Mercedes-Benz Car And Van 'Classes' Explained

Mercedes-Benz is known as a maker of luxury vehicles, though some may wonder what they mean with their car and van classes. The manufacturer has long had their own way of describing their vehicles, which actually underwent a change in 1994, though their automobile nomenclature and designations make perfect sense when you understand what the company means when they refer to their different types of vehicle classes.

Making everything from coupes, sedans, and sport utility vehicles, Mercedes-Benz is always associated with premium automobiles that highlight German engineering. Each one of these vehicles usually has an associated letter designation, which helps the company classify each of its products. Whereas other automobile manufacturers name their different models with names like Mustang and Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz uses letters instead like A, B, C, and so forth. However, each one of these letters refers to a specific design, so knowing these will allow you to identify different types of Mercedes-Benz.

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It is important to note that each one of Mercedes-Benz's models has a letter name instead of an actual name, and this naming convention actually refers to different classes of their automobiles. Mercedes-Benz offers many different types of vehicles, and their naming convention with letters actually denotes the size and general uses. As such, the A-Class of Mercedes-Benz actually refers to its smallest option, and A-Class automobiles are usually a subcompact hatchback or sedan. Considering this, it makes perfect sense that the B-Class from Mercedes-Benz is also generally subcompact, though the company clarifies that B-Class vehicles are multipurpose.

The C-Class continues this trend, and these automobiles are usually either a compact luxury sedan, coupe, or cabriolet, while the E-Class are mid-sized iterations of the C-Class. With each step on the alphabet, each type of Mercedes-Benz grows in size and utility. This means that the G-Class is usually a luxury off-road vehicle, the S-Class is either a full-sized sedan, coupe, or cabriolet, the V-Class are vans, and X-Class are trucks. However, these aren't the only classifications when it comes to Mercedes-Benz's repertoire.

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Although many of Mercedes-Benz's fleet of automobiles have a singular letter, some of their vehicles actually combine multiple letters, though the first letter usually still corresponds to one of their classifications. That means that when you see a GL-Class, you can tell that it is meant for off-roading, and most of these are SUVs. This additive property continues with the CL line, which are coupe-style vehicles with four doors, and the SL-Class, which are roadster vehicles like the SLC and powerful SL.

If you are ever lucky enough to spot a Mercedes-Benz with an EQ designation, like the well-reviewed EQS, then you have come across an electric or concept vehicle. In other words, Mercedes-Benz's naming convention usually has a direct correlation between the letter class and size, as well as its typical usage. Still, this manner of naming automobiles provides a solid foundation for understanding what exactly Mercedes-Benz has available, and without even seeing a potential future vehicle, simply knowing the letter that starts off the automobile's name is more than enough to know what kind it is.

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