BMW X5 vs Land Rover Defender 130

The BMW X5 starts from $137,600 before on-road costs, while the Land Rover Defender 130 opens at $136,000. That makes the Land Rover Defender 130 the more affordable entry point by $1,600.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $151,360 and $149,600 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the BMW X5 by roughly $1,285 in fuel alone.

ANCAP safety ratings have not been published for both models yet. We will update this section when crash test results are available.

The BMW X5 features a 14.9-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Land Rover Defender 130 gets a 11.4-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The BMW X5 stands out with head-up display, panoramic roof, ventilated seats, power tailgate and Harman Kardon audio that you will not find on the Land Rover Defender 130. The Land Rover Defender 130 counters with Meridian audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the BMW X5 gets sensatec synthetic leather upholstery while the Land Rover Defender 130 offers leather. Climate control is 2-zone in the BMW X5 and 3-zone in the Land Rover Defender 130.

The BMW X5 uses a Diesel producing 219kW and 670Nm of torque, sent through a auto to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.1 seconds.

The Land Rover Defender 130 responds with a 3.0 i6 D350 Diesel Mild Hybrid making 257kW and 700Nm, paired to a 8-speed automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 6.8 seconds.

The Land Rover Defender 130 has the clear power advantage at 257kW vs 219kW. In the real-world sprint, the BMW X5 is 0.7s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The BMW X5 measures 4,935mm long on a 2,975mm wheelbase, 164mm shorter than the Land Rover Defender 130 at 5,099mm (3,022mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Land Rover Defender 130 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 650L in the BMW X5 and 389L in the Land Rover Defender 130, giving the BMW X5 a 261L advantage. The Land Rover Defender 130 seats 7 vs 5.

For towing, the BMW X5 leads with a 3,500kg braked capacity vs 3,000kg. That 500kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,052/year for the BMW X5 and $2,309/year for the Land Rover Defender 130. That is a $257 annual difference in favour of the BMW X5.

Estimated annual total: $2,052 (BMW X5) vs $2,309 (Land Rover Defender 130). The BMW X5 saves you roughly $257 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (BMW X5) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Land Rover Defender 130). Both match on warranty length.