Land Rover Defender 130 vs Mercedes-Benz GLB

The Land Rover Defender 130 starts from $114,500 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-Benz GLB opens at $63,900. That makes the Mercedes-Benz GLB the more affordable entry point by $50,600.

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 $125,950 and $70,290 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Mercedes-Benz GLB by roughly $1,570 in fuel alone.

Both the Land Rover Defender 130 and Mercedes-Benz GLB hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 85% for the Land Rover Defender 130 and 92% for the Mercedes-Benz GLB.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Land Rover Defender 130 packs more ADAS features with 7 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 6 in the Mercedes-Benz GLB.

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 130 and 7 in the Mercedes-Benz GLB. The Land Rover Defender 130 adds a 360-degree camera that the Mercedes-Benz GLB misses.

The Land Rover Defender 130 features a 13.1-inch touchscreen, while the Mercedes-Benz GLB gets a 10.3-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Land Rover Defender 130 stands out with Meridian audio that you will not find on the Mercedes-Benz GLB. The Mercedes-Benz GLB counters with power tailgate. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Land Rover Defender 130 uses a 3.0 i6 D350 Diesel Mild Hybrid producing 257kW and 700Nm of torque, sent through a 8-speed automatic to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.8 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB responds with a Petrol making 120kW and 250Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 9.4 seconds.

The Land Rover Defender 130 has the clear power advantage at 257kW vs 120kW. In the real-world sprint, the Land Rover Defender 130 is 2.6s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Land Rover Defender 130 measures 5,099mm long on a 3,587mm wheelbase, 465mm longer than the Mercedes-Benz GLB at 4,634mm (2,829mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Land Rover Defender 130 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 389L in the Land Rover Defender 130 and 570L in the Mercedes-Benz GLB, giving the Mercedes-Benz GLB a 181L advantage.

For towing, the Land Rover Defender 130 leads with a 3,000kg braked capacity vs 1,600kg. That 1,400kg 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 130 and $1,995/year for the Mercedes-Benz GLB. That is a $314 annual difference in favour of the Mercedes-Benz GLB.

Estimated annual total: $2,309 (Land Rover Defender 130) vs $1,995 (Mercedes-Benz GLB). The Mercedes-Benz GLB saves you roughly $314 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 130) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz GLB). Both match on warranty length.