. My advice...spend the money on the Media Package. Looking forward to owning this car for a long time.

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  Bad Rap - 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Bruce Rush - September 30 - 6:18 am

  If you think that another suv with the stated purpose of luxury hauling of a couple of people on vacation or not really vigorous living, is better - then you are dreaming. Who really cares about the people riding in the back seat - I have a sedan for that. The cargo space is fine - an imperceptable difference to the competition. Simply a great car that does what it is supposed to do - especially if you get the distrionic plus, active lane assist and the rest of the works. How can anyone complain about this vehicle.

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  Best luxury SUV. - 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class
  By BMWfan - September 30 - 6:08 am

  You can read the reviews and buy a Volvo XC90 or Audi Q7.....or you can buy a car that exudes luxury and looks much more than it costs. The GLE is safe, luxurious, technologically advanced (it drives itself with adaptive cruise control and lane assist), and comfy. I test drove all of the major luxury SUVs -- Audi, BMW, Range Rover, Volvo, Jaguar, Porsche. I also test drove the SUVs that are considered best sellers in their class -- Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, etc. This car blows all of them out of the water in terms of value. The new Volvo and Audi may sound like they are technologically superior based on their Car & Driver reviews since they are new...however, the same technology is available in a more luxurious GLE for thousands less than the Audi, and the reliability is in a class above the Volvo. The Audi also looks like a boring Dodge minivan in contrast to the beautiful lines on the GLE. This is not a sporty SUV like the BMW X5....but I am not the kind of person who buys an SUV to replace my sedan....this is the large functional family car. It is also much more luxurious than the spartan BMW interior design (BMW X5 is plastic-like on its interior; the GLE is significantly more luxurious). I want comfy, luxurious, practical, and value in my SUV. The GLE fulfills all of those criteria. Additionally, it is significantly safer. Best purchase ever. Glad I didnt read the reviews and buy the Audi.

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  Addictive Lemon - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By boomchek - September 30 - 12:46 am

  I look forward to the drive everytime I get behind the wheel and step on the gas, as it has power, handling, and style. What I hate is the reliability. I had more problems with this one car than with my 10 previous cars combined, including a 20 year old $300 Accord. I still love it but its easy to go bankrupt fixing this car. Problems: power steering pump broke, cam and crank sensors ($1k repair), dual zone climate not dual anymore, vent solenoid making noises, alternator replaced, numerous light bulb failures, other minor electrical gremlins that I stopped bothering with. Do not buy this car unless you have FULL warranty or money to fix it. Otherwise great drivers car.

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  Love It! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By MS - September 29 - 11:16 pm

  The car is incredible, everything an SUV should be. Comfort. Power. Storage space. Passenger room. Harman K Sound system. Safety. Auto dimming mirrors. Heated seats. Memory seats. Auto lift rear hatch. ALL GREAT!

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  Mercedes Ride and noise - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By lynn coney - September 28 - 10:00 am

  Purchased the car new off the showroom floor. The car has been very reliable. The biggest problem is the noisy ride with wind etc. Not a good long trip car. Very uncomfortable seats. Very good mileage with the four cyl. engine. Plenty of get up and go. Not satisfied with the dealer whose head of sales at the time was rude to us at the end of purchase.