In association with MotorEasy
2022 What Car? Reliability Survey: luxury SUVs
Our exhaustive annual survey rates the dependability of cars aged up to five years old, based on the experiences of nearly 25,000 owners...
What went wrong? Bodywork 7%, non-engine electrics 3%, engine 2%, Interior trim 2%, suspension 2%
As well as being great to drive and classy inside, the Macan is proving to be generally reliable, with only 13% of the cars we were told about going wrong. All costs were covered by Porsche, and 67% of Macans were back on the road in a day or less.
Owner’s view “My car has always been fault-free”
=1. Volkswagen Touareg (2018-present)
Reliability rating 98.0%
What went wrong? Bodywork 7%, non-engine electrics 3%, engine 2%, Interior trim 2%, suspension 2%
Owners told us that 12% of Touaregs developed a fault, with issues arising from the interior trim and sat-nav/infotainment system. All repairs were carried out for free and 50% of the faulty cars were fixed within a day. The other half took more than a week to repair.
3. Mercedes GLE (2015-2019)
Reliability rating 97.6%
The GLE isn't the most spacious SUV, but it's proving pretty reliable, with only 7% of cars suffering a fault. All issues were resolved at no cost to the owners, and all cars remained driveable and were repaired in less than a week. The bodywork and engine electrics were the only areas of concern.
Least reliable luxury SUVs
1. Land Rover Discovery (2017-present)
Reliability rating 70.7%
What went wrong? Bodywork 18%, non-engine electrics 14%, battery 12%, engine electrics 10%, air-con 6%, engine 6%, brakes 4%, fuel system 2%, interior trim 2%, sat-nav 2%, suspension 2%
Reliability isn't a Land Rover strength; all three of the worst performers in this class are from the brand. Faults affected 35% of Discoverys, and while 71% of repairs were carried out free of charge, 5% of cars cost between £1001 and £1500 to put right. Even worse, 47% of cars took more than a week to repair.
Owner’s view “The thing I like least about my car is the fact that I have to keep taking it back to the dealer to get things fixed"
2. Range Rover (2013-2022)
Reliability rating 85.2%
Land Rover's flagship model is also prone to faults. Owners told us that 23% of cars had gone wrong with the most common issues concerning the bodywork, engine and interior trim. Nearly a third of cars were out of action for more than a week. The only saving grace is that Land Rover covered all costs.
3. Range Rover Sport (2013-2022)
Reliability rating 85.6%
Thirty-eight percent of Range Rover Sports had issues, with the list of problem areas including engine and non-engine electrics, sat-nav/infotainment and the engine. The cost of repairs was covered for 86% of owners, but a small percentage paid up to £1500, and a third of cars took more than a week to put right.
Reliability of luxury SUVs aged up to five years old
| Rank | Make and model | Score |
|---|---|---|
| =1. | Porsche Macan (2014-present) | 98.0% |
| =1. | Volkswagen Touareg (2018-present) | 98.0% |
| 3. | Mercedes GLE (2015-2019) | 97.6% |
| 4. | Lexus RX (2016-2022) | 96.6% |
| 5. | Audi Q7 (2015-present) | 95.0% |
| 6. | Volvo XC90 (2015-present) | 92.6% |
| 7. | Range Rover Velar (2017-present) | 90.7% |
| 8. | BMW X5 (2013-2018) | 90.0% |
| 9. | Range Rover Sport (2013-2022) | 85.6% |
| 10. | Range Rover (2013-2022) | 85.2% |
| 11. | Land Rover Discovery (2017-present) | 70.7% |
Best 7-seat SUVs and 4x4s 2022
Whether you're planning to carry seven people on a regular basis or just need an occasional third row of seats, there’s plenty of SUVs to choose from. But which are best – and which are best avoided?
