Land Rover Defender 130 vs Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

The Land Rover Defender 130 starts from $136,000 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class opens at $239,900. That makes the Land Rover Defender 130 the more affordable entry point by $103,900.

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 $149,600 and $263,890 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Land Rover Defender 130 by roughly $1,280 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 Land Rover Defender 130 features a 11.4-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class gets a 11.9-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. 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 SL-Class. The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class counters with head-up display, panoramic roof and Burmester audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Land Rover Defender 130 gets leather upholstery while the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class offers nappa leather. Climate control is 3-zone in the Land Rover Defender 130 and 2-zone in the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class.

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 SL-Class responds with a Petrol making 280kW and 480Nm, paired to a automatic driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class has the clear power advantage at 280kW vs 257kW. In the real-world sprint, the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is 1.9s 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 3,022mm wheelbase, 394mm longer than the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class at 4,705mm (2,700mm 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 213L in the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, giving the Land Rover Defender 130 a 176L advantage. The Land Rover Defender 130 seats 7 vs 2.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,309/year for the Land Rover Defender 130 and $2,565/year for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class. That is a $256 annual difference in favour of the Land Rover Defender 130.

Estimated annual total: $2,309 (Land Rover Defender 130) vs $2,565 (Mercedes-Benz SL-Class). The Land Rover Defender 130 saves you roughly $256 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 SL-Class). Both match on warranty length.