Most and least reliable used luxury SUVs

The idea of buying a used luxury SUV can be very tempting. However, they are big and usually complex vehicles, and thus can be expensive if they go wrong. So, here we've compiled a list of the best and worst models for reliability, based on information from our What Car? Reliability Survey, which is conducted in association with MotorEasy.

To find out whether these cars have been reliable or not, we asked owners to tell us if their vehicle had suffered a fault in the previous 12 months. If it had, we asked them what part of the car was affected, how long it took for the issue to be resolved and, crucially, how much it cost. Using all that information, we've given each model a unique reliability rating.

So, to find out our results, click through this slideshow to see the best and worst performers in the luxury SUV class for cars aged between six and 20 years old.

Read the full results of the What Car? Reliability Survey for cars aged six to 20 years old >>

Reliability rating 72.4%

The previous-generation BMW X5 was one of most luxurious models the German firm made when it was first launched. As such, it was packed full of features, but even today it retains a good reputation for reliability. From our survey, 31% of owners had a problem with their car, with the most common problem area being the suspension, followed by the brakes and exhaust.

Unfortunately, none of the work was completely under warranty, with 39% of repairs costing more than £1500. On the plus side, almost half of the cars the were still driveable and fixed within a week, while 15% of repairs cost between £201-£300 to fix.

Read our review of the new BMW X5

Reliability rating 76.8%

Even though the larger Cayenne is in its third generation, the Macan is still only in its first generation. However, it has received multiple updates since it was launched, with the most recent refresh taking place in 2021. The 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine was also dropped in 2018, but it still makes a good used buy thanks to its good reliability record.

Owners told us that 33% of cars went wrong, with the most common fault being the gearbox or clutch, followed by the brakes and engine electrics. The good news is that over half those cars were driveable and fixed within one day, while 24% of cars were fixed under warranty. For the cars that weren't fixed under warranty, 35% of repairs cost between £101-£200.

Read our review of the new Porsche Macan

Reliability rating 80.9%

Reliability isn't a Land Rover strong point, but the previous generation Range Rover Sport is an exception to that. Even though 41% of owners reported a fault with their car, almost 30% of cars were fixed under warranty. For those that weren't, the largest percentage of repairs cost between £101-£200 and £301-£500.

For the Range Rover Sport owners that reported a fault with their car, the suspension, steering and air con were the most common gripes. There were also reports of issues with the engine, engine electrics and non-engine electrics. On the contrary, almost two thirds of cars were driveable and fixed within one day.

Read our review of the new Range Rover Sport

What Car? Reliability Rating 85.4%

Throughout its lengthy production run, the first generation Volvo XC90 remained a popular school-run favourite. Indeed, those looking for a used example will be pleased to hear that just 14% of owners reported a fault on their XC90, with the most frequent trouble-spots being non-engine electrics, brakes and interior trim.

What's more, 83% of cars were driveable and fixed within one day, while only 17% were undriveable and off the road for more than a week. On the contrary, no cars were fixed for free, with cost of repairs spanning a wide range of price brackets from £51-£1500.

Read our review of the new Volvo XC90

What Car? Reliability Rating 89.3%

According to our Reliability Survey, the most reliable luxury SUV you can get your hands on is the second-generation Volkswagen Touareg. Indeed, it's a car that you can buy for several other factors, too, with its practical interior, generous standard kit and punchy engine options.

Owners told us that just 21% of their Touaregs had suffered a fault, with the engine electrics and non-engine electrics being the two main culprits. There were also some reports of issues in a number of other areas, including the engine, brakes and battery.

Rather impressively, 45% of car were driveable and fixed within one day, while no cars were reported to be undriveable or off the road for more than a day or week. Meanwhile, 36% of cars were repaired under warranty, and most bills spanned from £51-£100, £101-£200 or £1500 or more.

Read our review of the new Volkswagen Touareg

What Car? Reliability Rating 70.8%

Smartly styled, wonderfully finished and comfortable to drive, the fourth-generation Range Rover makes for a tempting used buy. And even though just 32% of owners reported a fault, the issues spanned a while range of areas, including the engine, suspension, battery, brakes and exhaust.

Being a large and complicated luxury car, 16% of cars were undriveable and off the road for more than a week. The largest proportion of cars – 37% – were driveable but took more than a week to repair.

The Range Rover does redeem itself slightly, though, because a staggering 58% of repairs were fixed under warranty. For those who did have to pay, the largest percentage of buyers paid between £101-£200 and £301-£500 respectively. Unusually for a car that was very expensive new, zero owners had to pay more than £1500 for repairs.

Read our review of the new Range Rover

What Car? Reliability Rating 67.6%

The Q7 was Audi's first SUV, and notable strengths of the original car included its tidy handling, seven-seat practicality and solid build quality. Unfortunately, though, reliability isn't its strongest suit. Indeed, while 37% of owners reported a fault with their car, the main areas of issue included important areas such as the engine and suspension.

Even though all the cars in the survey were still driveable after the fault, half of owners said their car took more than a week to repair. More positively, 25% owners said their car was fixed within a day, while another 25% said their car were fixed within a week.

Like the Volvo XC90 included on this list, no Q7s were fixed under warranty – a factor which is likely down to the car's age. The largest proportion of owners – 50% – reported that their cars cost between £301-£500 to repair, while 13% of owners paid between £1001-£1500. No owners paid £1500 or more.

Read our review of the new Audi Q7

What Car? Reliability Rating 47.8%

The most unreliable luxury SUV on this list is the Land Rover Discovery. Indeed, its score is dragged down by the fact that 46% of the cars we were told about had gone wrong, with the most problematic areas being the engine (13%), suspension (11%), fuel system (10%) and engine electrics (7%).

The biggest let-down for the Discovery is that 24% of owners paid £1500 or more for repairs, while just 7% of cars were fixed under warranty. Even though 24% of cars were still driveable and fixed within a day of the car going wrong, another 24% of cars were found to be undriveable with faults taking up to a week to fix.

Read our review of the new Land Rover Discovery

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