Used Land Rover Range Rover Sport review: 2013-2022

Although it shared a lot of componentry with the concurrent Land Rover Discovery, the Range Rover Sport sold between 2013 and 2022 (code-named L494) had its own appeal with its combination of looks and ability.

A five-seater with a genuine prestige badge and feel, the Range Rover Sport was also an excellent off-roader in terms of its ability to scale rocks and thunder along forest trails. Well, provided you bought the one with the hardcore driveline.

Read More About Land Rover Range Rover Sport

• Range Rover Sport 2020 review: HSE PHEV
• Range Rover Sport 2018 review: SVR
• Land Rover Range Rover Sport TDV6 SE 2015 review

The volume-seller was the TDV6 variant with its 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 with 215kW and 600Nm. It could be had in S or SE trim levels. The SDV6 with the same powertrain but a higher specification level was next, although that variant got a power upgrade to 225kW and 700Nm in 2015. It could be specified in either SE, HSE or Autobiography trim level.

There was also an SDV6 Hybrid which used the V6 turbo-diesel engine combined with a 35kW battery under the floor. SE and HSE trim levels were available.

The other V6 was a supercharged petrol engine measuring 3.0 litres and making 250kW and 450Nm. It could be had in SE or HSE trim levels.

The wildcard was the SDV8 with its 4.4-litre turbo-diesel V8 and 250kW and 700Nm. It was sold in HSE trim but was a bit ignored by buyers at the time who seemed to want either the frugality of the V6 diesel or the punch of a petrol V8.

The SV8 used a supercharged 5.0-litre petrol V8 for 375kW and 625Nm. Trim levels included HSE, and Autobiography. Finally, there was the SVR which sold alongside the SV8 from 2015, and was its own specific trim level with no less than 405kW and 680Nm.

Is Range Rover Sport a good car?

This is very much a two-part question. Yes, the Range Rover Sport is a terrific car to drive with lots of performance and great on-road manners. But it can also be very good off-road, too, while pampering its passengers at the same time. Clearly, the DNA of the original Range Rover is identifiable in this 21^st Century model.

But the flip side is the ownership equation which, for too many owners, has been one breakdown or failure after another. This is a pretty complex machine and, unfortunately, it’s reliability is not a match for its dynamics or driving experience. Australia is infamously hard on off-road vehicles, and this is one that – in too many cases - didn’t have the durability it needed.

Range Rover Sport reliability

Fans of the brand will doubtless disagree, but the fact is this model Range Rover has a pretty dreadful reputation for reliability. It’s not just one or two things that typically go wrong, either, there’s a whole list of problems in many of the vehicle’s major systems.

Nor are the dramas likely to simply inconvenience you. No, some of them will have you calling a tow-truck and from there, the spending commences to put things right, because some of these faults concern big ticket items and components.

Range Rover Sport problems

Again, at the risk of upsetting the fans of this make and model, the list of Range Rover Sport faults and problems is a decently long one. Perhaps the biggest problem child is the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel. Dubbed Ingenium (the engine family name) many owners have subsequently given the unit several new and colourful names.

The problems start with timing chain faults which begins with a light rattle on start-up, but soon the chain will stretch enough to allow the valve timing to drift out of phase with the crankshaft or even allow the camshaft gears to jump a tooth, leading to catastrophic engine failure. The 2.0L also has a history of turbocharger failures, oil supply problems, oil leaks and DPF failures.

The 3.0 V6 turbo-diesel has long been plagued by failures of timing chains, crankshafts and turbochargers and while the later ones are improved, such failures are still common enough to make it to this list.

Some V8s have also suffered serious failures with plastic coolant plumbing failures, timing chain woes and other coolant leaks. Engine mounts on the heavy V8 engines also tend to fail early.

The other big issue is with the air suspension as fitted standard to a lot of Range Rover Sport variants. It’s not uncommon to see a Sport with what looks like collapsed suspension and almost sitting on the ground. This is usually due to either a failed airbag system or a leak somewhere that has allowed the air to escape while the vehicle has been parked. On-the-run suspension failures are usually caused by failed on-board compressors which are a bit underdone and, therefore, work too hard to be reliable. But there’s also the spectre of totally inadequate air-lines and suspension plumbing which simply isn’t up to the rigours of off-road work.

Throw in some sketchy electronics (and there are lots of those on a RR Sport) and you can see why we must advise caution here.

Range Rover Sport recall

Again, here’s another roll-call Range Rover would probably rather we didn’t mention. But given a depressingly high number of these recalls were for problems that could have led to a fire, we can’t ignore them. Neither should you.

The SVD6 Sport was recalled for a potential fire hazard within the wiring, and many early examples of the car were recalled for other wiring problems that were, again, potential fire hazards.

