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:

• 

  Be Warned of Low Quality & RipOff Labor. - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Andres Callegari - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Be Warned of Low Quality & Rip Off Labor prices. there are large number of failing componenents (fuel pump, steering components, sensors, brake switches, ignition coils, etc) that will let you stranded.. The labor is a rip off for a low quality component vehicle. $600.00 for changing a coil, $280.00+ for oil and filter changes, $1000.00+ for fuel pump changes. MB customer service is a joke and dealers are a nightmare. MB refuses to perform TSBs unless you get stranded. Value went from $45,000 to a dealer trade in value of $20,000 in 2001 to the year 2003.

• 

  Solid Value - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bunnfer - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Smooth highway ride, quiet, confident brakes, all modern safety features standard. A solid value in this crowded field and a great alternative to the omnipresent 3 series.

• 

  What other good looking AWD sedan? - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ilaks - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I spent a long time thumbing my nose at the snobs who put down good money at these luxury cars. With Canadian winters the way they are, I was looking for a decent small AWD sedan, and to cut to the chase, I ended buying this car. Lets face it, as far as good looking AWD that handles well, this has no real competition today. Sure, it puts a hole in your finances, but think about it, would you be happier driving a Suzuki Aerio or a Toyota Matrix when you see someone drive by with a C240 4MATIC? Never mind.

• 

  Helpful info if you buy E500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By BobF - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I read Edmunds reviews before buying 03-E500 Sport Pkg. I have 825 miles on car & like many others right out of the box it pulled to the right.If u buy tell dealer to put eccentric bolt kit in ASAP. Car washes- sharks fin antenna WILL CATCH - $300 to rewire. The electric brake pedal seems over stated,really no big deal.OEM pads black dust bad. Forget the COMMAND & NAV systems. Side view mirrows mount location seems odd to see correctly. Need to cover door sills & install dead pedal. Cup holders are dumb. I waited for late production car to fore go the early electronic bugs.Cant tune radio pre- sets from steering wheel.Buying, go w/ E500 over 320.

• 

  My Review - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Brandonw1566 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I love it!!! Its the best car ever!

• 

  Best car ever! - 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By best car ever! - August 9 - 7:20 pm

  I purchased a 2009 E350 4matic. went from a ML350 SUV. Wow what a change. This is the best automobile I have ever owned.This car handles great and built very solid.

• 

  07 BENZ E350 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jake - August 9 - 7:56 am

  Great car, this is my third German Car, first was a new 06 BMW 325, then a 98 MB C230. I loved that old Benz so much I had to have a newer one. This car is wonderful on fuel, getting me almost 31 MPG on the HWY, and the driver side is nice and spacious. Im giving this car to my wife so she can experience how great a luxury car can be. I still have the 98 C230 and it has 200K on it now, and I plan to try and get at least 300K out of it.

• 

  cant go wrong here - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By top secret - August 8 - 2:00 am

  The car is near perfect for the real world. Fast, comfortable, great looking, safe. Car has had zero defects and is 100% reliable. Get a set of snow tires in winter regions...The best car I have owned...and I have owned some great names.

• 

  Low quality over priced Chrysler - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By luxcardealer - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I onwed this car for year and half. Nice performance but it had engine oil leak, driver sit, mirrors, CD changer circuit breaks down, panic button never worked. This is the car made me never get a Mercedes again not for 84 grams.

• 

  WARNING, I got a lemon(READ THIS) - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By adrian cox - August 8 - 2:00 am

  This has been the worst car that I have purchased. I am 24 years old I finally was able to afford a mercedes and look what I got.I have 16 problems with the in 6 months.I had to a lawyer.I only can use 700 characters that is not enough for me to exlpain all of the problems I which I could.Lots engine, fuel problems, and sunshade failures.