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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  Please read this before you drive it off the lot. - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Broadcast Pro - June 9 - 8:28 am

  I loved this car - and still do to a point. However, I noticed when I was driving off the lot that speakers were making a buzzing sound. I honestly thought it must be in my head so I kept going. 6 months later, Ive had it in for this to be repaired for three days and it still does it. Internet forums are filled with users complaining that their premium Burmeister sound system buzzes and rattles. Some dealerships claim they cant hear it. One forum poster said hes had it in 9 times to fix the buzz. Yesterday, I made a video of EXACTLY how to reproduce it here. https://youtu.be/VjPDFnf6TOI Please do yourself an enormous favor and try this test to confirm that your new car does not buzz. Once you buy it, odds are it is permanent. I would not have spent 70k on this car knowing this.

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  Worst Car EVER - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By fpc911 - June 5 - 5:23 pm

  Purchased this car new in March 2010. C300 sport 4matic non-NAV. I must admit I did not do my research before buying, and purchased the car because I have always wanted a new Mercedes. What a mistake. Car looks awesome sitting still. Very well built. WHAT IS WRONG: 1) the turn signal is about 4 inches lower than any other car. Cruise control stalk is where the turn signal stalk SHOULD BE. Also, you cant see the wiper control without stuffing your head under/behind the steering wheel to take a look. 2) the radio controls are useless. there is a cool dial on the center console but it sucks. 4 different ways to change the radio station.. and if the stupid looking visor

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  G500 Lemon - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By Dr.MLG - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Mechanical and electrial defects have kept the vehicle in the service department over 30 days in the first 3 months of ownership. The noise that developed recently, from somewhere in the dash, which started after replacing the starter switch, is still present after 2 1/2 weeks in the shop. MB decided that it is a design problem that I have to live with.

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  What A Lemon - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By nightmare - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Trouble started 10 days past qualifying for the lemon law - met all stipulations except the time period. Towed numerous times for the same problem to the same dealership (due to a move not the selling dealership). Never could fix for any length of time. Regional service manager wouldnt return calls, Mercedes USA wouldnt help. Would NEVER recommend one.

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  Not Impressed - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Underwhelmed - May 4 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car as a present to myself. Who knew I would be so underwhelmed by the experience. Too many minor repairs in the first few months (purge valve, wind noise because stuff around door jam not secure, and rear sun shade worked only when it wanted to). These things were fixed and now Im experiencing other prblems! The back of the passenger seat fell off, the driver side door handle broke off (no unusual use!!!), and the gear shift moves when you change gears. And dont get me started about the squeaking brakes. UGH!!!!

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  Not what youd expect for the price. - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Too Late - Its mine - April 17 - 10:00 am

  If I could give it back - Id definitely buy the Lexus coupe. This 60k+ car was in the shop 3x in the first week. Back again for parts that fell off, locks that dont unlock and the alignment still pulls. The brakes squeal-acceptable and expected says Benz-and dont expect them to last past 12-15k Mi. When I told the Service Mgr I owned 2 lexus before this, he said, "Thats a great product. This is no Lexus." That speaks volumes. I should have respected the consumer reports ratings that told me these cars are unreliable & w/poor customer satisfaction. My fault for not listening. Ill probably keep it for a year and dump it for the Lexus, where I was spoile

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  Expected Better from Mercedes - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dan - April 14 - 4:01 pm

  Weve had the car a little over a year and bought it in large measure on the strength of the Edmunds review, which gave it an A rating. While the car has some nice features, it also has some that leave you shaking your head. Were not sure why Edmunds gave it such a high rating, it probably deserves a B- instead. On the positive side, the car is beautiful, comfortable, performs well, gets outstanding gas mileage and is fun to drive. On the negative side of things, the overly complex entertainment/climate control system is maddening. Even after a year, I have no idea how to find a radio station outside of the presets the salesperson helped me program when we first bought it. There are three levers on the left side of the steering column - turn signal, cruise control and steering column adjustment. Too many times Ive turned on the signal when I meant to adjust the cruise control, and vice versa. Very clumsy design. The other real negative is the lack of a spare tire. Weve had two flats in the year weve owned the car, which is way more than weve experienced before. In both cases, the drive-flat tires were ruined and had to be replaced at a cost of over $400 each time. Even worse, a flat tire with this car demands your immediate attention, which is a real pain in the rear. No matter what else youre doing at the time or where you are, everything has to be put on hold until the tire gets fixed. Gone are the days that you could put on the spare and go about your business and get around to fixing the flat at a more convenient time. And if it happens on a weekend, the car is pretty much out of commission until Monday.

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  How could MB put their name on this SUV? - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By AidansDad - April 3 - 10:00 am

  My wifes ML320 has been in the shop over 6 times now for issues ranging from low engine oil warnings(HBL tells us that its normal for the ML to lose a few quarts of oil ) to electrical issues. e.g. power windows, sensors, strange sounds. Would never buy one again and have suggested to prospective buyers not to make the same mistake we did. Just read that over 60% of MLs have major issues. Thank GOD for the 4- year-50K warranty. Mercedes has probably lost ALL the money they saved by manufacturing the car in ALABAMA instead of Deutschland, on warrantied labor. If you have to have a Mercedes, avoid the M Class.

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  Good looking but a lemon - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Devan - April 2 - 3:30 am

  When I first got the car I fell in love with the way it handled, looked, and the gawking that I got from other drivers when they saw the big ol star on the hood. However this car is a true Chrysler product, I have owned it about a year and a half now, it has been towed in immobile three times, one time a pulley ceased, next time the electrical, most recent the "accelerator pedal" malfunctioned making the tranny immobile. After I purchased it I had problems with the sun roof not automatically closing as it was supposed to, took them six times in the shop to fix it. Anything to do to this car repair wise (oil, tires, brakes) is way overpriced. Disappointed with the car, thought it was better

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  Great car, expensive repairs - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Al - February 28 - 5:20 pm

  I have owned this car for about 6 months now - had 75K miles on it when I bought it, now has 83K miles. It feels solid and drives wonderfully. But shortly after I bought the car, it started breaking down; piece by piece. And the repairs are so darn expensive. All in all, I would not recommend this car to anyone as what you will pay for repairs will probably exceed what youve paid for the car itself. Unless you have saved up an additional $10K for repairs and you are willing to spend all of it, do yourself a favor and stay away from this car.