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:

• 

  No Major Problems - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By gjl - July 12 - 10:00 am

  I have had no major problems, I have had a few minor problems with the fit and finish, but all were covered by warranty and the service I received from Mercedes is excellent. In my area they even offer Moble service and they come right to you.

• 

  MB Chrysler - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By si_cool - July 8 - 2:00 am

  Its a Chrysler. Did MB buy Chrysler out or the other way round?

• 

  Get Noticed - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mshelby - July 8 - 2:00 am

  Great and extremely fun car to drive. If you like appearance this a great luxury car to get for its price, you will GET noticed! This car has wonderful takeoff speeed with its supercharged engine. CL 230K has wonderful accelerating speed, and shifts gears automatically w/out notice, just keeps accelerating, also great passing speed on the highway. Great entry-level vechile for Mercedes if you want to start getting into Mercedes

• 

  All on How You Take Care - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By M. Torres - July 2 - 9:56 pm

  Got the "Light Truck" 9 months ago. It came with dealer-installed running boards,full grille gaurds with PIAA foglights. Driving is always a pleasure in wintertime. Although quality is literally plastic moldings for the dash, they suit well enough for the price. Not the quality instituted in German-built facilities. Many speak of cars falling apart on them. If you dont follow the maintainence that Mercedes asks for the vehicle of course itll fall apart. Service the vehicle every six months and it will go the distance in mileage. The cargo space with folded down seats and extra two 6th and 7th seats is roomy enough to say the MLs are willing to get a little dirty but still its a luxury SUV.

• 

  Awesome - 2014 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Carl Janvier - June 30 - 9:58 pm

• 

  3rd GL. Still an impressive vehicle - 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Bill L. - June 28 - 4:15 pm

  This is our 3rd GL. We have owned a 2007 GL450, a 2011 GL550 and now a 2015 GL450. Each time we have test driven other vehicles and ended up back at the Mercedes dealer. PROs: Real 7 adult capacity - The back seat is a little of a climb but it can comfortably seat 2 reasonably sized adults for moderate distances. Drives less "trucky" that the truck-based SUVs - This is a unibody and therefore is not built on a truck frame. That allows for lower ride height and more stable feeling SUV with a lower lift height to put stuff in the back. Decent power and ride - This is a change from the old V8s and is a little more slow to respond when accelerating from a moderate pace (the old V8s were quicker) but it is still very reasonable for a vehicle this size. It is also a great highway cruiser with comfortable seats and non-fatiguing driving position. Many safety gizmos available - Lane departure warning, front impact warning, blind spot monitoring, automatic high beams, headlights that follow the curves all make for a safer ride. Interior - Although the electronics are not the best the interior is pretty darn nice. Leather wrapped dash, doors, real wood and solid overall feel to the controls and buttons. CONS: Expensive to fix/maintain - MB is one of the more expensive models to maintain. Just a fact. New sets of brakes/rotors every 30-40K miles, general maintenance in the $300-$500 range and this isnt a cheap car to own. Add in that it requires Premium Unleaded and this isnt a cheap vehicle Transmission can range from smooth to harsh - Usually, it shifts very smoothly but every once in a while it will hard upshift/downshift. All 3 I have owned have done this. It never inspired confidence but I ran my last one to 144K miles and it was still going strong when I traded it. Electronics are only ok - Nothing overly exciting about the NAV or Command system as a whole. It works but is a little clunky and low resolution. Summary: Safe, comfortable vehicle that performs well and feels like a luxury vehicle. Electronics are only okay and your wallet/pocketbook wont be thrilled but for some people that extra cost is worth it.

• 

  Black Lemon - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By bleigh - June 28 - 3:46 pm

  I love this car...but Mercedes doesnt back their product like they would have you believe. First, the steering column was replaced (reluctantly, by MB); then after putting me off repeatedly while "trying this and that" (until the warranty ran out) about a gear noise in the front left wheel, they replaced the transfer case. MB ended up charging me for half of this repair, despite the fact that they said theyd take care of it. I still love the car, but this dealership has cured me of ever wanting another one. New battery and alternator cost me $1000~!

• 

  My CDI - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Kevin Flanagan - June 27 - 7:16 pm

  I have owned diesels since 1977, starting with a 240 d. I managed to get a used (9000miles) CDI from my local dealer last month, they imported it from Ohio, because they cant sell diesels in Calif. The car is great except for the electronics. After having the car for only 2 weeks, the battery warning light came on, and it had to go back to the dealer because of a faulty sensor. We have had the same trouble with our 99 E430. Apart from this the car is great. Its difficult to get the 27 mpg in the city though

• 

  Looks great, but quality could be better - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Pike - June 24 - 3:13 am

  I love how my C230 looks inside and out! However, it is slow and I have had it in the shop for issues w/ tail lights, brakes, amplifier (twice), driver seat motor bad, steering column motor bad. Total of 6 times that were unscheduled maint. I plan to buy a BMW next.

• 

  OK - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By JAEB - June 24 - 2:00 am

  Have had the car 4 years from new and it still feels like new.Some irritating problems like rusting wjeel nuts, poor heating and ventilation electronics and cheap fixtures in some parts of the interior. Performance OK for this class.Great residual value, but I plan to keep the car for a quite a few more years.