The Range Rover Sport. Once age and mileage are allowed for, Range Rover Sports pass the MOT first time 4.9 points more often than Velars. The best bets are Range Rover Sports registered from 2005 to 2021, and Velars registered from 2017 to 2018. Avoid Velars registered in 2022.
| Range Rover Sport | Range Rover Velar | |
|---|---|---|
| Passed first time, cars registered 2014 to 2021 | 84.2% | 84.3% |
| Against the average car of the same age and mileage | +7.0 points | +2.1 points |
| Years to avoid | None stand out | 2022 |
| Best years | 2005 to 2021 | 2017 to 2018 |
| Fails most often, against the average car | Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems: 1.7 times as often | Steering: 3.3 times as often |
| Most common failure | Tyre damage: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Windscreen wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively |
| MOTs in 2025 | 120,067 | 36,970 |
How often cars from each registration year passed the MOT first time, against the average car of the same age and mileage. The figure is the difference in percentage points.
Each block is a registration year: the year the car was first used. Tap or hover over one for its figures. Blank means too few MOTs that year.
Points against the average car of the same age and mileage, with each year's most common failure. Less than 1.5 points apart counts as either.
| Registered | Range Rover Sport | Velar | Better bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +12.7Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2006 | +11.9Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2007 | +12.2Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2008 | +13.4Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2009 | +14.7Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2010 | +17.1Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2011 | +17.0Tyre damage (has ply or cords exposed) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2012 | +16.8Tyre damage (has ply or cords exposed) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2013 | +15.6Brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2014 | +13.4Airbag warning light (warning lamp indicates a fault) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2015 | +10.2Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Too few MOTs | |
| 2016 | +6.7Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Too few MOTs | |
| 2017 | +5.9Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | +4.8Track rod ends (ball joint has excessive play) | Either |
| 2018 | +7.1Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +3.9Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Range Rover Sport |
| 2019 | +6.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +1.0Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | Range Rover Sport |
| 2020 | +2.9Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +0.6Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | Range Rover Sport |
| 2021 | +2.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | −0.7Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | Range Rover Sport |
| 2022 | +1.1Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | −3.6Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | Range Rover Sport |
How often each passed the MOT first time against the average car of the same age and mileage, in points. 90,000 to 120,000 miles: Range Rover Sports 13.5 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, Velars 5.0 points above.
| Range Rover Sport | Velar | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30k miles | +0.8 | −2.9 | Range Rover Sport |
| 30–60k miles | +4.8 | +1.4 | Range Rover Sport |
| 60–90k miles | +9.4 | +3.8 | Range Rover Sport |
| 90–120k miles | +13.5 | +5.0 | Range Rover Sport |
| Range Rover Sport | Velar | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | +7.3 | +1.3 | Range Rover Sport |
| Diesel | +10.2 | +1.6 | Range Rover Sport |
| Hybrid | +3.6 | −3.3 | Range Rover Sport |
Each fuel is compared with the average car of the same age and mileage, whatever its fuel. Rows with fewer than 500 MOTs for either car are left out.
How often each failed on every area of the test, against the average car of the same age and mileage. All registration years.
| Area | Range Rover Sport: failed | Against average | Velar: failed | Against average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 5.1% | 0.5× | 0.9% | 0.4× |
| Steering | 0.4% | 0.2× | 1.9% | 3.3× |
| Brakes | 5.1% | 0.8× | 2.4% | 0.7× |
| Tyres | 5.5% | 0.8× | 4.9% | 0.9× |
| Lights & electrics | 4.7% | 0.4× | 2.5% | 0.6× |
| Visibility | 2.6% | 0.6× | 3.8% | 1.3× |
| Body & structure | 2.4% | 0.7× | 0.3% | 0.5× |
| Emissions & leaks | 1.6% | 0.5× | 2.1% | 1.7× |
The failures testers found most often on each, against the average car of the same age and mileage. Both charts use the same scale.
What testers most often noted as advisories on each: wear that passed but was close to failing. Figures in brackets are for the average car of the same age and mileage.
The Range Rover Sport
For cars registered 2014 to 2021, Range Rover Sports passed the MOT first time 7.0 points above the average car of the same age and mileage and Velars 2.1 points above: 4.9 points between them.
+7.0points against the average car of the same age and mileage
+2.1points against the average car of the same age and mileage
Going by the MOT, the Range Rover Sport is. For cars registered 2014 to 2021, 84.2% of Range Rover Sports passed first time, 7.0 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, against 84.3% of Velars, 2.1 points above.
None stand out: every registration year is within 1.5 points of the average car of the same age and mileage, or ahead of it.
Going by 2025 MOT results, 2022. Those cars passed first time −3.6 points against the average car of the same age and mileage.
90,000 to 120,000 miles: Range Rover Sports 13.5 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, Velars 5.0 points above. So the Range Rover Sport holds up better.
Range Rover Sport: tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords), on 1.9% of MOTs against 1.5% for the average car of the same age and mileage. Velar: windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively), on 2.9% of MOTs against 1.7% for the average car of the same age and mileage.
Data. Every car MOT in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data: 120,067 Range Rover Sport MOTs and 36,970 Velar MOTs. Retests are left out.
Against the average car. Each model is compared with the average car of the same age and mileage, not with each other directly, so a newer or lower-mileage model doesn't win for that alone.
Which is more reliable. The answer uses cars registered 2014 to 2021, the same years for both, as the rivals table on each model page does. Less than 1.5 points apart counts as level.