Land Rover Defender 110 vs Mercedes-Benz GLC

The Land Rover Defender 110 starts from $100,900 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-Benz GLC opens at $89,900. That makes the Mercedes-Benz GLC the more affordable entry point by $11,000.

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 $98,890 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs are nearly identical since both have similar efficiency.

Both the Land Rover Defender 110 and Mercedes-Benz GLC hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 85% for the Land Rover Defender 110 and 92% for the Mercedes-Benz GLC.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. Both models are evenly matched with 6 out of 10 key ADAS systems.

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 9 in the Mercedes-Benz GLC.

The Land Rover Defender 110 features a 11.4-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Mercedes-Benz GLC gets a 11.9-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Land Rover Defender 110 stands out with heated front seats and ventilated seats that you will not find on the Mercedes-Benz GLC. The Mercedes-Benz GLC counters with head-up display, panoramic roof and ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Land Rover Defender 110 gets leather upholstery while the Mercedes-Benz GLC offers synthetic leather. Climate control is 3-zone in the Land Rover Defender 110 and 2-zone in the Mercedes-Benz GLC.

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 Mercedes-Benz GLC responds with a Petrol making 150kW and 300Nm, paired to a automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8.2 seconds.

The Land Rover Defender 110 has the clear power advantage at 183kW vs 150kW. In the real-world sprint, the Mercedes-Benz GLC is 0.1s 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, 42mm longer than the Mercedes-Benz GLC at 4,716mm (2,888mm 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 600L in the Mercedes-Benz GLC, giving the Land Rover Defender 110 a 372L advantage.

For towing, the Land Rover Defender 110 leads with a 3,500kg braked capacity vs 2,000kg. That 1,500kg 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 $2,138/year for the Mercedes-Benz GLC. That is a $171 annual difference in favour of the Mercedes-Benz GLC.

Estimated annual total: $2,309 (Land Rover Defender 110) vs $2,138 (Mercedes-Benz GLC). The Mercedes-Benz GLC saves you roughly $171 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 (Mercedes-Benz GLC). Both match on warranty length.