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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  Should have compared - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By new2MB - February 2 - 2:16 am

  This is my 1st MB, got a good deal and jumped at the chance to own it. I love the way it handles, compared to my old standard SUVs. I wanted something smaller with room for the kids sports stuff. The GL450 does not have an armrest so on long trips, anything over 30 min. my right arm goes numb, then I move it down to the bottom of the wheel, feeling less in control and still not comfortable. The navigation is very inadequate. Hard to operate compared to most on the market now. Should have compared more vehicles and not just gone for looks.

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  Awesome 2 Me! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By EZYERNIE - January 30 - 10:00 am

  I upgraded from a C-coupe and its a major step up! Very Comfortable, very smooth car. Power is not overwhelming, but its there, even in the 320. Its a very smooth ride on almost all roads. Many Kudos for the exterior styling. I have received many compliments on the car, so Im not the only admirer of its styling. Its an eyecatcher in the rearview mirror, too.

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  Sunroof not level - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By takeoutboy - January 30 - 10:00 am

  Just purchased this vehicle for below invoice price. Its fun to drive this car so far. Only issue I would complain is its build quality - Sunroof is not leveled, right side is slightly "up". I went back to the dealer and noticed some MBs also were made like this, but some are just perfect. Dealer agrees to fix it.

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  Do not buy this SUV - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Sheikh711 - January 27 - 1:13 pm

  Biggest mistake I did buying this SUV. It feels like I am driving a TANK - very very uncomfortable and feels like there is no grip on the road. I am always scared turning this car on hard corners. Do yourself a favor and look for some other car in this class or WALK rather than ride in this SUV.

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  Nice Car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By J Pao - January 26 - 2:00 am

  I used to own an Acura 3.2TL. My C is smaller, but feels more solid than the Acura and handles much, much better. The fuel economy could be better. The engine is powerful, but could stand a few more ponies. I have driven this through a blinding snow storm and can say that the AWD worked like a dream. The car handled beautifully. Contrary to another review, this car is easy to park and handles very well at all speeds. It came down to a choice between the BMW 330ix and the C320 4Matic. The BMW drove better, but only marginally. Finally, the BMW could not compare in terms of luxury i.e. dual climate, seats, other features.

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  Smooth & Classy - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By 1st Convertible - January 25 - 4:23 pm

  Rare Mars Red w/Stone,Black Top. An absolute stunner - I get stopped where- ever I go! No comparison to common, tiny BMW Cabs. Classier than all the others. Excellent power, refined ride, great amenities. Comparisons to a Lexus are absurd. Every car has its bugs. I owned one of the first RX3000s in the state-nothing but problems for 16 mos. - and Lexus wouldnt help me. MB makes the best product available - I should know - Ive been exporting autos for 15 yrs!

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  Excellent - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jay - January 24 - 7:39 pm

  About 15,000 miles without issues. The appearance of the vehicle is superb and gets compliments weekly. Excellent performance Luxurious inside and extremely comfortable. Our 2nd Benz and we love it. Rearview camera is excellent Distronic Plus is totally awesome Stereo ROCKS I do wish they put a spot for my phone AC on/off is complex Mine is loaded

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  great car, poorly built - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By lnghrn17 - January 24 - 4:40 am

  love the ride, handling, features, styling, etc. this is my first european sedan-- friends warned me about quality problems but i bought it anyway because i really liked the overall vehicle ride and impression. however, its been recalled twice and the rocker arms need to be replaced. all this at 20,000 mi. mb needs to get its act together on build quality! if i were not now gunshy about quality/reliability, i d have almost nothing but good things to say. only complaints about performance and design are power/acceleration and the cupholders-- agree with other reviewers they are a little hokey.

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  CLK 350 Cabrio For Fun - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Bud Springer - January 21 - 11:40 am

  Chose CLK Cabrio over BMW Convertable and am truly pleased with the choice. Great looking and driving. Gas mileage is exceptional; you really can get 27- 28 mpg on the highway. Great top down ride at 65-70 mph w/no wind problems at all. We can talk and be heard and the excellent radio sound carries well. This is perfect car for a couple and unlike the roadsters, there is ample room for a reasonable amount of baggage, even with the top down as the rear seats serve well for cargo and even our 2 small dogs on occassion. We selected a black over white color combo and just love it. We constantly get compliments and this one stands out over the usual silver bodies we see too much of.

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  Love my Benz - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Grant - January 21 - 9:56 am

  This is my 3rd Mercedes. I bought this 2.5 years ago with 75,000 miles and have 120,00 on it now. Routine maintenance is more expensive, but at the end of the day, Im not driving a Honda and dont expect this to act/cost like one. I love the feel, the weight, and the safety. My gas mileage is getting better with time. (22/30 respectively) I could not be happier! Know what youre buying (good maintenance history, hasnt been abused) and know what to expect (its more expensive to maintain).