Mercedes
Mercedes offers a wide range of cars from the compact A-Class right up to the luxurious S-Class and high performance SLS AMG supercar. The firm has one of the best images in the industry, and you’ll pay a premium to own a car with the famous badge.
Mercedes A-Class
It's the smallest car to wear the Mercedes badge, and also the least expensive. It's not cheap by conventional measures, though, with its pricing putting it up against premium hatchback rivals such as the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3. It does however exude clever thinking, as Mercedes has squeezed masses of room into its small and tall hatchback. Efficient engines should mean reasonable running costs, but the A-Class prioritises practicalities over the fun its rivals offer.
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Mercedes B-Class
The Mercedes B-Class builds on the practicality and comfort offered by the smaller A-Class with a longer wheelbase and distinctive looks. Inside, it offers a surprising amount of space, and the cabin boasts a quality feel close to prestige cars like the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4. On the road, it's comfortable rather than exciting to drive, but for family buyers after a no-nonsense, classy all-rounder the B-Class is worth a test drive.
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Mercedes C-Class
The compact executive car sector includes the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4, and is one of the most competitive there is. So the fact that the latest, facelifted C-Class is one of the best cars in this sector is not to be taken lightly. It's spacious, good-looking, solidly made with a new interior, and balances comfort and sporty handling very well indeed. There's a massive range of engines, but no version is cheap.
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Mercedes CL-Class
The CL-Class is a two-door coupe version of the S-Class. It's a large car that's expensive to buy and run, and is designed to compete with the Bentley Continental GT and Aston Martin DB9. It lacks the heritage and badge appeal of its rivals, but buyers will appreciate that the CL is packed with hi-tech equipment, is beautifully built and is exceptionally comfortable, particularly as a long-distance cruiser. Large petrol and diesel engine options provide ample power, while the top-of-the-range AMG models boast staggering performance.
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Mercedes CLA
The Mercedes CLA is a stylish four-door saloon that's based on the A-Class hatchback. The front-wheel-drive model is 34cm longer than the hatchback, and it offers smooth coupe-style lines in a practical four-door body shape. Inside, the dashboard features the same hi-tech entertainment system as the A-Class, while the seats are laid out in what Mercedes calls a 4+1 arrangement – so there are four full seats, plus an occasional third seat in the middle row. Power comes from the same range of stop-start-equipped petrol and diesel engines as the A-Class.
Mercedes CLC-Class
The CLC is the most affordable coupe that Mercedes-Benz builds. The prestige badge on the bonnet and efficient diesel engines will appeal to many, but the CLC is expensive, and rivals like the BMW 1 Series are more accomplished and just as well built. However, the interior is spacious, and the car is good looking.
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Mercedes CLS-Class
By blending the appeal of an executive four-door saloon with that of a sporty coupe, the Mercedes-Benz CLS created a new market sector when it was launched in 2004. An all-new car was launched in November 2009, and the latest evolution of the Mercedes-Benz CLS is the most impressive yet. Described as a four-door coupé, it builds on the stylish appeal of the original and adds more comfort, better handling and a range of more desirable engines. Good to look and and even better to drive, it keeps the four-seat, four-door layout that defined the original, but it feels more spacious, thanks to the fact it is 3cm longer. Frameless, all aluminium doors help keep the weight down, while a top of the range CLS 63AMG delivers 576bhp and fearsome performance.
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Mercedes E-Class
The E-Class offers everything you should expect from an expensive executive car like a Mercedes. It's available as a saloon, estate, coupe or convertible, and all models boast huge, well made interiors, offering lots of space for passengers and their luggage. The E-Class has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, which backs up the car's solid feel. All cars come well equipped, and Mercedes offers trim levels designed with company car buyers in mind. There's a wide range of petrol and diesel engines to choose from. The smallest petrol unit does sound a little strained, but otherwise, all engines deliver a quiet and comfortable drive.
