Land Rover Range Rover: common problems, best years and what to check
The luxury SUV benchmark; spectacular but costly. 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 Range Rover a good used buy?
Best buy
L405 SDV6 with warranty
Avoid
L322 or L405 without air-suspension and crank checks
Who it suits: Buyers wanting the ultimate luxury SUV who can afford the bills.
What's good
- Supreme comfort
- Unmatched off-road
- Luxury
- Presence
What's not
- Reliability below average
- Very expensive repairs
- Theft target
- Heavy depreciation
By the numbers
- #116 most common model on UK roads, with about 70k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2024: 7.6k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 36% better than comparable cars of that year.
- 2018 cars survive 19% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- 3.0 TDV6 uses a belt (120k / 10 yrs): budget £900–£1,500 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: Crankshaft failure / spun bearing (up to £12,000).
Land Rover Range Rover common problems by generation and engine
Land Rover Range Rover L322 (2002–2012) · SUV
How to spot it: 08 plate to 12 plate. Boxy flagship with side vents.
TDV8 3.6 / 4.4 (AJ-V8 D, diesel, 2007–2012)
Strong
- Turbo / oil cooler£1,500–£4,00080k+
Faults on any L322 (2002–2012) engine
- Air suspension£600–£2,500any
Land Rover Range Rover L405 (2012–2021) · SUV; P400e
How to spot it: 12 plate to 21 plate. Sleeker body with vent-like side blades.
3.0 TDV6 / SDV6 (AJV6D, diesel, 2012–2021)
Strong and smooth; crankshaft risk on neglected engines
- Crankshaft failure / spun bearing£5,000–£12,00080k+ · Check: Full service history with oil changes ≤ 10k
- Turbo / oil cooler leaks£600–£2,50060k+
SDV8 4.4 (AJ-V8 D, diesel, 2012–2018)
Faults on any L405 (2012–2021) engine
- Air suspension faults£600–£2,500any
Land Rover Range Rover L460 (2022–) · SUV; PHEV
How to spot it: 22 plate onwards. Minimalist body with hidden rear lights.
D300 / D350 / P510e (Ingenium 6-cyl, diesel / PHEV, 2022–)
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Land Rover Range Rover years
How many Land Rover Range Rovers 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, 2010. Years that fall off the road faster: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 — check these harder.
Land Rover Range Rover 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 Range Rovers pass their MOT first time 8 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (82% vs 74%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 70% | 57% | 136k miles |
| 2009 | 72% | 58% | 127k miles |
| 2010 | 74% | 59% | 122k miles |
| 2011 | 73% | 61% | 117k miles |
| 2012 | 74% | 63% | 108k miles |
| 2013 | 78% | 66% | 100k miles |
| 2014 | 83% | 69% | 95k miles |
| 2015 | 82% | 72% | 89k miles |
| 2016 | 81% | 75% | 80k miles |
| 2017 | 84% | 78% | 72k miles |
| 2018 | 88% | 81% | 62k miles |
| 2019 | 88% | 84% | 53k miles |
| 2020 | 89% | 86% | 45k miles |
| 2021 | 89% | 87% | 38k miles |
| 2022 | 90% | 89% | 28k 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 worn3.09 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded2.43 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut2.16 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.96 per 100
- Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.92 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1.88 per 100
- Ball joint excessively worn1.81 per 100
- Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.8 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm18.1 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn17.1 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded13.78 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick10.04 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened9.96 per 100
- Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine7.9 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear5.03 per 100
- Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened4.85 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 Range Rover have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 TDV6 | belt | 120k / 10 yrs | £900–£1,500 |
| V8 diesel | chain | check from 100k | £2,500–£5,000 |
Land Rover Range Rover 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 Range Rover ULEZ compliant?
- 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 Range Rover vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land Rover Range Rover | 70k | 47–50 | 550 l | L405 SDV6 with warranty |
| Mercedes GLS | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| BMW X7 | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Bentley Bentayga | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Porsche Cayenne | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Audi Q8 | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
What to check when buying a used Land Rover Range Rover
- Warranty and security device essential
Land Rover Range Rover FAQ
›Is the Land Rover Range Rover reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: L405 SDV6 with warranty. Avoid: L322 or L405 without air-suspension and crank checks.
›What is the Land Rover Range Rover MOT pass rate?
82% of Land Rover Range Rovers passed their MOT first time in 2025 (65,466 tests), better than the 74% 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 Range Rover problems?
The costliest known faults are Crankshaft failure / spun bearing; Turbo / oil cooler; Turbo / oil cooler leaks. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Land Rover Range Rover have a timing belt or chain?
3.0 TDV6: belt; V8 diesel: chain.
›What is the best year Land Rover Range Rover 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 Range Rover cost to run?
Real-world economy: 3.0 SDV6 30–36 mpg; 4.4 SDV8 26–30 mpg. Insurance groups 47–50. A minor service is about £400–£600 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Land Rover Range Rover?
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 Range Rover ULEZ compliant?
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.