Mercedes-AMG GLE53 vs Land Rover Defender

What's the difference?

The GLE Coupe isn't going to click with a traditional enthusiast but will appeal to a new age of mainstream performance buyers. It's a total tech showcase and you can feel all of those 48-volt benefits from behind the wheel.

Love it or hate its shape, then, you have to appreciate how Mercedes has gone to the nth degree on the details on an SUV it probably could have sold on looks alone.

The Land Rover Defender Octa Black could well be the ultimate form of the Defender. There's also the combination of Land Rover style and utility, but with one of the best V8 powerplants gifted to it from BMW. The Black edition adds extra appeal and highlights how stealthily something this good can fly under the radar against rivals like the Mercedes-AMG G63.

Hate the very concept of a large SUV coupe or not, you have to at least agree this second-generation GLE Coupe looks infinitely better than the model preceding it.

This time the Coupe version was front of mind from the outset of the GLEs development and is significantly different from the wagon version in more ways than just a sloping roofline.

The wheelbase has been cropped in 60mm compared to the wagon, and the GLE Coupe is a full 7.0mm wider and 39mm longer than its predecessor.

All this adds up to an imposing and more resolved SUV Coupe. I especially like the way its bootlid flicks up into a spoiler, and how the tail-lights round out the profile nicely.

Still, there's always going to be something a little off about the proportions when it comes to a coupe SUV this big, and it's certainly a re-imagining of what a sporty vehicle should look like.

This car's cabin is almost as confronting as its exterior. Up front you're met with an assault of chrome, a ventilation overload and a totally dominant expanse of screens.

This all hints at the advanced tech which lies beneath, but the real wood and leather trims also elevate the cabin to something you might expect at the tall asking price.

It may appeal to a particular taste and makes the BMW X6's cabin look almost conventional.

Oh gosh yes, there’s a lot that’s interesting about the design of the Defender Octa Black. 

Land Rover absolutely nailed the look of the new Defender when it launched in 2020 and it's barely aged in the years since. 

I love its modern take on the original Defender design with its boxy styling that looks both prestigious enough to be waiting in the driveway of a castle, but also purposeful and practical enough to be sitting in a paddock on a farm.

The Octa is based on the 110 Defender four-door body style with five seats, but its muscular enhancements make it longer, wider and taller than a regular 110 Defender. 

The Octa Black has exactly the same dimensions as the Octa at 5003mm long including the tailgate-mounted spare wheel, 2105mm wide with the mirrors out, and 1995mm tall on the low suspension setting (air suspension can raise the vehicle much higher).

The Octa Black adds about 30 gloss black or satin black elements to the Octa and I’ve listed many of them in the features section above.

For me the highlights of the Black include the 20-inch forged wheels which look stylish and army tough, there’s also the black coating on the quad exhaust tips, while the blacked-out badging and lettering also gives this variant a carefully modified, stealthy look.

Inside I love the exposed screws in the door trim, and black dashboard hand rail. When the vehicle is switched off all of the black buttons lose their glowing icons, turning the cabin into an inky, luxurious, minimalist space.

I could go on about the safari windows overhead in the boot area, the thick carpet, and how the optional chopped carbon fibre looks like solid marble, but we need to move on. 

In some ways, the GLE Coupe makes the most of its extra dimensions, but in other more obvious ways, it's quite compromised.

Benz tells us there's now 40 litres of combined cabin storage, and with the large door bins, centre console box, convertible cupholders, and glove box, I'm inclined to believe them.

The brand also told us much of the extra 39mm of body length has gone into the rear passenger space, and this seems true when it comes to legroom.

You definitely notice the decline of the C-Pillar, though, making an otherwise large space feel slightly claustrophobic, particularly with the 53's dark headlining and heavily tinted rear windows.

The almost absurd ride height does make peering over the bonnet a chore at times, although I enjoyed the adjustability and comfort afforded by the front two seats.

In terms of connectivity, front passengers get a plethora of USB-C jacks, a wireless charging bay, and a 12V power outlet. There's no USB-A connectivity, so you'll want to stock up on converters.

Rear passengers benefit from dual USB-C ports in a fold out tray, and also score dual adjustable air vents. Two extra climate control zones can be optioned for rear passengers ($1450), and there's also an exorbitant option package to include two screens and wireless headsets for the full business-class experience in the back seats ('Entertainment Package' - $6000!).

You might be surprised given this SUV's shape, but a lot of thought was also poured into the design of the boot area. Thanks to a large footprint, the GLE 53 Coupe's boot is large at 655 litres, five litres up on its predecessor. It's still a whopping 170-litres down on the wagon version, though.

The boot lip has been lowered significantly to increase ease of use, too.

Our test car did not have a spare wheel, with only an inflator kit or run-flat tyres to be working with. This is despite a large area under the boot floor which, to my eyes at least, could easily have fit a space-saver spare.

The Defender Octa Black is practical by its design and intention. This is a large off-road SUV with boxy proportions and utility is as much a priority as luxury.