The supercharged engines (V6 and V8) were recalled to check for a problem with the brake vacuum hoses that could see the braking assistance suddenly disappear. And early cars were also recalled to check door latches that could allow the doors to fly open on the move. Those same cars were also recalled to check for a dodgy seat latch.

Some cars built between 2016 and 2017 were recalled for a faulty passenger’s front airbag, and there was also a recall to check the seat belt on the passenger’s side, too. Some cars were found to have seat belt pretensions that didn’t work properly and the autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system didn’t always work as promised, either.

The Sport also had recalls for blinkers that didn’t blink, engines that could overheat and catch fire, instrument clusters that went to black and even to replace some high-voltage batteries on hybrid variants.

If you are thinking about buying a Range Rover Sport, a dealership should be able to take the car’s VIN and determine what recalls it was subject to and whether they’ve been carried out. In the meantime, you can check out https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/ to see for yourself.

Range Rover Sport years to avoid

Like many makes and models, the longer the Range Rover Sport was in production, the more reliable and better built it became. So, the ones we’d choose last would be the very early (2013-2015) versions which simply had more inherent problems born of poor built quality and design.

We’d also be pretty wary of the four-cylinder SD4 variants as this engine has managed to achieve a pretty dreadful reputation in the trade.

Range Rover Sport how many kilometres

When you start looking at what’s available to buy second-hand, you’ll soon discover there are plenty of cars out there with between 220,000 and 270,000km on their odometers. Which, if nothing else, suggests that if you get a good one and pamper it, there’s a chance it will go the distance. However, what the adverts don’t always confess is what’s gone wrong with the car in the meantime.

We’d always opt for a lower-kilometres example, however, and although you’ll pay more for it, a Sport with closer to 160,000km showing is likely to be a better bet long term.

Range Rover Sport best model

There’s a very distinct line in the sand here, and there’s definitely one variation on the Sport theme that has a major advantage… but only if you plan to use it.

For reasons known only to itself (but possibly as a response to the blurring of the 4X4 vs SUV border) Range Rover offered two distinct drivelines. The SD4, TDV6 and the supercharged petrol V6 versions were fitted with a permanent all-wheel drive system but one which missed out on a two-speed transfer-case. That means there was no set of low-range gear ratios for really gnarly off-road work. Range Rover argued the eight-speed automatic offered low enough ratios on its own, but there’s no getting around the fact using torque-converter slip to help climb boulders is a great way to get the transmission very hot, very quickly.

In any case, that argument ignores the fact that RR did, in fact, fit the SDV6 and the supercharged V8 variants with a two-speed transfer-case. And it’s these variants that offer the most complete off-roading package thanks to the super-low ratios this driveline offered.

But here’s where it gets tricky. If the original buyer ticked the option box for the 'Off Road Pack', then even the SD4, TDV6 and petrol V6 models got the two-speed transfer-case.

Bottom line? We’d always buy the example with the two-speed transfer-case because off-road ability is one of the Sport’s greatest attractions, we reckon. If you’re game, of course.

Make Model resale value

The vast majority of L494 Range Rover Sports for sale right now are V6 turbo-diesel models. Prices start at around the low- to mid-$20,000 mark but for that you’ll be getting a car with more than 200,000km on board unless you’re really lucky and/or a great negotiator.

There are lots of cars for sale for between $26,000 and $28,000 with about 160,000km covered and these seem to be a less risky proposition. But if you want a late model example with a supercharged V8, then you’ll need anything between $150,000 and $180,000 to make that happen. The up side is the car in question should be very low mileage (say, under 50,000km) and the best ones to buy now have never seen a gravel road, let alone an outback trail. Which, to be honest, is probably most, if not all, of them.

Range Rover Sport parts

The Range Rover brand is one of those that seems to attract fanatical support from an owner base that has had many decades to come to terms with the vehicles’ foibles and shortcomings. And it clearly hasn’t put the faithful off, because the number of Rangie clubs and online support sites is vast. So, too, is the aftermarket support for these cars and there’s an army of specialists and experts that not only knows what goes wrong, but has worked out the fix(es).

Every decent sized metro area would have at least one Range Rover specialist and the global appetite for these cars also means there’s a worldwide network of spare parts available. Just be careful when dealing with overseas online sellers you have no experience with.

There’s also a good business in taking worn out Range Rovers and stripping them of their still-useable parts to keep other cars on the road.

When it comes to servicing, you’ll probably find that specialist independent workshops are much, much cheaper than Range Rover dealerships.

Range Rover Sport sales

The good looks and superb driving experience of the Range Rover Sport meant they were popular buys across a wide range of demographics. Exact sales figures are hard to nail down, but the fact there’s anything up to 700 for sale on the major websites right now, suggests plenty were bought brand-new.