BRANDING

However, the image they have earned as off-road machines has been damaged in recent years by reports regarding reliability. But are they really as unreliable as the reports suggest?

In this article we will be looking at Land Rover reliability, is it really as negative as it often appears?
It should be noted while the article is about Land Rover, this is a generalized term which will also include Range Rover vehicles

Is Land Rover reliable?

In the not-so-distant past, Land Rovers were built like tanks and people boasted of their capability as off-road vehicles. They were used by farmers and businesses to tow trailers and transport muddy dogs, dirt-covered boots and heavy equipment.

In 2012, the same year that Land Rover and Jaguar merged to become one entity, a consumer report from What Car? magazine (in collaboration with Warranty Direct) announced that, when it came to used cars, Land Rover was the most unreliable brand on the road. The report stated that 71% of used Land Rovers and Range Rovers break down each year and was based on analysis of 50,000 extended warranty policies.

Unfortunately, those days now appear to have passed, with consistent reports of issues with the reliability of available models. However, as time went on, this image was worn down by consistent reports of unreliability.

Upon referring to information from J.D Power, reliability scores for Land Rover vehicles between 2007 and 2016 were less than encouraging. For eight years out of the total 10, the company scored less than average, managing to only reach a maximum of 2.5 out of 5, which is much lower than the industry average. In a second study conducted in 2016, The American data analytics company J.D. Power researched the average number of problems per 100 vehicles from multiple manufacturers. The average number of problems was 133 per 100 vehicles. The results for Land Rover were, unfortunately, much higher than expected, with the brand seeing 179 problems per 100 cars, just under 2 issues per vehicle.

Reliability Index

When it comes to reliability, it appears that not much has actually changed for Land Rover. 2019 scores from Reliability Index indicate that the manufacturer is still close to the bottom when compared to other carmakers. Land Rover earned a score of 308, which means it placed 36 in a list of 40 brands. Though Maserati is in clear last place with a score 774, this is not an impressive score for a popular manufacturer.

As well as earning a score of 308 and appearing in the bottom 5 of the Reliability Index list of manufacturers, Land Rover also has a relatively high average repair cost of £452.58. The cost of repairs means that Land Rover comes in the bottom 10 when it comes to charges, in 31st place.

Though overall reliability of models produced by Land Rover (including their Range Rover vehicles) is not seen to be the best when reviewed for consumer and warranty reports, when looking at individual components of the vehicles (such as engine or braking system), they rate much better in the Reliability Index report.

Air conditioning, gearbox, engine, braking system and the cooling and heating system all fared well, with less than 14% of owners reporting issues with these aspects of their vehicles. The electrics and fuel system earned an average score, placing 23 and 21 place respectively. Steering and transmission both appear in the bottom 10 for reliability, however, reports from owners for all manufacturers were rather low when it comes to these two areas, and though steering placed 32 out of 40, only 6.09% of owners reported any problems with it. The transmission system list proves similar. Though Land Rover transmission systems placed 33 out of 40 manufacturers, only 5.67% of owners reported that they had needed to get this repaired.

However, when it comes to the axle and suspension, an element of any sturdy 4×4 that should be strong with unquestionable reliability, the story is completely different. In a list of 40 manufacturers, you would expect Land Rover to be near the top for the suspension, but it’s actually near the bottom of the Reliability index list, in 37th place. A total of 36.23% of owners reported that they had found it necessary to take their Land Rover to the garage for repairs to the axle and suspension in the 12 months before the report was compiled.

The figures from consumer magazine Which? aren’t that different from the figures reported by Reliability Index. In their 2019 reliability survey, Land Rover landed at the bottom of the pile of manufacturers they reviewed.

Both brand new (0-3 years) and older Land Rover models (3-8 years) earned a low reliability rating, having been awarded just 1-star out of 5. This is a disappointing score and one that many fans of the manufacturer will struggle with. But when a consumer-led report is asking whether your local garage or mechanic has a loyalty scheme due to the number of times you can expect to need their services it’s not painting a good picture.

Half of Land Rover owners whose vehicles are less than three years old that participated in the Which? survey said that they’d found it necessary to have their vehicles repaired at least once. This is a very high fault rate, in fact, the highest among all manufacturers included in the final report for 2019.

Owners of newer Land Rover and Range Rover vehicles that found they needed to have repairs done, spent over five days without their car, which is three days more than the average.
Unfortunately, this statistic doesn’t improve with older vehicles. On average, those who have Land Rovers between 3 and 8 years old also reported a great number of issues, with over 46% reporting that they’d experienced faults with their vehicles over the previous 12 months.

The most common issues in older Land Rovers included problems with the remote key fob, keyless entry system and central locking. There were also reports of leaks through rainwater seals and errors with the emission/exhaust system and differential and fuel system components.

Getting Your Range Rover Taken Care of Properly

Prestige Carcare is evaluating cases now. We’re provide the best and professional service in town, contact us now.
(Email, phone, and chat are available 24/7.)