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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  Mercedes ML500 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By jims - October 18 - 2:00 am

  Im thoroughly pleased with this vehicle. The SUV provides a comfortable ride and feels safe in all weather. Great and comfortably priced introduction to a Mercedes.

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  Great SUV--but not cheap! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Brad - October 17 - 7:33 am

  We sold a 2006 Pathfinder SE 4x4 for the ML350 4matic. So far, we are extremely pleased with ride quality, comfort and overall ergonomics. The cargo area is plenty big (almost as big as the Pathfinder with the 3rd row folded down), and the standard features are all very nice (well, with Package 1). With options, it came out to nearly $56K MSRP, which is a bit high, considering you can get a comparably equipped and styled MDX or Lexus for a few $$ cheaper. But overall, we are pleased with the styling, performance, and ride...and it has the latest and greatest safety features, which makes me feel comfortable when the wife and kids are out without me.

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  R350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Potomac,MD - October 12 - 8:26 pm

  Too bad some missing basics are extra cost options. The MB DVD navation system rates a 1 compare to Lexus which I rate as an 8. I got a great discount for a brand new model. My guess is that with gas prices being as high as they are, this model will be a slow mover. Ride is much firmer than I expected. Again I compare to the Lexus GX470. My wife hates the way it looks from the outside. She loves the interior. These are all first impressions. Im sure well both grow to love this car. BTW, the state of MD registers this "car" as a "truck".

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  I hate fake leather - 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
  By Monica Kaufman - October 10 - 1:49 am

  for this amount of money, fake leather is annoying. Also, I know I live in TX but why is it so difficult to find a dark leather interior (I have dogs and teenagers...... light colored interiors are difficult to keep clean.... and light pleather doesnt clean well at all) so damned difficult to find.

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  Wind sound - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Carole - October 9 - 3:09 am

  I love my car with two exceptions. There is a constant wind sound inside the vehicle. I took it to be repaired and they advised this a design problem with the vehicle. Told they all sound like this. "Its normal". Also disappointed in the gas mileage performance.

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  Disappointed - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By H Popper - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Car pulled to the right from day of delivery.Temperature display died a few days after delivery and it took weeks and multiple visits to fix. Currently having multiple electrical problems with sunroof, tilt wheel etc. And what is with that front end chatter.

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  Mercedes Best Car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By J. Fitzgerald - October 2 - 10:00 am

  It is not noisey, it drives very smooth with sports override if you want, great brakes and easy to put top down. Mercedes has honored their commitment to send someone out if you have a problem. I had a flat and someone came within 20 minutes. Best car I have ever owned from Mercedes.

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  My 2005 SL55 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By George - September 30 - 11:53 am

  The car is well balanced, great response. The upgrade in the leather is way overpriced. If you wanted black leather interior it was not avalible, charcoal not black, unless you bought the upgraded leather interior. I have 12000 miles on the car with no problems. The one negative is that it is very easy to speed, the car wants to get up and go! If you want a SL and have an extra $30,000 to spend, go for the SL55.

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  Good, could be great - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By edw99 - September 28 - 10:51 am

  Have has this car for 8mo/8K mi and overall Im pleased, but there are a few things holding it back from being truly exceptional. The car is stunning. It looks like a much higher end model than the rest of the C-class. I get people stopping me all the time. It is also the most comfortable highway car I have ever been in. The ride is dialed in perfectly for highway commuting, it gobbles up miles by the hundreds in quiet, ease, and refinement. It is not without its problems however. I have had many interior quality problems, a persistently squealing brake problem, and frankly, its not all that sporty to drive. If you can tune out creaks and rattles, this will still be a great car for you.

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  Great Car for Price - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By rjschnepf - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Feels very substantial for a small car. Very reliable. Fun to drive -- great pick-up in the higher rpm range above 40 mph.