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Mercedes G-Class
Despite being the longest serving passenger model in the history of Mercedes, the brand is hailing it as a ‘new model’. Customers are able to choose either the G350 CDI with 218bhp or the full blown G 55 AMG, which comes with a whopping 493bhp supercharged V8, and sprints from 0-62 in just 5.5 seconds. There is also a rough-and-tumble commercial only base model, dubbed the G 300 CDI Professional, propping up the bottom of the range. All of them are long wheelbase editions, so the G-Class is equally comfortable whether wafting along like a luxury limo or up to its axles in a muddy Welsh field.
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Mercedes GL-Class
The gigantic Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is a very plush SUV that seats seven in a luxurious interior. Everything about the GL is massive, from the large petrol or diesel engines, to the purchase price and running costs. The car is packed with luxury equipment including climate control, leather seats and cruise control. What's more, all cars have a smooth, comfortable ride, thanks to the standard-fit air-suspension and seven-speed automatic gearbox.
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Mercedes M-Class
Handsome, understated looks and a well-built interior define the Mercedes M-Class. It has an extensive range of engines, including some excellent diesels, all of which are powerful. Running costs are quite high across the line-up but while the M-Class isn’t cheap, it's priced competitively next to prestige 4x4 rivals like the BMW X5.
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Mercedes R-Class
The Mercedes R-Class offers seven-seat practicality and the interior space of a large SUV like the Land Rover Discovery 4, but without seeming to take up the same space. You won’t feel that the R-Class is anything other than huge in town however, and rear seat space is actually quite limited for a car of its size. However, the traditional Mercedes-Benz strengths of great build quality, powerful yet economical engines and a superbly quiet cabin are all present. Running costs are huge, but the more expensive, long-wheelbase car is the pick of the range.
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Mercedes S-Class
The S-Class is one of the very best luxury cars that money can buy. There are five petrol engines to choose from, but around 90 per cent of buyers opt for the excellent 3.0-litre diesel, which provides an exceptional mix of performance and economy. The S-Class is whisper-quiet at almost any speed, while the interior is spacious, beautifully built and extremely comfortable, whether you’re driving or being driven. Despite its size, the S-Class is good to drive, thanks to its adaptive air-suspension, and it is crammed with high tech safety features and luxury gadgets.
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Mercedes SL-Class
The SL is the bigger brother to the SLK and features a superbly engineered folding metal hard top that turns the SL from a coupe into a cabriolet at the touch of a button. The SL offers lots of performance from its strong line-up of large petrol engines while the interior is well made, generously equipped and very comfortable. The SL isn’t an out-and-out driver's car like a Porsche 911, but it's easier to get in and out of, and more comfortable over long journeys. This is especially true of cars higher up in the range, which come with air-suspension as standard.
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Mercedes SLK
The Mercedes SLK is a two-seater that majors on style, and that's before you’ve played with its attention-grabbing folding metal roof. The top slides back and folds into the boot at the touch of a button, turning the SLK from a sleek coupe into a stylish cabriolet. The SLK is nicely built and well equipped, too. However, it is beginning to show its age, as some of the smaller engines feel underpowered and are thirsty, while the manual gearbox isn’t as good as the smooth automatic. A diesel version would help enhance the desirability, but only petrol engines are currently available.
Mercedes SLS AMG
The top-of-the-range supercar from Mercedes-Benz is the SLS AMG. It's designed to embody everything that a Mercedes-Benz should be, and mixes stunning retro details like the attention-grabbing gullwing doors and plush interior, with a state of the art 6.2-litre V8 engine and twin clutch gearbox. The SLS impresses with its blend of pace and comfort, and offers an impressive compromise between sharp driving dynamics and being comfortable to drive. It doesn't come cheap, but the cabin is well equipped.
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Mercedes Viano
The Mercedes Viano is based on a van. Thanks to its commercial vehicle roots, the Viano is solidly built and should be very reliable and dependable. However, that also means that the Viano isn’t the most car-like MPV to drive, and tends to thump over bumps in the road, making it less comfortable to be in than its rivals. Three body styles are available, short, long and extra long, and the number of seats varies between six and eight, depending on which configuration you go for. A range of diesel engines is available, with the 2.2-litre being powerful, efficient and quiet. As it's a Mercedes, the Viano isn’t a cheap option.
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