Compare the2026 Land Rover DefenderVS 2025 Mercedes GLC

Both the Defender 110/130 and GLC have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Defender has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The GLC’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Defender. But it costs extra on the GLC.

The Defender’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the GLC.

The Land Rover Defender’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Mercedes GLC does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the Defender and the GLC have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Defender’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the GLC’s (6 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Land Rover vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. With 2 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Land Rover higher than Mercedes.

The Defender has more powerful engines than the GLC:

As tested in Motor Trend the Defender P525 5.0 supercharged V8 is faster than the GLC 350e:

The Defender has 10.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC 350e’s standard fuel tank (23.8 vs. 12.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Defender has 7.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC’s standard fuel tank (23.8 vs. 16.4 gallons).

For better stopping power the Defender’s brake rotors are larger than those on the GLC:

The Defender stops shorter than the GLC:

For better traction, the Defender has larger standard tires than the GLC (255/65R19 vs. 235/60R18). The Defender’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the GLC (275/45R22 vs. 255/45R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Defender has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the GLC. The Defender’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the GLC.

The Defender has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the GLC; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Defender offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The GLC’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Defender 110’s wheelbase is 5.9 inches longer than on the GLC (119 inches vs. 113.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Defender is 3.9 inches wider in the front and 3.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the GLC.

For better maneuverability, the Defender 90’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the GLC’s (38 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Defender 110 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the GLC (9 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the Defender to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Defender 110 OCTA’s minimum ground clearance is 4.5 inches higher than on the GLC (12.7 vs. 8.2 inches).

The Defender 130 offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the GLC can only carry 5. The Defender 90 offers optional seating for 6.

The Defender 110’s cargo area provides more volume than the GLC.

The Defender 130’s cargo area provides more volume than the GLC.

The Defender 90’s cargo area provides more volume than the GLC.

The Defender’s cargo area is larger than the GLC’s in almost every dimension:

The Defender’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the GLC’s (7715 vs. 3500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Mercedes GLC is only 3500 pounds. The Defender offers up to a 8200 lbs. towing capacity.

Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) is standard on the Defender, using the Dynamic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the GLC.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Defender has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the GLC only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Defender’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the GLC’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Defender offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLC doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Optional air conditioned front and second row seats keep the Defender’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The GLC doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Defender has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the GLC.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Defender second among large premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The GLC isn’t in the top three in its category.

Motor Trend selected the Defender as their 2021 Sport Utility of the Year. The GLC was Sport Utility of the Year in 2017.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Defender as the 2021 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The GLC has never been chosen.