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 $244,900. That makes the Mercedes-Benz G-Class the more affordable entry point by $59,600.

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 $269,390 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Mercedes-Benz G-Class by roughly $1,425 in fuel alone.

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

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. Both models are evenly matched with 7 out of 10 key ADAS systems.

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 OCTA and 9 in the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

The Land Rover Defender OCTA features a 13.1-inch touchscreen, while the Mercedes-Benz G-Class gets a 12.3-inch display. 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.

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 210kW and 600Nm, paired to a automatic driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 7.4 seconds.

The Land Rover Defender OCTA has the clear power advantage at 467kW vs 210kW. In the real-world sprint, the Land Rover Defender OCTA is 3.4s 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, 189mm longer than the Mercedes-Benz G-Class at 4,624mm (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 688L in the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, giving the Land Rover Defender OCTA a 284L 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 $3,449/year for the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. That is a $285 annual difference in favour of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

Estimated annual total: $3,734 (Land Rover Defender OCTA) vs $3,449 (Mercedes-Benz G-Class). The Mercedes-Benz G-Class saves you roughly $285 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.