Land Rover Defender 110 vs BMW X3

The Land Rover Defender 110 starts from $100,900 before on-road costs, while the BMW X3 opens at $86,100. That makes the BMW X3 the more affordable entry point by $14,800.

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 $110,990 and $94,710 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the BMW X3 by roughly $1,855 in fuel alone.

Both the Land Rover Defender 110 and BMW X3 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 85% for the Land Rover Defender 110 and 93% for the BMW X3.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Land Rover Defender 110 packs more ADAS features with 6 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 5 in the BMW X3.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 6 in the Land Rover Defender 110 and 6 in the BMW X3.

The Land Rover Defender 110 features a 13.1-inch touchscreen, while the BMW X3 gets a 14.9-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Land Rover Defender 110 stands out with heated front seats, ventilated seats and power tailgate that you will not find on the BMW X3. The BMW X3 counters with Harman Kardon audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Land Rover Defender 110 uses a 3.0 i6 Diesel Mild Hybrid producing 183kW and 570Nm of torque, sent through a 8-speed automatic to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.3 seconds.

The BMW X3 responds with a Petrol making 150kW and 310Nm, paired to a auto driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 6 seconds.

The Land Rover Defender 110 has the clear power advantage at 183kW vs 150kW. In the real-world sprint, the BMW X3 is 2.3s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Land Rover Defender 110 measures 4,758mm long on a 3,022mm wheelbase, 3mm longer than the BMW X3 at 4,755mm (2,865mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Land Rover Defender 110 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 972L in the Land Rover Defender 110 and 570L in the BMW X3, giving the Land Rover Defender 110 a 402L advantage.

For towing, the Land Rover Defender 110 leads with a 3,500kg braked capacity vs 2,500kg. That 1,000kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,309/year for the Land Rover Defender 110 and $1,938/year for the BMW X3. That is a $371 annual difference in favour of the BMW X3.

Estimated annual total: $2,309 (Land Rover Defender 110) vs $1,938 (BMW X3). The BMW X3 saves you roughly $371 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Land Rover Defender 110) vs 5 years / 999,999km (BMW X3). Both match on warranty length.