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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  The Best Sports Car I Have Ever Had - 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By John1 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  If you want a well built car have is expensive but performs very well this is for you.

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  E320 - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By PROakes - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Great experience with our E320.

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  2000 ML430 - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By wmcinnis - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Overall, great vehicle, great handling and fun to drive. Excellent acceleration for the weight of this vehicle and the safety is top notch.

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  ML320 - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By moman - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Reliability and comfort are two of the most iportant features of the 2001 ML320. Its rich feeling on the interior and sleek exterior mask the rugged on or off road capabilities. It hauls people and cargo like a truck, but it can play dress up with any autos.

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  Value - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By taxswiz - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Cant get a better value in a vehicle for performance and comfort.

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  I Love It! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Ro - Ro - September 19 - 3:03 am

  Ok...after months of looking for the right car, I finally decided on the 350 and Im soooooooo happy I did. I love this car, the style, the looks I get when Im driving and the fact that it is a MB. I find myself being cautious of where I park.

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  Worst car I ever owned - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Done with it - September 19 - 2:00 am

  This car could be great if only it wasnt constantly returning to the dealer on the back of a tow truck. We bought it new and within 6 months the front engine gasket blew out. Two months later the same thing happened, but this time the leaking oil caused a serpentine belt failure and we lost the steering -- not good when driving down the road in a 3-ton SUV. A few months later the power steering pump failed. Today we discovered oil all over the garage floor. Absolutely unacceptable reliability. As soon as the Mercedes dealer patches the thing back together it will be off to the BMW dealer to trade it in.

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  Not exactly thrilled - 2010 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By WCLD - September 19 - 2:00 am

  The drivers seat is not ergonomically proportionate. The sides of the seat protrude out creating an unnatural position for your arm. The remote needs to be accented with white so you can see the buttons easier. Running boards get extremely slippery when frost on car and pre-heating car doesnt help. Could do without the light vents in the sunroof. Burns as much gas as Chevy Suburban but not as versatile. Tire pressure lights always on even after service. Sound system has much to be desired.

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  This Benz is a Babe - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Mr. M. - September 19 - 2:00 am

  First, I am not into labels, so the MB brand name was not top of mind when I discovered this gem. It has an incomparably smooth ride, is very pleasing on the eye and is loaded with great features at a reasonable price (as far as luxury vehicles go). Just got back from the desert and on a very windy day, this solid vehicle didnt sway or feel pushed. It has good pick- up and I cant wait to finish reading the manuals to learn all the gadgets. Looking forward to a long relationship.

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  DONT BUY! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By tell_the_truth - September 18 - 12:25 pm

  I cant believe nobody has mentioned the balance shaft gear failure! This is very common issue in all Mercedes Benz cars that have the M272 engine in it. This is a major issue that costs over 5K to replace and thats if your engine is not destroyed by the metal that goes through your engine as this gear/sprocket fails. Do a little research and see for yourself there are multiple class action lawsuits regarding this matter and since 2010 MB USA fails to accept responsibility and sticks its customers with this huge repair bill! Beware this issue starts with the P0016 together with the P0017 engine code with failure soon to follow! Also shame on Edmunds for not listing such a well known issue!