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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  Used 1998 ML320 - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By tja623 - July 30 - 6:01 pm

  I just bought a used 1998 ML 320. What a gem!!!! Plenty of power/torque, good acceleration, and an AWD system that handles itself great in the snow. Everything works, leather is in perfect condition, Bose stereo is fantastic, everything is what you would expect from a Mercedes Benz. Previous owner was a Mercedes Technician, so the vehicle was very well maintained. His wife hit a deer, and he didnt feel like making necessary repairs. So I got lucky, being a co-worker of his, he basically gave me the car for 2K and i had to repair the vehicle myself. A fender, hood, & bumper later, and Im four wheelin in the snow!!! You would never know this thing is 15 years old with 200k miles on it!!!!!!

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  Great Car, Fun to Drive - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By SWK - July 30 - 12:36 pm

  I just leased a 2010 C300 AWD. I have previously had 2 Volvo S60s. I love this car. It rides so smooth and it is extremely quiet. I love the front grille design and all the comfort features it has. I drove BMW 3 series and found the lease process way too expensive and complicated. The mercedes is so fun to drive and it is surprisingly roomy inside. My husband is 64" and he has plenty of headroom and legroom. The only negative is the interior is not real leather and Mercedes should be able to do leather for $41,000.

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  Solid, great features, smooth ride - 2012 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By vmerch - July 30 - 12:39 am

  I had a Volvo XC60. Within 2 years, it was a rattletrap. I have gone back to MB with the GLK350 4Matic and love it. Solid - go over bumps and no rattles, just a solid thump. Command launch package gives you everything in Multi-media except for rear-view camera for 2K less. Ride is great. The car fits like a glove and is comfortable for hours

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  2011 C300 Sport V6 w/optional 7-speed automatic non-AWD - 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By 6genvettes - July 29 - 5:33 pm

  My review after 3.5 years. Been an excellent reliable car. Still has the classic C-class Sport look that can compete with any of the new models. Had one issue and that was the power door lock passenger side which sounded like a shotgun when it repeatedly locked and unlocked, over and over again. Issue resolved at the dealer. Love the looks of it. The sports front with the LEDs, the crisp side. Wheels are nice wish I had 4 out of the 2015 accessories book. Steering wheel looks, feel, and function is tops. 2-tone dash colors are pleasing to the eye. Seats are a bit firm but thats a good thing for my bad back. Dealer tips: Charge less for your glorified oil changes.

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  Hyped - 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By czeal001 - July 28 - 7:48 pm

  Lags on low gears... salesman says "its normal for a turbo small engine.." Ive been driving volvo for over a decade now and never had a lad on their small engine. Test drove this CLA 2.0 and i had to stop on U-turn because could not get into gear... normal? Pretty dangerous if it lags like it is. You figure...

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  Outstanding car for the money - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Steve - July 28 - 10:13 am

  This is my second Mercedes. The car feels much bigger than it is. Gas mileage is around 24 in town and close to 30 on long trips. Love the looks and the styling with the low profile tires and wheels. Fit and finish of the car is outstanding.

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  G-Wagen So FLY!!! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By BIG MAN - July 28 - 10:00 am

  The G500 is the coolest SUV Ever

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  2002 MBZ CL 500 - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Paula M. - July 28 - 10:00 am

  My experience driving the MBZ CL 500 2002 for 15 months has been excellent. One repair was needed, a part for the brakes was relpaced due to squeaking. I highly recommend the car. It drives like a sports

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  Fun to Drive - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By C230KFAN - July 28 - 10:00 am

  This car is simply fun to drive. The automatic transmission matches very well the engine characteristic and the manual shift option is just perfect for those mountain roads. With black interior and leather option it looks and feels very high quality. The seats are perfect, the huge glass roof is gorgeous and there are just too many little useful implementation details to list. The list of safety features is just complete matching high end full size cars. However the major difference to my previous new cars is that 9 months later it still totally excites me to drive this car very much like in the first week.

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  Sold On It - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By R Driver - July 27 - 5:56 am

  Six months ago I traded in my beloved 03 Escalade for an 06 R350. Its a keeper! It has more interior space. Performance? The 268hp v6 lacks take off, but will shoot you to high speed with surprising ease. It corners exceptionally well also. Comfort? It really will fit six 6 footers comfortably (did that) or the wife and 2 kids with plenty room for groceries. Fuel economy? In the city its about average (if you have a heavy foot), however, highway mileage is excellent. We (3 adults, 2 kids, and travel bags) drove from NY to NC on a full tank (500mi). We cruised at 80mph.