Is the Volvo XC90 more reliable than the Land Rover Range Rover Sport?

Yes, by a large margin. The XC90 draws 4.2 owner complaints per 10,000 sold, against 56.4 for the Range Rover Sport. It also has far fewer recalls. The Volvo's reliability standing is good, while the Land Rover's is mixed.

Which has more recalls, the XC90 or the Range Rover Sport?

The Range Rover Sport has far more. Federal recall records list 177 recalls across model years 2018 to 2026, compared with 39 for the XC90 over the same span. That is more than four times as many for the Land Rover.

What is the most common Range Rover Sport problem?

Electrical faults lead, with 185 complaints. Screens freeze or go black, taking climate, radio, phone and backup camera controls with them. Engine coolant pipes that split near the supercharger are another repeated complaint, with failures reported between 42,651 and 69,908 miles.

Does the Volvo XC90 have serious safety complaints?

Yes, some. Owners report the brake pedal losing stopping power without warning, with 3 brake complaints linked to crashes. The instrument cluster can also go dark while driving, taking the speedometer and warnings with it. These are less frequent than the Land Rover's overall complaint volume.

Can the Range Rover Sport roll away when parked?

Owners have reported it. Power train complaints describe the car leaving park by itself and rolling or reversing while the driver door is open. One report involves a crash into a building with 2 injuries. If you test drive one, confirm the dial shifter holds park.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Volvo XC90: Reliability Compared

Land Rover Range Rover Sport

Mixed

More Reliable

Volvo XC90

Good

The Volvo XC90 is clearly more reliable than the Land Rover Range Rover Sport. Its owners file far fewer complaints per car sold. Federal recall records show 39 recalls for the Volvo and 177 for the Land Rover across model years 2018 to 2026.

How Do the Land Rover Range Rover Sport and Volvo XC90 Generations Compare?

Nearly every year a shopper would consider sits in one design. Model years 2018 through 2025 belong to the Volvo's second generation, which began with the 2016 model year. A facelift arrived for 2020, another update for 2023, and a further facelift for 2025. The 2023 update year is among the weakest in the data, so a newer update did not guarantee fewer problems. The 2025 and 2026 years score well, but they have had the least time to collect complaints and recalls. Treat them as promising, not proven.

Verdict

The Volvo XC90 is more reliable than the Land Rover Range Rover Sport, scoring 72/100 vs 57/100.

Reliability favors the Volvo by a wide margin. Owners filed far fewer complaints per vehicle sold, and federal recall records show 39 recalls against 177 for the Range Rover Sport. The Volvo's worst reports involve a dark instrument cluster and brake faults. The Land Rover has more problems in more areas, including splitting coolant pipes, power steering cutting out, and a dial shifter that lets the car leave park. The Volvo is not trouble-free, but the gap is large enough that it is the safer used buy.

Key Differences

1Volvo XC90 has 138 fewer total recalls
2Volvo XC90 has 52.2 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Volvo XC90 scores 15 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

0Land Rover Range Rover Sport

—

3Volvo XC90

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Volvo XC90: Which Is More Reliable?

Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Volvo XC90 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Land Rover Range Rover Sport	Volvo XC90
Reliability Score	57/100	72/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	177	39
Complaints per 10k Sold	56.4	4.2
Year Wins	1	8

What Are the Common Problems With the Land Rover Range Rover Sport and Volvo XC90?

The Volvo's complaints center on electronics and braking. The digital instrument cluster flickers or goes dark while driving, and some brake pedals lose stopping power without warning. The rear camera also drops out, and automatic reverse braking can slam on near curbs. The Land Rover's list is heavier on mechanical failures. Plastic coolant pipes split near the supercharger, often at highway speed, and several cases end in engine replacement. Power steering assist can cut out mid-turn. Its power train reports include cars leaving park on their own, with 10 crash-linked. Steering crashes show up only on the Land Rover. Brake-related crashes show up only on the Volvo.

Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Volvo XC90 common problem areas comparison
Component	Land Rover Range Rover Sport	Volvo XC90
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	13.8Above Avg	1.1Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	6.6Average	0.5Very Low
POWER TRAIN	6.6Average	0.2Very Low
ENGINE	4.8Average	0.2Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	4.1Average	0.1Very Low
STEERING	3.7Average	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	1.9Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	1.6Low	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	1.5Low	—None
SUSPENSION	1.3Low	—None
SERVICE BRAKES	0.7Very Low	0.4Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.7Very Low	—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.7Very Low	—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	0.4Very Low	0.1Very Low
SEAT BELTS	0.4Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY	0.4Very Low	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	0.3Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	0.1Very Low	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Volvo XC90 Reliability Compare by Year?

Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Volvo XC90 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Land Rover Range Rover Sport	Volvo XC90	Edge
2026	75/1003R / 0C	73/1002R / 2C	Land Rover Range Rover Sport
2025	68/1009R / 24C	74/1003R / 23C	Volvo XC90
2024	64/10022R / 47C	73/1003R / 26C	Volvo XC90
2023	52/10027R / 125C	70/1006R / 39C	Volvo XC90
2022	53/10023R / 94C	72/1004R / 27C	Volvo XC90
2021	53/10023R / 72C	72/1005R / 17C	Volvo XC90
2020	42/10037R / 138C	71/1007R / 24C	Volvo XC90
2019	56/10014R / 90C	71/1006R / 31C	Volvo XC90
2018	47/10019R / 167C	71/1003R / 40C	Volvo XC90

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport scored 64/100 and the 2024 Volvo XC90 scored 73/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs the Volvo XC90?

Pick the Volvo if you want fewer surprises. Its complaint rate per car sold is a small fraction of the Land Rover's, and its recall count is far lower. Check that the instrument cluster stays lit on a long drive and that the sunroof is not leaking. Ask whether brake work has been done, since some reports describe pedal loss at about 60,000 and 70,000 miles. Be most careful with 2023 and 2019, the weakest years. The 2025 and 2026 years look strong, but they have had little time to collect complaints. Pick the Range Rover Sport only if you want that vehicle and will pay for a careful inspection. Ask for records on the coolant pipes and quick connects near the supercharger, because reported failures cluster between 42,651 and 69,908 miles. Test the touchscreen and backup camera, and confirm the dial shifter holds the car in park. Avoid 2020 and 2018, the weakest years. The 2025 and 2026 years show fewer complaints, but that partly reflects less time on the road.

Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Volvo XC90: Common Questions

Is the Volvo XC90 more reliable than the Land Rover Range Rover Sport?: Yes, by a large margin. The XC90 draws 4.2 owner complaints per 10,000 sold, against 56.4 for the Range Rover Sport. It also has far fewer recalls. The Volvo's reliability standing is good, while the Land Rover's is mixed.
Which has more recalls, the XC90 or the Range Rover Sport?: The Range Rover Sport has far more. Federal recall records list 177 recalls across model years 2018 to 2026, compared with 39 for the XC90 over the same span. That is more than four times as many for the Land Rover.
What is the most common Range Rover Sport problem?: Electrical faults lead, with 185 complaints. Screens freeze or go black, taking climate, radio, phone and backup camera controls with them. Engine coolant pipes that split near the supercharger are another repeated complaint, with failures reported between 42,651 and 69,908 miles.
Does the Volvo XC90 have serious safety complaints?: Yes, some. Owners report the brake pedal losing stopping power without warning, with 3 brake complaints linked to crashes. The instrument cluster can also go dark while driving, taking the speedometer and warnings with it. These are less frequent than the Land Rover's overall complaint volume.
Can the Range Rover Sport roll away when parked?: Owners have reported it. Power train complaints describe the car leaving park by itself and rolling or reversing while the driver door is open. One report involves a crash into a building with 2 injuries. If you test drive one, confirm the dial shifter holds park.

More Land Rover Range Rover Sport comparisons

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More Volvo XC90 comparisons

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How we score the Land Rover Range Rover Sport and Volvo XC90

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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