Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport: common problems, best years and what to check
Desirable and capable, but among the costliest to fix; history is everything. Covers 2008–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport a good used buy?
Best buy
2015–2019 Discovery Sport 2.2/2.0 TD4 with full main-dealer history + warranty
Avoid
3.0 TDV6 Discovery 4 without crank check; Ingenium with skipped oil services
Who it suits: Families who need a genuinely capable seven-seat 4x4 and accept higher running costs.
What's good
- Seven seats in many versions
- Excellent off-road ability
- Comfortable and commanding
- Strong towing capacity
What's not
- Reliability is below average
- Ingenium diesel timing chain issues
- Expensive to repair
- Heavy and thirsty
By the numbers
- #29 most common model on UK roads, with about 214k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2017: 30.6k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 29% better than comparable cars of that year.
- 3.0 TDV6/SDV6 uses a belt (120k / 10 yrs): budget £900–£1,500 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: Crankshaft failure (3.0 TDV6) (up to £9,000).
Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport common problems by generation and engine
Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport Discovery 4 (2009–2016) · 7-seat SUV
How to spot it: 09 plate to 16 plate. Boxy shape with stepped roof and asymmetric tailgate.
3.0 SDV6 / TDV6 (AJ-V6D, diesel, 2009–2016)
Powerful; expensive when it fails
- Crankshaft failure (3.0 TDV6)£4,000–£9,00080k+
- Air suspension compressor / bags£600–£2,00070k+
Faults on any Discovery 4 (2009–2016) engine
- Electrical faults£200–£1,500any
Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport Discovery Sport L550 (2015–) · compact 7-seat SUV
How to spot it: 15 plate onwards. Smaller, Evoque-like nose; badged Discovery Sport.
2.0 TD4 / eD4 (Ingenium 204DTD, diesel, 2015–)
Ingenium diesel needs strict oil changes
- Timing chain stretch (Ingenium)£1,500–£4,00050k+ · Check: Rattle on start; oil service record
- DPF / EGR on short trips£400–£1,50050k+
2.0 Si4 / P200 (Ingenium petrol, petrol, 2015–)
Thirsty
Faults on any Discovery Sport L550 (2015–) engine
- 9-speed ZF auto rough shifts£0–£2,500any
- Infotainment glitches—any
Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport Discovery 5 (2017–) · 7-seat SUV
How to spot it: 17 plate onwards. Rounded full-size Discovery with an offset rear number plate.
2.0 SD4 / 3.0 TD6 / D300 (Ingenium / AJ-V6D, diesel, 2017–)
Complex; check history
- Air suspension faults£600–£2,00060k+
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport years
How many Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sports from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2008, 2009. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sports pass their MOT first time 4 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (80% vs 76%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 64% | 57% | 150k miles |
| 2009 | 67% | 58% | 145k miles |
| 2010 | 71% | 59% | 140k miles |
| 2011 | 71% | 61% | 133k miles |
| 2012 | 73% | 63% | 125k miles |
| 2013 | 74% | 66% | 120k miles |
| 2014 | 77% | 69% | 109k miles |
| 2015 | 79% | 72% | 92k miles |
| 2016 | 79% | 75% | 80k miles |
| 2017 | 81% | 78% | 72k miles |
| 2018 | 83% | 81% | 63k miles |
| 2019 | 83% | 84% | 54k miles |
| 2020 | 84% | 86% | 45k miles |
| 2021 | 85% | 87% | 40k miles |
| 2022 | 85% | 89% | 30k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Petrol
Hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.93 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut2.55 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2.25 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.13 per 100
- Position lamp: not working1.78 per 100
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.6 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.59 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed1.45 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm21.71 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened14.88 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick12.17 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn12.14 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded6.89 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear6.53 per 100
- Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine5.28 per 100
- Flexible brake hoses: ferrule excessively corroded3.71 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Ingenium diesel | chain | check from 50k | £1,500–£4,000 |
| 3.0 TDV6/SDV6 | belt | 120k / 10 yrs | £900–£1,500 |
Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport | 214k | 21–44 | 541 l | 2015–2019 Discovery Sport 2.2/2.0 TD4 with full main-dealer history + warranty |
| Volvo XC90 | 79k | 33–48 | 680 l | 2016+ D5 AWD |
| BMW X3 | 109k | 28–44 | 550 l | 2018+ G01 xDrive20d |
| Audi Q5 | 128k | 26–42 | 550 l | 2017+ FY 40 TDI |
| Skoda Kodiaq | 64k | 16–30 | 720 l | 2.0 TDI 150 DSG |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC | 90k | 31–44 | 550 l | 2019+ GLC 220d (OM654) |
What to check when buying a used Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport
- Ingenium diesels: oil service every 12 months or sooner
- Get a pre-purchase inspection on any Land Rover
- Warranty or extended cover recommended
Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport FAQ
›Is the Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2015–2019 Discovery Sport 2.2/2.0 TD4 with full main-dealer history + warranty. Avoid: 3.0 TDV6 Discovery 4 without crank check; Ingenium with skipped oil services.
›What is the Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport MOT pass rate?
80% of Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sports passed their MOT first time in 2025 (194,556 tests), better than the 76% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn.
›What are the most common Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport problems?
The costliest known faults are Crankshaft failure; Timing chain stretch; Air suspension compressor / bags. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport have a timing belt or chain?
2.0 Ingenium diesel: chain; 3.0 TDV6/SDV6: belt.
›What is the best year Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2008, 2009, 2010 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport cost to run?
Real-world economy: 2.0 TD4/D180 38–45 mpg; 3.0 SDV6 28–33 mpg. Insurance groups 21–44. A minor service is about £300–£450 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Land Rover Discovery / Discovery Sport ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.