Volvo XC90 or Land Rover Discovery?

Hi lads,

I need a seven-seat car and am looking at a 2005 Volvo XC90 D5 and a 2005 Range Rover Discovery 3 2.7D. Both are similar price and mileage. Which is best for safety, reliability and running costs? And it will never go off-road, just up on footpaths!

Thanks

Justin Patrick McElwee (Sligo)

Mar 2012 Filed under: choosing used car

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Expert answer

Hi Justin,

It's not surprising to hear that the car won't go off-road - few do!

In terms of safety, the 2005 Volvo trumps the Discovery with a better Euro NCAP crash test rating.

The Volvo has a marginally better reliability record too, though most Discovery problems (affecting electrics and software) seem to apply to individual cars. Saying that it's worth ensuring its air suspension is in perfect working order. On the XC90 the injectors can play up, and they're expensive to repair, so get suspicious if the car doesn't start quickly.

Evidence points to the Volvo having the lower running costs too, with slightly better fuel economy and of course lower annual road tax due to the smaller engine. Maintenance will be costly enough in both cases, as could be insurance.

In cold hard facts it looks like the Volvo wins this battle Justin, but we'd not be put off the Discovery so easily - it's a great all-rounder as well.

Let us know how you get on.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Adviser
@Shane_O_D