Land Rover Defender 90 vs Mercedes-Benz GLC

The Land Rover Defender 90 starts from $98,400 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 $8,500.

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 $108,240 and $98,890 respectively.

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

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 90 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 90 stands out with Apple CarPlay and heated front seats that you will not find on the Mercedes-Benz GLC. The Mercedes-Benz GLC counters with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, head-up display, panoramic roof, power tailgate and ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Land Rover Defender 90 gets leather upholstery while the Mercedes-Benz GLC offers synthetic leather. Climate control is 3-zone in the Land Rover Defender 90 and 2-zone in the Mercedes-Benz GLC.

The Land Rover Defender 90 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 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC responds with a Petrol making 150kW and 320Nm, paired to a automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8.2 seconds.

The Land Rover Defender 90 has the clear power advantage at 183kW vs 150kW. In the real-world sprint, the Land Rover Defender 90 is 0.2s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Land Rover Defender 90 measures 4,323mm long on a 2,587mm wheelbase, 393mm shorter than the Mercedes-Benz GLC at 4,716mm (2,888mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mercedes-Benz GLC generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 397L in the Land Rover Defender 90 and 600L in the Mercedes-Benz GLC, giving the Mercedes-Benz GLC a 203L advantage.

For towing, the Land Rover Defender 90 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 $2,252/year for the Land Rover Defender 90 and $2,138/year for the Mercedes-Benz GLC. That is a $114 annual difference in favour of the Mercedes-Benz GLC.

Estimated annual total: $2,252 (Land Rover Defender 90) vs $2,138 (Mercedes-Benz GLC). The Mercedes-Benz GLC saves you roughly $114 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 90) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz GLC). Both match on warranty length.