Need a replacement for my 9-year-old Mercedes GL350 in Delhi-NCR

You already have two Toyotas, so go ahead and take the risk with the Land Rover Defender.

BHPian car_crazy1400 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi guys!

I currently own a Mercedes GL350 CDI, March 2015 model, Noida registered. It has done only 52k kms as it was bought for my dad who unfortunately passed away in 2020.

I also currently own a 2018, Fortuner 4x4 AT and a 2023 Innova Hycross VX hybrid.

I am looking for a replacement for my GL350 owing to the 10-year diesel ban in NCR.

The cars I have seen/test-driven till now are:

• Mercedes GLE 300d: Has great interiors, comfortable at the rear seats too, however, is a diesel and costs about 1.20 Cr on-road Delhi.
• BMW X5: has a good 3.0 petrol engine, rear seats are a joke.
• BMW X7: Liked the interiors and the colour options but somehow I found it to be too ugly and cost about 1.48 CR.
• Volvo XC90: Just visited the showroom on my friend's insistence. The car just feels old and outdated, especially for the price.
• Mercedes GLS 400d: To big to drive and park in the city (same problem as my current Mercedes), has a willowy ride on corners, plus it's just too expensive now.
• Land Rover Defender: I liked this the most as it has the 'Image', but the 4-cylinder engine feels underpowered, and has no paddle shifters or sports mode to help things. Plus I have always heard unfavorable things about the reliability of LR-Jaguar group cars.
• Audi Q8: I actually liked this, however the reliability issues reported on this very forum have made me look the other way. also, Audi South Delhi is refusing any discounts currently.

I have had thoughts about re-registering the current Mercedes to Punjab or the interiors of UP and driving it in Punjab, as I do have a business there. But since its already a 9+ year old car, I do have my doubts over the plastics and the rubber parts reliability.

Can you please advise?

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

You already have two Toyotas, so go ahead and take the risk with the Land Rover Defender. It is the best looking, has the most character, is very capable, comfortable and the 2.0L engine isn't all that bad. You anyway won't be cornering hard in such a tall SUV. This would by my top pick for your garage.

What's more, the Defender has turned out to be a sales success too. ~1300 units last financial year, which is more than the X3, Q7, Volvo SUVs etc. and just about 200 units short of the GLS. Says a lot about its appeal.

Second choice: BMW X5 or X7.

If you can wait, there are some very tempting options coming to India. Including the fantastic, full-size and brilliantly-engineered Kia EV9 which will be for about a crore. It's received rave reviews globally and is being called the thinking man's relatively affordable Range Rover.

Here's what BHPian ballfry had to say on the matter:

I've recently read the news that JLR would start producing the Range Rover Sport in India starting in June 2024.

If that's the case, the Sport would drop in price and would be around where the current Defender 110 is priced at.

If time permits, wait and watch.

Here's what BHPian nmn.070 had to say on the matter:

I think you should consider the AUDI Q7. It's priced well, has a sweet 6-cyl engine and a very comfortable suspension setup. It is generally reliable enough for this category of vehicle.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.