A five seater with no third row, the Defender Octa Black has an enormous boot at 972 litres and outstanding cabin storage throughout from large door pockets to stowaway areas, trays and hidey holes. There’s also a small fridge under the centre armrest between the front seats.

Space for passengers is excellent with ample headroom and rear legroom. I’m tall at 188cm and can easily sit behind my driving position. Upfront and sitting in the driver’s seat I have acres of room in the footwell, plenty of space for my legs to clear the steering wheel and lots of elbow room.

There are power outlets throughout including a 230V powerpoint in the boot, USB-C ports in the second and front rows, plus wireless phone charging up front.

How great it is to see big chunky physical dials for climate control and volume as opposed to just a media screen, which is the case with so many new vehicles.

Possibly the only impracticality of the Defender Octa Black is the drop down out of the cabin. Even on the lowest air suspension setting the step up and out of the cabin will be too big for some older people and younger children. 

The Defender Octa Black lists for $313,800 which is about $10,000 more than a standard Octa. The difference between them is purely cosmetic but the black elements add such a visual impact that $10K seems worth it for the unique customised look that distinguishes it from ‘ordinary’ Defender Octas.

The Black edition adds about 30 elements with either a gloss black or satin black finish. These include the Narvik Black paint, gloss black exhaust tips, 20-inch forged black wheels with gloss black calipers, there’s black badging and lettering, too.

Inside there’s ebony semi-aniline leather upholstery, plus black hand holds and dashboard crossbeam.

Then there’s all the standard equipment you’ll find on a regular Defender Octa. 

There's three-zone climate control, a Meridian sound system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 11.4-inch touchscreen with sat nav, wireless phone charging and head-up display. 

The front seats are heated and cooled, while the second-row outboard rear seats are heated. There’s privacy glass in the rear windows, a panoramic glass roof, LED headlights and tail-lights and a proximity key.

Our car had several options fitted including the chopped carbon-fibre finisher which you can see on the front seat-backs and centre console, dual snorkels, tow-hitch receiver, mud flaps and black roof rails.

Is the value good? Yes' it's very expensive at more than $300k, but the price is quite a bit lower than the Mercedes-AMG G63 ($368,400) and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT ($376,200).

Here's where this car gets particularly interesting. It's a hybrid. But not your gran's Prius. It's hybrid in a way which will make you re-think the technology.

Residing under the bonnet is a 3.0-litre, twin-turbo, straight-six engine mated to a very complex looking nine-speed (torque converter) automatic transmission.

One of those two turbochargers is driven by an electric motor rather than the exhaust (in order to provide its peak benefits at the lowest possible rpm), and there's also an electric motor inside the transmission which takes the load off the engine at low speeds and between gears.

This isn't where the 48-volt tech ends, with the GLE 53 also sporting active anti-roll bars and dampers, which significantly adjust the ride and body-roll on-the-fly.

All four wheels are driven via Benz's 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system.

One of the Defender Octa’s biggest drawcards is its engine, a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 courtesy of BMW.

Yes this is a BMW-sourced V8 making 467kW and 750Nm. The same engine is found in BMW’s M5 super saloon and X5 M and it suits the Defender Octa Black so well you’d swear it was purpose built for the big SUV.

You might not know that there is also a mild hybrid system on board too, but it doesn’t drive the wheels and isn't really there to save fuel. Its function is to add even more grunt to the engine. 

Unlike Mercedes-AMG's G63’s V8, the Defender Octa’s V8 won’t traumatise the neighbourhood on start up or idle or even just cruising along. But push it hard and it changes its attitude from a powerful limousine growl to a wild NASCAR roar.

There are drive modes including a dynamic setting but it’s ‘Octa’ mode that makes the car special. It's is a high-performance off-road setting that does exactly what you’d think.

Of course the Defender is one capable off-road vehicle with low- and high-range four-wheel drive.

An eight-speed automatic transmission sends the drive to all four wheels smoothly and the paddle shifters allow quick changes up and down.

It's a performance car, so fuel consumption is probably not going to be front of mind for potential buyers. That said, the hybrid tech delivers a surprisingly good number.

The official combined cycle consumption number is ambitiously under 10L/100km at 9.3L/100km.

After three days of (roughly) combined testing and about 300km of distance travelled, our car was showing a dash-reported 14.1L/100km. Not near the claim, but is it really bad for a performance SUV weighing 2447kg? I would argue, not.

The GLE 53 requires the top-shelf 98 RON hydrocarbons to fill its 85-litre tank, giving it a maximum theoretical range of 726km between fills.

Nobody buys a large off-road SUV powered by a petrol V8 thinking it’s going to be super fuel efficient, right? Just checking, because the 4.4-litre petrol V8 in the Defender Octa Black needs feeding constantly, like some kind of huge, hungry animal.

My average fuel economy of 18.5L/100km (according to the trip computer) over nearly 500km of driving actually wasn't as high as I expected considering all the countryside I ran through combined with the urban warfare of heavy traffic. Still that’s much higher than the 13.1L/100km Land Rover says the Octa should do in combined driving conditions. 

