In association with MotorEasy
Most and least reliable used cars: luxury SUVs
We name the most dependable – and most troublesome – used cars aged from six to 20 years old, based on owners’ experiences...
Nearly 80% of the Touaregs we were told about didn't go wrong in the previous 24 months. Electrical issues that were often quick to fix were the main concern of the 21% of Touareg owners who reported a fault with their car. Nine out of 10 faulty cars could still be driven, and 55% were remedied in a day or less. Volkswagen covered the cost of 36% of repairs, and most of those who had to pay were charged less than £300. That said, 18% of owners faced bills of more than £1500.
2. Volvo XC90 (2002-2015)
Reliability rating 85.4%
The XC90 is proving pretty robust as it ages. Only 14% of the cars in our survey developed a fault, and the only areas concerned were the brakes, electrics and interior trim. Eighty-three percent of cars could still be driven and their issues were resolved in a day or less. Although Volvo didn't cover the cost of any repairs, most bills were less than £500. However, 17% of owners had to pay out more than £1500.
Although 41% of Range Rover Sports suffered a fault, most were minor electrical issues that were rectified fairly quickly and cheaply. Owners told us that 80% of cars could still be driven, and 63% of issues were sorted out within a day. Land Rover paid for the repairs on 29% of cars, and most bills were below £500. That said, 14% of owners had to pay out between £1001 and more than £1500.
The least reliable luxury SUVs
3. Range Rover (2013-present)
Reliability rating 70.8%
A fairly high percentage of faults that kept cars off the road for a long time were the main bugbears of Range Rover owners. They told us 32% of their cars had gone wrong, with engine problems the most frequent issue, followed by faults with the battery, brakes, exhaust and suspension. Thankfully, Land Rover covered the cost of 58% of repairs and most bills were less than £500. However, 32% of cars were rendered undriveable by faults, and 55% were in the garage for more than a week.
2. Audi Q7 (2006-2015)
Reliability rating 67.6%
The main gripes from Q7 owners related to problems with their cars' braking systems and suspension. Overall, 36% of Q7s went wrong, with owners also telling us about problems with the air-con, electrics, engine, exhaust and steering. All faulty cars could still be driven, but half were stuck in workshops for more than a week. Sixty-two percent of owners paid up to £500 to get their cars fixed, and the rest paid up to £1500.
Engine and suspension issues were the biggest headaches for the 46% of Discovery owners who told us their car had suffered a fault. They also complained about problems with the battery, brakes, electrics and fuel system. The slightly good news is that 25% of cars were fixed within a day, and 50% were back on the road in less than a week. It's not such promising news when it comes to repair bills, though: 50% of owners paid up to £750, and another 24% paid more than £1500.
To read the data for other car classes follow these links:
Small cars here
Family cars here
Executive cars here
Luxury cars here
Small SUVs here
Family SUVs here
Large SUVs here
Electric and hybrid cars here
Sports cars here
MPVs here
Car brands here
Reliability of luxury SUVs aged six to 20 years old
| Rank | Make and model | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Volkswagen Touareg (2010-2018) | 89.3% |
| 2. | Volvo XC90 (2002-2015) | 85.4% |
| 3. | Range Rover Sport (2014-2022) | 80.9% |
| 4. | Porsche Macan diesel (2014-present) | 76.8% |
| 5. | BMW X5 (2013-2018) | 72.4% |
| 6. | Range Rover (2013-present) | 70.8% |
| 7. | Audi Q7 (2006-2015) | 67.6% |
| 8. | Land Rover Discovery (2004-2017) | 47.8% |
