Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV vs Land Rover Defender 130

The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV starts from $225,900 before on-road costs, while the Land Rover Defender 130 opens at $114,500. That makes the Land Rover Defender 130 the more affordable entry point by $111,400.

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 $248,490 and $125,950 respectively.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV qualifies for FBT exemption as an electric vehicle, which can dramatically reduce the effective cost for novated lease buyers. The Land Rover Defender 130, as a petrol model, does not qualify.

Both the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV and Land Rover Defender 130 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV packs more ADAS features with 8 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 7 in the Land Rover Defender 130.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 9 in the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV and 6 in the Land Rover Defender 130.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV features a 12.8-inch touchscreen, while the Land Rover Defender 130 gets a 13.1-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV stands out with head-up display, panoramic roof, ventilated seats, power tailgate and Burmester audio that you will not find on the Land Rover Defender 130. The Land Rover Defender 130 counters with Meridian audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV uses a Electric producing 265kW and 568Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a RWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.7 seconds.

The Land Rover Defender 130 responds with a 3.0 i6 D350 Diesel Mild Hybrid making 257kW and 700Nm, paired to a 8-speed automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 6.8 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV has the clear power advantage at 265kW vs 257kW. In the real-world sprint, the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is 0.1s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV measures 5,125mm long on a 3,210mm wheelbase, 26mm longer than the Land Rover Defender 130 at 5,099mm (3,587mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Land Rover Defender 130 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 645L in the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV and 389L in the Land Rover Defender 130, giving the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV a 256L advantage.

For towing, the Land Rover Defender 130 leads with a 3,000kg braked capacity vs 2,000kg. That 1,000kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Running cost data is not yet available for both models. We will update when figures are confirmed.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Land Rover Defender 130). Both match on warranty length.