Land Rover Defender 90 vs Mercedes-Benz GLE

The Land Rover Defender 90 starts from $98,400 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-Benz GLE opens at $128,900. That makes the Land Rover Defender 90 the more affordable entry point by $30,500.

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 $141,790 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Mercedes-Benz GLE by roughly $1,000 in fuel alone.

Both the Land Rover Defender 90 and Mercedes-Benz GLE hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 85% for the Land Rover Defender 90 and 91% for the Mercedes-Benz GLE.

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 90 and 9 in the Mercedes-Benz GLE.

The Land Rover Defender 90 features a 13.1-inch touchscreen, while the Mercedes-Benz GLE gets a 12.3-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Land Rover Defender 90 stands out with Apple CarPlay that you will not find on the Mercedes-Benz GLE. The Mercedes-Benz GLE counters with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, head-up display, panoramic roof, power tailgate, Burmester audio 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 GLE responds with a Diesel making 195kW and 500Nm, paired to a automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz GLE has the clear power advantage at 195kW vs 183kW. In the real-world sprint, the Mercedes-Benz GLE is 0.7s 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, 601mm shorter than the Mercedes-Benz GLE at 4,924mm (2,995mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mercedes-Benz GLE generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 397L in the Land Rover Defender 90 and 630L in the Mercedes-Benz GLE, giving the Mercedes-Benz GLE a 233L advantage. The Mercedes-Benz GLE seats 7 vs 5.

For towing, the Mercedes-Benz GLE 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 $2,309/year for the Land Rover Defender 90 and $2,109/year for the Mercedes-Benz GLE. That is a $200 annual difference in favour of the Mercedes-Benz GLE.

Estimated annual total: $2,309 (Land Rover Defender 90) vs $2,109 (Mercedes-Benz GLE). The Mercedes-Benz GLE saves you roughly $200 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 GLE). Both match on warranty length.