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 favour the Mercedes-Benz GLC by roughly $1,285 in fuel alone.

Both the Land Rover Defender 90 and Mercedes-Benz GLC hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 85% for the Land Rover Defender 90 and 92% for the Mercedes-Benz GLC.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Land Rover Defender 90 packs more ADAS features with 7 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 6 in the Mercedes-Benz GLC.

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 90 and 9 in the Mercedes-Benz GLC. The Land Rover Defender 90 adds a 360-degree camera that the Mercedes-Benz GLC misses.

The Land Rover Defender 90 features a 13.1-inch touchscreen, while the Mercedes-Benz GLC gets a 11.9-inch display. 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.

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 300Nm, 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 $2,309/year for the Land Rover Defender 90 and $2,052/year for the Mercedes-Benz GLC. That is a $257 annual difference in favour of the Mercedes-Benz GLC.

Estimated annual total: $2,309 (Land Rover Defender 90) vs $2,052 (Mercedes-Benz GLC). The Mercedes-Benz GLC saves you roughly $257 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.