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:

• 

  Falling Apart - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Chris - February 5 - 12:10 pm

  We bought this vehicle about 2 years ago as certified used from dealership. We have been taking it in for repairs about 3-4 times a year. Head lamps have gone out a few times each. The radio quit working a few months ago-replacement costs $1,200. Warning lights go on about once a month for coolant level, brakes, lamps, etc. once every few months. The transmission is very jerky at low speeds. Interior trim pieces and outer roof strip are coming off. The engine/transmission noise while driving is loud and harsh. Interior truck lock assembly is falling apart.

• 

  Beware of the 1st year - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By MB Guy - February 1 - 2:00 am

  These cars look great and make a nice statement. But the quality is down from previous years. These cars used to drive like a tank but now they are more mainstream. This could be good for some folks but not for old MBZ people. My Lexus was superior in many ways when it came down to it. The service at Mercedes Benz is not as good as the service at Lexus.

• 

  Worst benz ever - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By MLHater - January 24 - 10:00 am

  When this vehicle came out, I was intrigued by its unique skin and the cache of the three pointed star. After being on a waiting list for almost a month, I bought the dealers demo vehicle for a reasonable price. The car performed well except for an annoying driveline rattle. I took it to the dealer, but they could not fix it. Annoyed and late for a meeting, I merged onto the interstate only to find that the car would not shift out of second gear. IT NEEDED A NEW transmission with less than 10000 miles, this was unacceptable. I traded it for an RX300 and have had no problems.

• 

  Nice family car - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jwgowdy - January 24 - 7:16 am

  I bought this car to replace our wrecked 97 E420 (saved our lives!) for my wife. Its been a great family car - both comfortable and reliable, and the safety factor is unmatched.

• 

  Saw it, Bought it Love it - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By ruth - January 22 - 8:36 pm

  This car handles well in the city. I love the interior as well as the exterior. It certainly is not a family car , but I didnt purchase it for a family. I bought it for me. And I love it. The only down side is gas mileage. I dont sit in the , so I cant complain about the leg room. I havent had any service related problems at all. The add oil light came on once. I added the oil and kept driving. Im totally sold on this car.

• 

  The un-minivan - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Matthew - January 22 - 2:16 am

  Coming up on 13k on our R350. My wife and I love it, as do our two kids. We aspire to own only one car at a time, and this is the perfect choice -- great for hauling around the kids and their friends, but dignified enough for adult occasions. Plus it is remarkably fun to drive for such a massive vehicle. Weve had it for more than a year now, and I still enjoy getting behind the wheel and going on long drives. Handling and acceleration are very good (considering the length and weight of the vehicle), brakes are excellent, and the ride is smooth. Its a mystery to me why MB hasnt made more of an effort to market this car. Yes, its expensive, but for families like ours, its perfect.

• 

  E 500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Brian - January 14 - 10:10 pm

  This is my 3rd E Class. I bought this car used with 21000 miles. It now has 25000 miles and the tires are completely shot. Car is too heavy for tires. I would advise everybody to not upgrade with the Continentals installed at factory. Possibly go for Michelin Pilots. Car consisently drifts to the right. Radio, GPS sometimes freezes. Sometimes engine very noisy but cannot hear inside car.Tend to hit the cruise control stalk by mistake sometimes. Car ejects gas hose aggressively when full resulting in spillage, paint damage, etc. I chose to forgive all of these flaws because of the superb transmission and tremedous power. Handling in the sport mode is awesome for a car of this size. Get the extended warranty.

• 

  I expect better - 2008 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By rbmain - January 14 - 8:13 am

  If you returned to your car in the hardware stores parking lot to find the center rear stop light lens from the trunk lid laying on the ground, youd think a vandal tried to pop it to mess with the door lock. Right? Nope, they just fall off, and the Dealer has seen lots like that. Now the little flap wing that comes out from the left front trunk lid edge when the retractable hardtop is put down just droops and messes up the top raising and lowering cycles. You have to press it back into position to get top function.

• 

  Best in CLASS - 2013 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By doctorbenz911 - January 12 - 2:39 am

  The 2013 Diesel S350 is a monster, great powerful and excellent to drive. This is the best car I have ever owned. I just clocked 8631 miles on this baby she is smooth as silk and powerful like a lion. I have owned 4 other MBZ but this is the one to die for. You feel the safety, the handling and a big body benz will never leave you empty handed. The S- Class is fully loaded and more the Interior is well laid out with all controls within easy access. I am averaging over 35 MPG in mixed city and highway driving. 4 Matic works great in all weather. This 350 is truly a a dream to drive and exceptional ride. The Eagle has landed.

• 

  Excellent car with the right refinements - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Dr Grold - January 7 - 2:00 am

  The CLK320 with the standard interior is awful. We had to pay an extra $7000 to get a decent interior upgrade (Designo Cashmere) which makes the car very cool overall. I cannot imagine sitting in the car without the upgrade...it is so cheapy and plastic, it is hard to believe that it is a Mercedes. Once we put the package together then it is a very fine car. Fun to drive, very solid, fun and safe interactive voice command features.