Defender vs Mercedes-Benz GLS Comparison 2026: Price, Mileage, Features

Comparison overview: The Defender starts at ₹98.00 L and the Mercedes-Benz GLS at ₹1.32 Cr, a difference of ₹34.00 L ex-showroom. On-road in New Delhi that gap becomes roughly ₹37.74 L. Here is what the extra money actually buys.

Mileage and running cost: The Defender Diesel/Petrol Automatic is rated at 11.4 kmpl,6.8 kmpl and the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel/Petrol Automatic at 12 kmpl. At 1,000 km a month, the Mercedes-Benz GLS saves you about ₹394.7368421052629 a month and ₹4.74 K a year on fuel.

What one gives that the other does not: The Defender adds Hill Descent Control, Puddle Lamps, Tyre Size, Petrol Fuel Tank Capacity and Top Speed. The Mercedes-Benz GLS adds Side Airbag-Rear, Acoustic Vehicle Alert System, Knee Airbags, Rear Window Washer and Rear Window Defogger. The rest of both spec sheets is shared.

Which one should you buy?

Buy the Defender if you drive mostly in the city, you want the lower running cost, and you would rather keep the ₹34.00 L for your down payment than spend it on features.

Buy the Mercedes-Benz GLS if you do regular highway runs, you carry luggage or a pram often, and you want Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) without waiting for the next facelift.

The one thing that settles it: Defender offers Hill Descent Control.

Before you sign anything:

Ex-showroom price is not what you pay. Add registration, road tax, insurance and handling, and expect the final figure to land ten to twelve percent higher. Road tax changes state to state, so a car that costs the same in two cities does not cost the same to own.

Ask the dealer four things before you book. What is the current waiting period for the variant you want. What is the on-road figure.

Then drive both cars back to back on the same day, on a road you actually use. Take your family. Put your usual luggage in the boot. Most people decide in the first ten minutes, and it is rarely for the reason they expected.