Fortunately the Octa has a 90L fuel tank so you won’t have to fill up at every petrol station you see.

This Benz feels about as imposing from behind the wheel as it is to look at. Straight away, you'll notice you tower over the road. I felt as though I was sitting high enough to be on the roof of passing hatchbacks, so there's nothing traditionally 'sporty' about it from the get-go.

I know you're probably thinking visibility is average with that roofline, and you'd be right. You just can't see much, full-stop, out the back.

Thankfully, an array of sensors and very wide-angle mirrors help with overall visibility, so you won't have to be too paranoid about unseen vehicles in your blind spots.

I'm pleased to report all the technology which goes under this SUV's skin is evident when it comes to the drive experience.

The hybrid tech is ultra-slick and impressive in every department, from trawling in traffic to the curvy stuff and the open road.

The responsiveness of this powertrain is something to be experienced (with the pre-spooled turbo) and the way the hybrid motor in the transmission smooths out shifts removes all the worst characteristics of a traditional torque converter automatic.

One thing to note about the GLE 53 – while it's quick, it's not quite a fire breather. There's no getting around this car's almost two and a half tonne weight, and while I love the smooth feel and note of the 3.0-litre straight six, it's simply not as thunderous or full of theatre as I imagine the 63 S will be.

Despite its height and weight, the altered steering ratios and 48-volt driven suspension and anti-roll systems cause a suspense in belief when it comes to the corners.

And grip levels are certifiably absurd with those gigantic rear tyres also pitching in to do their part to help something this large deny gravity and physics.

It's not all amazing though. You really feel every millimetre of this SUVs width, and at the end of the day there's no getting around it. It just doesn't feel anything like a sports machine in the traditional sense.

When it comes to ride quality, the GLE impresses, but has its limits. Sure there's air suspension at work, but it offers up nowhere near the ride quality of the more comfort-tuned GLC 300e I recently tested.

Seems as though there's an inevitable cost to keeping the GLE feeling well and truly planted at all times.

On the freeway the GLE Coupe is ridiculous in the way it can basically drive itself, so this offers up a real plus for those looking for a balance of performance and sensibility for longer trips.

The Defender Octa Black is big but it only takes a week of driving before it feels like an extension of your body and becomes an easy and obedient thing to pilot.

The acceleration is strong with 0-100km/h coming in four seconds but it's how it handles that's really impressive.

Smart so-called '6D suspension' uses adaptive tech to keep the vehicle level, damping its desire to pitch forward under braking and preventing body roll in the corners. I tested this on my remote winding, bumpy test road and was amazed by this big monster’s ability to keep itself composed and flat despite the sudden changes in direction.

There was no off-road test for the Octa Black this time but we've been impressed with the capability of Defenders in our tough terrain tests in the past. The Octa Black’s air suspension can rise high enough to offer a maximum 323mm of ground clearance. Angle of approach is 40.2 degrees and departure is 42.8 degrees, while the ramp over angle is 29 degrees. Wading depth is 1000mm.

And if you’re towing, braked towing capacity is 3500kg.

We tested the Octa Black for its handling of both engaging roads but also its handling of suburban duties where it proved easy to pilot, towering over the traffic but still able to slip up tight streets and in and out of car parks (check the maximum headroom and keep the suspension low), along with the school run each day.

Built for off roading means visibility is excellent, from being able to see clearly where the vehicle begins and ends to the huge windows that means there’s hardly a blind spot.

That made parking easy as long as there’s a space large enough and trust me, even if you take your time to park, nobody will honk at you in this military-grade looking rig.

All the while the air suspension kept the ride comfortable and serene.

The Land Rover Defender scored the maximum five-star ANCAP rating when it was tested in 2020 and that applies to the Octa Black, too. The only catch is that ANCAP rating will expire at the end of 2026. The criteria is now much stricter to get five stars.

That said, of course the Defender is safe, just as cars given a five star rating this year won’t automatically be unsafe in six or seven years, but there will be newer and better safety tech.

Still the Defender has auto emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert.

Occupant safety in crash tests also scored high, according to ANCAP.

For child seats you’ll find two ISOFIX points and three top tether anchors across the second row.  

Mercedes has recently made a jump to the front of the luxury segment, offering an industry-wide standard of a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Here it is only rivalled by Korean newcomer, Genesis.

Service intervals occur once every 12 months or 25,000km and prices can be pre-packaged at a discount.

A three-year service plan can be had for $2800 ($3500 if you choose to 'fix' the price), four years can be had at $3800, while a full five-year plan will set you back $5200. Not cheap, but then, neither is the car itself...

Land Rover covers the Octa Black with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty which is short compared to most mainstream brands but fairly common among the high-end makes.

Roadside assistance is included for five years, too.

A service plan is available with five years costing $4800. Again, quite common for prestige brands but expensive compared to the more mainstream makers.