Range Rover — Generation Guide
The Range Rover flagship spans three modern generations with fundamentally different reliability profiles and ownership costs. The L322 is the most complex and most discussed. The L405 is the reliability improvement most L322 owners wish they'd bought. The L460 is the current generation. Each demands a specific understanding of what it costs to own correctly.
L322 Range Rover (2002–2012)
The L322 is the most searched Range Rover on the used market — and the one with the steepest learning curve for new owners. Understanding the L322 by model year is essential because the powertrain changed three times across production.
2002–2005 models used the BMW M62 4.4L V8 — a carry-over from BMW's ownership of Land Rover. These are the most problematic L322s for long-term ownership. The M62 has documented issues with Nikasil cylinder bore scoring in engines with low-octane fuel history, plus a complex VANOS variable valve timing system that requires specific BMW-trained diagnostics.
The three things that make or break every L322 deal: Air suspension condition (especially the compressor), coolant system integrity (expansion tank and crossover pipes on V8 models), and the electrical health assessment via JLR SDD scan. A clean scan and working air suspension on a 2006–2009 AJ-V8 is the entry point for a good L322 experience.
L322 Known Issues
L405 Range Rover (2013–2022)
The L405 represents a meaningful reliability improvement over the L322. Land Rover moved to a lightweight aluminum architecture — the body and chassis structure use riveted and bonded aluminum rather than steel. This reduces weight by approximately 420 lbs and improves corrosion resistance but makes structural repair after accidents significantly more expensive and specialist-dependent.
Powertrains: SDV8 3.0L V8 diesel (excellent reliability, excellent fuel economy), 3.0L V6 supercharged (good reliability, supercharger service at 80K+), 5.0L V8 supercharged (performance flagship, higher running costs). The L405 SDV8 diesel is arguably the best daily-driver variant in Range Rover history — fuel economy in the mid-20s combined with real-world towing capability.
Air suspension on the L405 is more mature than the L322 design but still needs proactive attention. The critical difference: the L405 air suspension is fully integrated into the vehicle dynamics system and cannot be converted to coil springs as some L322 owners choose to do. You maintain the air suspension or you accept a broken vehicle.
L460 Range Rover (2022+)
The L460 uses the MLA-Flex platform shared with the new Defender L663. Powertrain options include the Ingenium I6 P400 (3.0L mild hybrid), P530 (4.4L BMW V8 twin-turbo), and the P510e PHEV. The BMW V8 partnership returns — but this is the current BMW N63-derived twin-turbo architecture, significantly more modern than the M62 used in early L322s.
The L460 is too new to have an established high-mileage reliability pattern, but early owner reports are generally positive. Software and ADAS calibration issues have been reported on early production vehicles, consistent with the pattern seen on the new Defender L663 at launch. Verify software is current before taking delivery of any used L460.