Land Rover Defender OCTA vs Mercedes-Benz G-Class

The Land Rover Defender OCTA starts from $304,500 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-Benz G-Class opens at $214,900. That makes the Mercedes-Benz G-Class the more affordable entry point by $89,600.

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 $334,950 and $236,390 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Mercedes-Benz G-Class by roughly $6,270 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 OCTA features a 11.4-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Mercedes-Benz G-Class gets a 12.3-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Land Rover Defender OCTA stands out with panoramic roof, heated front seats, ventilated seats, power tailgate and Meridian audio that you will not find on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class counters with head-up display and Burmester audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Land Rover Defender OCTA gets leather upholstery while the Mercedes-Benz G-Class offers nappa leather.

The Land Rover Defender OCTA uses a 4.4L V8 Twin-Turbo Petrol Mild Hybrid producing 467kW and 750Nm of torque, sent through a 8-speed automatic to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 4 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class responds with a Diesel making 270kW and 750Nm, paired to a automatic driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 5.8 seconds.

The Land Rover Defender OCTA has the clear power advantage at 467kW vs 270kW. In the real-world sprint, the Land Rover Defender OCTA is 1.8s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Land Rover Defender OCTA measures 4,813mm long on a 3,023mm wheelbase, 12mm shorter than the Mercedes-Benz G-Class at 4,825mm (2,890mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Land Rover Defender OCTA generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 972L in the Land Rover Defender OCTA and 480L in the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, giving the Land Rover Defender OCTA a 492L advantage.

For towing, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class leads with a 3,500kg braked capacity vs 3,500kg. That 0kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $3,734/year for the Land Rover Defender OCTA and $2,480/year for the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. That is a $1,254 annual difference in favour of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

Estimated annual total: $3,734 (Land Rover Defender OCTA) vs $2,480 (Mercedes-Benz G-Class). The Mercedes-Benz G-Class saves you roughly $1,254 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 OCTA) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz G-Class). Both match on warranty length.