Land Rover Defender OCTA vs Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

The Land Rover Defender OCTA starts from $304,500 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class opens at $199,900. That makes the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class the more affordable entry point by $104,600.

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 $219,890 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class by roughly $7,555 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 GLS-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 heated front seats, ventilated seats and Meridian audio that you will not find on the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class. The Mercedes-Benz GLS-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 GLS-Class offers nappa leather. Climate control is 3-zone in the Land Rover Defender OCTA and 4-zone in the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class.

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 GLS-Class responds with a Petrol making 270kW and 750Nm, paired to a automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 6.1 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 2.1s 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, 402mm shorter than the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class at 5,215mm (3,135mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 972L in the Land Rover Defender OCTA and 355L in the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, giving the Land Rover Defender OCTA a 617L advantage. The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class seats 7 vs 5.

For towing, the Land Rover Defender OCTA leads with a 3,500kg braked capacity vs 2,700kg. That 800kg 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 $2,223/year for the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class. That is a $1,511 annual difference in favour of the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class.

Estimated annual total: $3,734 (Land Rover Defender OCTA) vs $2,223 (Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class). The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class saves you roughly $1,511 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 GLS-Class). Both match on warranty length.