Land Rover Range Rover Sport: common problems, best years and what to check
Luxurious, fast SUV; magnificent but expensive to run. 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 Sport a good used buy?
Best buy
2018–2022 L494 SDV6 with warranty
Avoid
L320 and early L494 without crank/air suspension checks
Who it suits: Drivers wanting luxury and capability who can afford the bills.
What's good
- Luxurious and fast
- Superb off-road
- Strong road presence
- Comfortable
What's not
- Reliability below average
- Expensive repairs
- Air suspension bills
- Theft risk — check security
By the numbers
- #68 most common model on UK roads, with about 125k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2024: 10.8k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 12% better than comparable cars of that year.
- 2018 cars survive 14% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- 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 / spun bearing (up to £12,000).
Land Rover Range Rover Sport common problems by generation and engine
Land Rover Range Rover Sport L320 (2005–2013) · SUV
How to spot it: 05 plate to 13 plate. Boxy shape with side vents.
3.0 TDV6 / SDV6 (AJV6D, diesel, 2008–2013)
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+
Faults on any L320 (2005–2013) engine
- Air suspension compressor / bags£600–£2,50060k+
Land Rover Range Rover Sport L494 (2013–2022) · SUV; PHEV
How to spot it: 13 plate to 22 plate. Lower, sleeker body; 2018 facelift adds slim LED lights.
3.0 TDV6 / SDV6 (AJV6D, diesel, 2013–2018)
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+
2.0 Ingenium diesel (AJ200D, diesel, 2017–2022)
Frugal but has known chain and oil-dilution issues
- Timing chain stretch£1,500–£4,00050k+ · Check: Rattle on start-up
- Oil dilution from DPF regeneration£0–£500any
Faults on any L494 (2013–2022) engine
- Air suspension faults£600–£2,500any
Land Rover Range Rover Sport L461 (2022–) · SUV; PHEV
How to spot it: 22 plate onwards. Minimal design with hidden door handles and a black rear light strip.
D300 / P440e (Ingenium 6-cyl, diesel / PHEV, 2022–)
Smooth
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Land Rover Range Rover Sport years
How many Land Rover Range Rover 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. Years that fall off the road faster: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 — check these harder.
Land Rover Range Rover 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 Range Rover Sports 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 | 68% | 57% | 128k miles |
| 2009 | 70% | 58% | 122k miles |
| 2010 | 74% | 59% | 117k miles |
| 2011 | 76% | 61% | 110k miles |
| 2012 | 78% | 63% | 104k miles |
| 2013 | 79% | 66% | 100k miles |
| 2014 | 80% | 69% | 95k miles |
| 2015 | 80% | 72% | 86k miles |
| 2016 | 80% | 75% | 78k miles |
| 2017 | 83% | 78% | 69k miles |
| 2018 | 87% | 81% | 60k miles |
| 2019 | 89% | 84% | 51k miles |
| 2020 | 88% | 86% | 43k miles |
| 2021 | 89% | 87% | 35k miles |
| 2022 | 89% | 89% | 27k 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 worn2.73 per 100
- Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.46 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut2.4 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.13 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1.97 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed1.94 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1.86 per 100
- SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault1.4 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm21.74 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn14.53 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick12 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened11.03 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded8.63 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear4.58 per 100
- Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine3.95 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut3.46 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 Sport have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 TDV6/SDV6 | belt | 120k / 10 yrs | £900–£1,500 |
| Ingenium | chain | check from 50k | £1,500–£4,000 |
Land Rover Range Rover 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 Range Rover Sport 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 Sport vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land Rover Range Rover Sport | 125k | 41–50 | 489 l | 2018–2022 L494 SDV6 with warranty |
| BMW X5 | 87k | 40–50 | 650 l | 2019+ G05 xDrive30d |
| Porsche Cayenne | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Audi Q7 | 48k | 43–50 | 770 l | 4M 3.0 TDI |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE | 57k | 42–50 | 630 l | 2019+ V167 300d |
| Volvo XC90 | 79k | 33–48 | 680 l | 2016+ D5 AWD |
What to check when buying a used Land Rover Range Rover Sport
- Extended warranty strongly advised
Land Rover Range Rover Sport FAQ
›Is the Land Rover Range Rover Sport reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2018–2022 L494 SDV6 with warranty. Avoid: L320 and early L494 without crank/air suspension checks.
›What is the Land Rover Range Rover Sport MOT pass rate?
82% of Land Rover Range Rover Sports passed their MOT first time in 2025 (93,332 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 Sport problems?
The costliest known faults are Crankshaft failure / spun bearing; Timing chain stretch. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Land Rover Range Rover Sport have a timing belt or chain?
3.0 TDV6/SDV6: belt; Ingenium: chain.
›What is the best year Land Rover Range Rover Sport to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2008, 2023, 2024 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Land Rover Range Rover Sport cost to run?
Real-world economy: 3.0 SDV6 30–36 mpg; P400e 30–70 depending on charging. Insurance groups 41–50. A minor service is about £350–£500 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Land Rover Range Rover 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 Range Rover Sport 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.