VERDICT · STRONG ENGINE, SAME SUSPENSION CHECK APPLIES
Range Rover Sport 5.0L Supercharged
is it a safe used buy?
The V8 option on this Range Rover Sport generation — meaningfully more dependable engine reputation than the diesel, though the same air suspension consideration still applies regardless of engine choice.
GENERATION2nd gen (2014–2017)
ENGINE5.0L AJ133 Supercharged
POWER510–550 hp
USED PRICE$34,000–52,000
How the engine fits this car
The same meaningfully improved AJ133 V8 covered on the Jaguar F-Type and XF pages — genuinely strong performance in a vehicle built to handle it.
Switching from the diesel to this V8 changes the engine's risk profile for the better, but doesn't touch the air suspension system's own, separate consideration.
Range Rover Sport-specific pros and cons
This is about the car itself — for engine-specific failure points, see the dedicated engine page below.
WHAT HOLDS UP WELL
- AJ133's meaningfully improved reliability reputation, shared with Jaguar applications, carries through fully here
- Genuinely strong, immediate supercharged performance
- Avoids the diesel's injector and timing chain considerations entirely
- Strong specialist community knowledge given shared use across Jaguar Land Rover's lineup
WHAT TO WATCH
- Air suspension degradation, detailed on its own dedicated page, remains a near-universal consideration
- Supercharger belt and pulley wear is a maintenance item worth tracking
- Fuel economy is a genuine consideration given the engine's output and the vehicle's weight
- Purchase price runs higher than the diesel on the same generation
Pricing on the used market
Documented history
Typical price
What to expect
Specialist-serviced, suspension addressed
$46,000–52,000
Meaningfully safer, specialist-verified
Patchy history, no major symptoms
$39,000–46,000
Budget for inspection and likely near-term work
Unknown history or symptoms present
$34,000–39,000
Treat with real caution
Other engines in this generation
This vehicle's air suspension system has its own, separately documented set of concerns.
Pre-purchase checklist for this generation
Observe the vehicle at rest after sitting overnight, checking for any corner sitting visibly lower.
On supercharged versions, have a specialist check belt condition.
Beyond the suspension check, there's relatively little engine-specific risk to flag.