It might be hard to imagine, living as we do in a time of on-demand and endless choice, but the world used to be a simple place. If you wanted a German vehicle (and who doesn’t?), your choices were clear cut.

Essentially, as motoring journalists liked to put it, you could buy the same German sausage, or the best of the wurst, in one of three sizes. The C-Class was the biggest-selling Benz, back when a simple sedan was all the average family required. Those who wanted more space would buy the station wagon, or C-Class Estate, instead.

Those with more lofty ambitions could step up to a more executive-styled sedan, the E-Class, or – if you were a true captain of industry – the limousine-sized S-Class. And that was it. Three choices, all of them excellent.

Today we demand – and are delivered – so much more, to the point where the amount of choice is almost overwhelming. From small city vehicles such as the A-Class, to giant SUVs such as the G-Class, and everything in between, there’s a wide world of options.

So, let’s break down each mainstream Mercedes-Benz model, and why it might suit you.