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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  Consider Before Buying - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By donsturdy - November 20 - 2:00 am

  After 5k car had no power & stalling. Dealer said heads needed to be replaced(2 weeks later had car back). Told to add Tectron every 2k to reduce reoccurance as it could happen again. On way home dash lit up & indicated car needed service immediately. Returned car-found problem was result of damaged part due to replacing heads. Also passenger door lock refused to opperate. It gets better. Dealer told me to add Tectron when car was almost empty then get gas. When I went to fill up, the gas cap cover refused to open. Couldnt go further & had to wait 4 hrs for service van. There is just no confidence left with the auto. Expect to trade in for a new Lexus.

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  Quality issues - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ShadowNeko - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I have a 2002 C230K for around 1.5 years. It has been in services for number of times: . 5 times for SRS light. . 2 times for ESP and BAS lights. . 2 times replacement for CD-changer. . 1 time malfunction front-end stabilizer bar. . 1 time broken instrument button. . 1 time loosen weather strip. . 1 time replace all rusty wheels fasteners. . 1 time broken speaker mesh cover. . In addition, a very rust break caliper but refused to be replaced.

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  My Last Mercedes - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ocscan - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I have had more problems with this car in 3 years than all 3 of my last Fords combined. The short list of problems. The remote fails to unlock or lock the car frequently. I need to carry 2 keys. The heater and AC does no work properly. Dealer can not fix. Dashboard light burned out. Brakes last only 8,000 miles. Radio does not turn on all the time. Car does not go ino gear.

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  problems at 80k - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By BarbaraC280 - October 11 - 10:00 am

  puchased car in 2000 with 54k . now 2004 with 82k and the problems have begun.. a/c has never worked, seems to have continual emmission problems.. check-engine light on evry month or so.. in the past 2 months 1300.00 in repair.. this is not a car that you will get 200k out of.. very expensive to repair.. would not purchase another mercedes.. parts expensive and dont last..

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  MB = Mostly Broken - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By artmuns - October 11 - 10:00 am

  Been in shop 6-7 times in 20 months. Out of service about 30 days. Biggest complaint was occasional hesitancy in acceleration and rough idle. Took dealer a year to fix. They tried to convince me it was "in spec". Various other problems. MB has promised a "trade assist" for a new car. Well see!

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  Watch out - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By micaheldab - October 9 - 6:10 am

  I am sorry to say this is my first and last Mercedes. Just a month ago new transmission under warranty now compressor on a/c went. I have spent a lot more on maintenance than on my 2 Hondas. Sad thing is I still owe $6,000 on this. Mercedes needs to go back to the drawing board. Mine has 82,000 miles on it. My nephews 96 Accord with 199,000 everything still works his car like it rolled off the showroom floor.

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  Opinion not changed on MB reputation - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By rockinrn - October 5 - 11:23 am

  Finally traded the E350 in on a 2016 C class sedan 4 matic. Better built more comfortable than the E 350. Car still exhibits a lot of road noise which I think is caused by the run flat tires. It doesnt seem like Mercedes is making quiet vehicles like they used to. This is a follow up review to my previous E350 review. I just took the car on a short trip to Sedona Arizona and I have to say that the road noise in the cabin was considerable. Over moderately coarse pavement the tires roared so much it gave me a headache. I am very disappointed in the amount of road noise that exists in $60,000 automobile with only 7,500 miles on it. I dont think Mercedes Benz products are what they used to be. Buyer beware. Opinion not changed. Road noise is still excessive. The front seats are uncomfortable. More rattles have developed. The front bumper and the attached chrome wing at the bottom are very susceptible to rock chips. Also, the interior high gloss black ash wood trim may as well be plastic it is so full of scratches and swirls and I am extremely carefull to wipe fingerprints off with a very soft cloth. I cant wait to get rid of this vehicle; however, E350s have not held their value and I am considerably underwater. Again, buyer beware!

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  Deceptive for hauling - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By flevy - September 19 - 12:30 am

  I had leased the R500 and took it home. Only then did we find out that the third row seats did not fold flat or out of the way. When folded, the seat becomes perpendicular to the back and sits 9 inches from the second row. If you are packing for a trip, you lose a tremendous amount of volumetric space. This was never shown and makes it an unrealistic car for trips to the beach. Poor design. Ended up taking the car back and getting SUV.

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  Pure Lemon - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Regretful buyer - September 15 - 2:00 am

  This is the first MB that I have bought and it has been one of the biggest mistakes in my life. First, the car has frequent break-ups, from the wipers, to the air conditioning, to the suspension, to light bulbs, to whatever you want to think about. Second, the service is a real NIGHTMARE in Garage Isla Verde in San Juan, Puerto Rico. My experience is that they are unreliable, arrogant, indifferent and totally foreign to customer service excellence. Service is as bad as the C320. At least they are consistent on that!!! NEVER fall into the same mistake of trading your BMW for a MB. Youll regret it for the rest of your life.

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  Always in repair - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By c230 - September 11 - 10:53 pm

  In three years had the car in for 15 repairs and its going in again. Fun to drive, and gets lots of comments. Not worth it though with all the problems. Will probably never buy another Mercedes. Have heard of quality issues with higher end models as well.