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All models / All cars / Family & large SUVs / Range Rover Velar

Range Rover Velar

All generations and engines together · 34,097 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 63k

Reliability verdict
CBy age
CBy miles

Graded against its peers

Middling among SUVs, by age and by mileage. Watch steering and suspension. A fair used buy, provided its MOT history has no repeating steering advisories.

First-time failure at age 7
16.5%
Across 7,579 tests. The average for SUVs is 16.4%.
First-time failure at 50-60k miles
16.2%
Across 6,322 tests. The average for SUVs is 15.1%.
Rank in its class
21 of 38
1 = lowest failure rate among the 38 SUVs we can rank.
Typical mileage at age 7
63k miles
How far the average car has gone by seven years old. Low-mileage models can look better by age than they are.

What owners report

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press, with how well each report stands up. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

EPAS warning light and heavy steering

Partly in the MOT data

Owners have reported an amber steering warning light appearing alongside noticeably heavy, and occasionally reduced, power assistance, most commonly flagged on early 2017-18 cars once they are out of warranty. One documented case ended in a steering rack replacement quoted at over £2,000. The measured MOT data for large SUVs already shows steering as this class's standout fault category, and this owner-reported EPAS and rack complaint sits on the same system, though the folklore version shows up as a warning light and heavy assistance rather than the play or corrosion that usually fails an MOT steering check.

Reported on 2017-18 cars, rack replacement over £2,000 · source: Honest John reader-reported faults

Early-car electrical and infotainment gremlins

Emerging

A cluster of early Velars, from launch in 2017, picked up faults within weeks of delivery: glitchy Touch Pro infotainment, a start-stop system that stopped working, tailgate problems and door handles that failed to de-ice in cold weather. One owner reported the car being off the road for seven of its first twelve weeks. There is no specific TSB for this cluster, but the pattern of early software and electrical snags is widely enough reported that Land Rover also scores poorly in owner-satisfaction rankings that cover the same period.

Reported from new on early cars · sources: Honest John reader-reported faults, Auto Express reliability review

Diesel engine oil leaks and driveline vibration

Confirmed patternDiesel only

The Ingenium diesel engines have two separate documented issues. A turbocharger oil feed pipe can work loose and leak, which triggered an official recall in 2024, followed by a second recall in 2025 after some early repairs were carried out incorrectly. Separately, owners have reported balancer-shaft whine on the 2.0 diesel serious enough to need a full engine replacement, and Land Rover issued a replacement bracket for driveline vibration on 3.0 V6 diesel cars, a fix shared with the related Jaguar F-Pace. None of this affects petrol Velars.

DVSA recalls R/2024/113 and R/2025/178 · sources: gov.uk vehicle recalls database, Honest John reader-reported faults

Water pump pulley belt failure and coolant loss

Confirmed pattern

A drive belt on the water pump pulley can fail or come apart, causing a sudden loss of coolant flow to the engine. Land Rover recalled affected cars to replace the coolant elbow and turbocharger feed coolant pipe. The recall covered more than 18,000 UK vehicles, so it is common enough that any used buyer should check it has actually been carried out rather than just scheduled.

DVSA recall R/2023/087, around 18,150 UK vehicles affected · source: gov.uk vehicle recalls database

PHEV engine fails to restart on the move

Confirmed patternPlug-in hybrid (P400e) only

On the plug-in hybrid, the petrol engine can fail to fire up when the battery hands over, leaving the car running on electric power only until the charge runs out and it slows down unexpectedly. Land Rover recalled affected cars for a powertrain control module software update. This only affects P400e models, not diesel or standard petrol Velars.

DVSA recall R/2023/293, around 770 UK vehicles affected · source: gov.uk vehicle recalls database

What to check on this car

Ranked from this model’s own MOT record, then from what owners report.

Saveable checklist

From this model’s MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Steering playRuns high on this model With the engine running and the car parked, waggle the wheel lightly about the straight-ahead. The wheels should respond almost at once. A dead zone before anything happens means wear in the rack or the track rod ends.Recorded on 4.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.4%
Brake pipes underneathRuns high on this model Follow the metal brake lines with a torch where they run along the sills and over the rear axle. White crust or flaking metal means they are corroding, and the online MOT history usually shows the same advisory creeping up for years before the fail.Recorded on 1.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.4%
Warning lights on ignitionRuns high on this model Turn the ignition on without starting the engine and watch the dash. Every warning light should appear, then go out once it is running. Be more suspicious of a light that never comes on at all than of one that stays on; warning bulbs have been known to vanish before a sale.Recorded on 1.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.4%
Bushes and ball jointsRuns high on this model Drive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 1.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.9%
Leaks Look at the ground where the car usually stands, then glance under the engine after your test drive. Fresh drips of oil or coolant are the cheapest warning you will ever get about a car.Recorded on 2.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%
Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this model On full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 1.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.7%
Dampers Look for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 0.9% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.3%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.

Tyres, all four Check the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 24.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%
Pads and discsRuns high on this model Look through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 16.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 10.1%
Windscreen and wipers Scan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.7%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the reports above rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Turn the wheel lock to lock with the engine running, from cold if you can. Heavy, notchy or unassisted steering, or an amber steering warning light, points to the EPAS or rack fault.
Cycle the ignition and work through every infotainment menu, plus the start-stop button. Freezes, blank screens or a start-stop that won't engage match the early electrical gremlins.
On diesel cars, check under the bonnet near the turbo for oil staining and listen for a whine at idle. Oil residue or an unusual whine points to the turbo pipe or balancer-shaft issues.
Look up the VIN on the gov.uk vehicle recall checker before you view the car. An outstanding recall, for the turbo oil pipe, water pump belt or PHEV software, means unfinished manufacturer work; ask the seller to get it done first.
Check the coolant level and look for a coolant elbow or turbo feed pipe entry on the service history. No mention of it despite the car falling in the recall window suggests the water pump belt fix was never done.
On a P400e plug-in hybrid, drive it until the battery depletes and confirm the petrol engine picks up smoothly. Hesitation or a failure to restart matches the PHEV software fault; check the recall was applied.
Ask for a full digital service history and count warranty visits in the first year. Three or more visits in year one matches the pattern of early build-quality complaints.

Open the saveable checklist, tick it off at the car

The MOT data

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

How this model wears

Range Rover VelarClass average, all tracked models

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 18,754 tests in this band.

A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
Advisory
4.8%class 0.4%
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
Fail
2.2%class 0.4%
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
Advisory
2.1%class 2.0%
A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded
Advisory
1.8%class 0.4%
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
Fail
1.7%class 0.4%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
1.6%class 0.9%
Play in steering rack inner joint(s)
Advisory
1.5%class 1.1%
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
Minor
1.3%class 0.7%
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
Fail
1.0%class 0.4%
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
Advisory
0.9%class 2.3%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
27.3%class 22.9%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
16.7%class 10.1%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
11.9%class 8.7%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
10.0%class 13.4%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Fail
3.5%class 2.3%
Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt
Advisory
3.2%class 2.2%
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
Fail
2.3%class 1.7%
Nail in tyre
Advisory
2.3%class 1.6%

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