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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  1st year in the shop over 2 months - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By sk25 - January 6 - 5:01 pm

  I have had a BMW, Lexus and really liked the 2010 E350...so I purchased a CPO one. And that is where the nightmare began. The navigation system randomly freezes, the stereo system/phone system is on but no sound. MB says its the software...hmmm but cannot be the hw according them them. The rear bumper was literally not fitting in properly...they said that happens?? WOW ok. The rear passenger door was not aligned with the car...they said that happens with time! The window would open on its own...they replaced the window, and said...its fixed...but it was not, they finally changed the motor and now its fixed. Worst experience I can imagine! Perhaps a Yugo would be better!?!

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  Regular Electronic Issues - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By John S - November 1 - 5:16 am

  Bought a 2014 e350 convertible with 11,000 miles on it. It was a MB certified pre-owned car. Fun to drive; problem was the drivers side window would not fully close. After four trips to the dealership in 4 weeks, the window would not still not consistently close. Hard to own a car you cant drive in the rain. The dealership was great - they tried the specified MB repair four times but it would not hold. The dealership took the car back with no hassle. MB was not good (: I spent $1,500 on prepaid maintenance that they would not return. Didnt matter that the car could not be used as a regular driver. You should be ashamed MB. My next convertible will be another BMW.

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  Outdated Dinasoar - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Thomas Smith - May 4 - 10:00 am

  Bought the M because it was cheaper than the X5. After two months, it already feels old and cant wait to trade it in next year for the Cadillac. Bad investmen

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  Worst Decision of my life - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bob lugn - March 25 - 10:00 am

  I just came out of a BMW 540i and after 3 months with this car its been in the shops so much the coffee guy knows me. Drive is nothing like a BMW, leather is soft and has some nice features but who cares. So does my daughters HONDA!!!

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  nice looking but lame - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By gip - March 22 - 10:00 am

  i cannot imagine a Mercedes can be so usless, it is comfortable but, yeah these things flip over. I mean my 89 mercury sable station wagon runs better. If the car came with a recipt I wouldnt have it tommorrow.

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  Reliability - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Reputation - February 25 - 5:26 pm

  This is my 2nd M Class. Purchased the first model and was disappointed with all the problems it had. Gave MB another chance because of their reputation, believing they would fix all the issues. Bad decision - I only have 75K miles and its been to the shop so many times, I lost count. Mechanical problems resulted in replacing the main computer (5K miles), power steering (pump went out at 11K miles), numerous sensors and fuel system components. Minor exterior and interior (broken plastic) parts are also a disappointment. I have gotten to know my mechanic very well. Forget MB and the status symbol. Every time I see an MB, I see my mechanics shop. Not very reliable-only a name.

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  car sucks with too many recalls - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Jmsnwyrk - February 22 - 10:00 am

  My car was bought in October last year and has been in the shop for recalls, oil consumption studies, mirror replacements, and leaking problems over 6 times. The car is cheaply made and there is very little luxury when you must use a loaner car more than you can drive your own.

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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.