2017 Land Rover Range Rover Sport 5.0L Petrol · S12 CAY

The 2017 Land Rover Range Rover Sport presents with a notably clean official DVSA MOT history, most recently passing its test on 9 February 2026 with no defects or advisories recorded. This straight pass follows four consecutive prior passes in 2025, 2024, 2023, and 2022, each again returning no advisories or failures, which indicates a stable and well-maintained testing trajectory rather than any progressive deterioration. While the absence of recorded advisories is reassuring from a regulatory perspective, it is worth remembering that MOT testing represents only a snapshot assessment of specific items on the test date, and the clean record does not preclude the existence of developing wear items that did not meet failure criteria at the time of examination. A prospective buyer should therefore interpret the history as a positive indicator of compliance and conscientious upkeep, but must still commission an independent pre-purchase inspection to evaluate components outside the strict MOT scope. With a recorded mileage of 70,813 miles across approximately nine years of service, this vehicle averages around 7,800 miles annually, which sits broadly in line with typical usage for a luxury SUV of this vintage. The annual accumulation is neither excessively low nor disproportionately high, suggesting the vehicle has been used regularly rather than left standing for prolonged periods or subjected to the accelerated wear associated with very high annual mileages. That said, Land Rover products of this era, particularly the Range Rover Sport with its air suspension and complex drivetrain, are mechanically sensitive to extended standing, so the moderate usage profile should have been sufficient to keep seals, hoses, and suspension components regularly exercised. Buyers should nevertheless scrutinise the V5C and service book to confirm the recorded mileage is continuous, with no unexplained gaps or discrepancies that might suggest clock tampering or extended off-road storage. Given the clean MOT history, the principal inspection focus should be on age- and mileage-related deterioration that may not yet have triggered an advisory but warrants close physical examination. Tyres should be inspected carefully for sidewall perishing and age-related cracking, as rubber compounds degrade with calendar age regardless of tread depth, and a nine-year-old vehicle may require replacement purely on age grounds. Brake discs, particularly the vented units fitted to this model, should be examined for lipping, corrosion, and binding caliper slides, which are common after moderate use, while the brake fluid should be assumed due for renewal as moisture absorption renders it hygroscopic and less effective over time regardless of whether an advisory was issued. The 12V battery should be load-tested, as prolonged standing between MOTs combined with the vehicle's significant parasitic drain from onboard electronics can prematurely exhaust cells. The air suspension system, a known service item on this generation, warrants particular attention: listen for the compressor operating excessively on cold start, inspect for sagging at any corner when parked, and check the reservoir and valve block for signs of leakage or corrosion. Beyond these specific items, a thorough pre-purchase evaluation should include verification of full service history stamps, ideally with Land Rover main agent or specialist coverage, and confirmation that all four wheels present with matching and appropriate tyres. Coolant, transmission fluid, and differential oil all degrade with age and should be assessed for documented renewal, as neglecting these can lead to costly automatic gearbox or transfer case failures on this platform. On the test drive, the buyer should pay close attention to any suspension clonks or creaks over speed bumps, uneven transmission shifts particularly when cold, hesitation or warning messages from the air suspension system, and any signs of fluid leakage beneath the vehicle after the drive. Exhaust emissions should be observed for excessive smoke on start-up or under load, and the four-wheel-drive system should be engaged briefly to confirm smooth operation of the transfer case and Terrain Response modes. Overall, while the DVSA record is exemplary, the mechanical complexity and age of this Range Rover Sport demand a specialist inspection to ensure that what is not recorded on the MOT is equally sound.