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Hi Tom,

That one came with the first generation of Land Rover's own V8 diesel engine (the Range Rover had exclusively used BMW's 3.0-litre straight-six diesel prior to that) and brought with it much more power and torque and better fuel economy too. Good points are the comfort, the style, the on-road deportment, the off-road capability (mountain goats glare jealously at you) and the image. Bad points are fragile gearboxes and electronics and the mammoth running costs - you CANNOT run a Range Rover on the cheap, even if you can buy them quite cheaply now.

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Hi Ash,

It very much depends on your price bracket and what your requirements are in terms of size. If you want something small, cheap and fun to drive, why not try either a Nissan Juke or MINI Countryman? Need something with a bit more space and practicality? Nissan Qashqai then, or better yet, a Skoda Yeti. Want to get something with a lot more size and some proper 4x4 ability? Go for a Honda CR-V, a Hyundai Santa Fe (you can get those with seven seats by the way) or, a Nissan again, this time the under-appreciated X-Trail. Want something seriously big and impressive? Well, a Range Rover Sport is always a good buy but be sure to put aside plenty to cover the running costs. A Toyota Land Cruiser is rather less exciting to drive or to look at but its reliability is little short of legendary. Or, if you want something really cheap and old that can pack some abuse and come back for more, try either a Suzuki Grand Vitara (smallish) or a Mitsubishi Pajero (big). Both are reliable, both can off-road properly and both can be tracked down at bargain prices, as long as you buy according to condition, not age or mileage.

Come back to us if you need more help

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Hi Joe,

Not half so bad as their reputation would have you believe. Keep a close eye on the gearbox (mostly fine but occasionally prone to being fragile) and carefully check to make sure that everything electric works as it should. Any doubts in that area and walk away - even minor electrical glitches can be wearingly expensive to fix. Engines, especially the BMW-sourced 3.0-litre straight-six diesel, are usually fine, as is Land Rover's own 3.6-litre V8 diesel, but make utterly sure that the car has a full and comprehensive service and maintenance history. Anything less than a full set of stamps should trigger a walk-away.

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Hi Joe,

Land Rover's reliability has been improving out of all recognition lately, and the RR Sport is based on the third generation Discovery, which is a generally reliable vehicle, so that's good news. Watch for issues with the gearbox and anything that has an electric wire attached to the back of it. Check all buttons and switches work properly and that the car has a full and complete service history. Make sure the air suspension raises and lowers as it should too - leaking units can be expensive to rectify.

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Hi Sue,

Safety record? Not really. The XC90 was first crash tested back in 2003 when Euro NCAP only gave stars for overall performance and pedestrian impact. At the time, the XC got a full five-star rating (rare at the time). Since then its score has only been matched in the class by the Mercedes-Benz M-Class in 2008, the Volkswagen Touareg in 2004, the BMW X5 in 2003 and, in the past couple of years, the new Mercedes M-Class, the new Range Rover and the Hyundai Santa Fe. Out of those, only the X5 and the Santa Fe come with seven seats (optionally in the case of the X5) and neither can match the space or comfort of the Volvo.

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Hi Sophie,

It's a bit tricky to say. There's no question that the 2002-2012 Range Rover was a massive improvement over its dreadful predecessor when it came to reliability and solidity but there are legions of potential problems - everything from minor electrical niggles to full-on major component failure. Fragile areas seem to be the gearbox (perennially a Land Rover weak spot) and the air suspension. The engines and bodies are solid as rocks though. Make utterly sure there's a full LR service history.

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Hi Colm,

The biggest and most expensive area of common trouble on a Range Rover Sport (and this is the original, 2005 model we’re talking about) is the air suspension. Check that the car sits level on its springs, and that when you adjust the suspension height, the system responds briskly. If not, walk (quickly) away because you’re into a world of expense. The transfer box part of the transmission is also a trouble spot, as is the electronic handbrake. The 2.7-litre diesel V6 engine is pretty robust, but if it feels sluggish to respond then there could be an issue with the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve. 

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Hi Martin,

You're in an enviable position and, before going into more detail, we'd be very happy with any of those cars as an ownership proposition.

Personally, I'd be sorely tempted by the Evoque. There are plenty of colour and wheel options to change its appearance to your liking, it's much more of an occasion inside and it drives like a hot hatch (the chassis is very much road-biased, though it does well enough off-road when needed). Admittedly, certain versions of the BMW and Audi may be more economical, but I'd look at it very closely.

When the current BMW X3 came out it really took a leap forward from its predecessor in terms of comfort, quality and refinement, but between that and the Audi Q5 I may too be swayed by the fact that the Audi has had a more recent update. I also prefer how the Q5 looks. There's very little between them depending on which engines you're looking at.

The best advice is to go test drive each car for as long as possible, paying close attention to the specifications of the test cars.

In terms of automatic gearboxes, unless you're looking at a petrol Q5 (which I doubt!) or the high-performance SQ5 TDI model (fantastic) then the only option is the dual-clutch S-Tronic unit. This helps with efficiency and allows the driver more control when he wants it, but is not as smooth as a traditional torque converter gearbox, as fitted to the Evoque and BMW. They're both smooth systems, but the eight-speed item in the BMW is the most impressive, managing to minimise fuel consumption increases.

Hopefully that's of help, but come back to us if you need more

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Hi Joe,

This Range Rover is one of the better built cars from Land Rover in a while actually. Some early examples had issues with the automatic gearbox and water leaks, though these should have been well cured by 2005. Electrics and the sophisticated suspension system seem to be the biggest worries, and of course they're expensive to repair.

If you're serious about one, insist on a full, detailed service history, and invest in a professional inspection too.

Hope that helps.

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Hi Gerard,

We've spoken to Land Rover Ireland and, as we suspected, it has no plans to offer a commercial version of the new Range Rover. The previous model was never built as a commercial vehicle either.

Your only option would be to commission such a conversion, though we suspect that this would not make economic sense.

Sorry to not have better news for you,