By While many manufacturers have reported losses during this time of social distancing and lockdown, luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz have had a very strong showing. People are paying more attention than ever to their health and quality of life, so it’s only natural that they wouldn’t want to compromise in any area, including their family transport.
Ahead of the curve
The German automaker has always prided itself on being a leader in terms of comfort, technology, and safety. From the smaller, affordable A-Class sedan to the enormous G-Class SUV, each model offers top-of-the-line features. And now, with engineers paying even closer attention to consumer health, you can expect to see the introduction of new clean-air systems and similar tech in the near future. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Merc if it wasn’t ahead of the competition in terms of performance, too. Each car from this prestigious badge comes equipped with an engine guaranteed to thrill you, with horsepower and torque to spare on the upper-trim AMG models.
Giving you peace of mind
Aside from the comfort features and future tech focused on passenger wellness, every vehicle bearing the Tri-star emblem comes with a host of the best safety features. You won’t find less than six airbags on even the lowest-tier base models, although the two-seater convertible configurations are obviously the exception to the rule. Every model also comes with a rearview camera and a veritable array of up-to-the-minute safety tech. These include driver-assistance features such as blind-spot monitoring, following distance indicators, forward collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic alert, and often adaptive cruise control. Don’t let the fact that the NHTSA and IIHS have no official safety ratings for these vehicles in the USA fool you. They are as safe as houses. They just normally cost as much as one, too, so wrecking a few for testing is simply too costly. 
Something for everyone
While many view Mercedes-Benz as a company that caters exclusively to the elite, there are actually more than a few models aimed at the middle-class, or even the well-to-do working class. If getting your hands on a $200k AMG model is nothing more than a dream, consider looking at the more affordable SLC-Class coupe if you want something sporty, or a CLA-Class sedan if you need a little extra space for the kids and luggage. Both these vehicles come in under the $50k MSRP mark without compromising on the Merc-level quality you can expect from the more pricey variants. Of course, the slightly weaker engines and lower weight results in much better fuel economy, too.
If your family is a little bigger and you value practicality, one of the many crossovers available from the premium brand, such as the GLA-Class or luxurious GLS-Class, should appeal to you. Their mileage figures are a little less impressive than those of the smaller cars, but they make up for it with hard-to-beat cargo capacity and silky smooth ride quality. Some even have a degree of off-roading ability. Regardless of what you end up falling in love with, you should definitely consider taking some of the more thrilling sports cars for a test drive. Even if it’s only to give you a taste of what to look forward to later on in life.
