Td5 2.5 vs D5 5 cilindros: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the Td5 2.5 carries less risk than the D5 5 cilindros: 29/100 versus 39/100 (both moderate risk). The Td5 2.5 has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Cracked flywheel in the first Td5s (2000 recall)»; the D5 5 cilindros has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Auxiliary belt breakage that takes the timing with it».

Risk index

Td5 2.5

Moderate risk · 1 serious fault

Lower risk

Risk index

D5 5 cilindros

Moderate risk · 1 serious fault

The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated

Reviewed on 2 November 202618 sources How we work

Is the Td5 2.5 reliable?

The Td5 is the 2.5-litre, five-cylinder diesel fitted to the Defender from 1998 to 2007 (and to the Discovery II). Land Rover Hub considers it the best diesel the Defender ever had and as reliable as the Tdi; the documented issues are the flywheel recall on the first Td5s and contamination of the injector wiring.^[1][2][3][4]

See the 2 of the Td5 2.5 faults

Is the D5 5 cilindros reliable?

Volvo's five-cylinder D5 (2.4 D3/D4/D5 and 2.0 D3/D4) has no documented systemic fault, but it does carry one serious risk: several owners report that a snapped auxiliary belt took the timing belt with it. The rest is EGR, DPF and the odd turbo.^[5][6][7]

See the 4 of the D5 5 cilindros faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of Td5 2.5 and D5 5 cilindros
Item	Td5 2.5	D5 5 cilindros
Technical data
Type	Engine	Engine
Fuel	Diesel	Diesel
Displacement	2,495 cm³	2,400 cm³
Timing	Gears	Timing belt (dry)
Power	122–139 hp	126–215 hp
Production	1998–2007^{[8][9][10][11][12]}	2001–2015^{[13][14][15][16]}
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)	29Moderate risk	39Moderate risk
Documented faults	2	4
Of high or critical severity	1	1
Worst severity	High severity	Critical severity
Main faults	High severity: Cracked flywheel in the first Td5s (2000 recall) Medium severity: Injector wiring contamination and Td5 control unit failure	Critical severity: Auxiliary belt breakage that takes the timing with it Medium severity: EGR valve and EGR cooler clogged with carbon Medium severity: Clogged diesel particulate filter (DPF)
Most expensive documented repair	No reliable data	up to €1,400Turbocharger failurePublished figure^[7]
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versions	Td5 122 hp, 15P engines (Defender, 2002-2007)^[1][3][4]	None
With cautionVersions to be cautious about	Td5 122 hp, 10P engines (Defender, 1998-2002)^[2][3][17] Td5 139 hp (Discovery II, 1998-2004)^[18]	2.4 D and D5 of 130-163 hp (D5244T, 2001-2009)^[5][6] 2.4 D5 of 175-215 hp and D4 of 181 hp (D5244T4/T10/T11/T14/T15, 2005-2015)^[5][6] 2.0 D3/D4 five-cylinder (D5204T, 2011-2016)^[6][16]
AvoidVersions to avoid	None	None

Severity of each fault: green, low; amber, medium; red, high; dark red, critical. How we rate them

Cars that each one is fitted to

Td5 2.5

D5 5 cilindros

See the 10 models with the D5 5 cilindros

Other comparisons

With the Td5 2.5

With the D5 5 cilindros

Compare other engines

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Sources

Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.

Defender Engines ratedLand Rover Hub (Land Rover Monthly) · Motoring press · published 1 January 2018 · consulted 2 November 2026
Land Rover Defender: Engine Flywheel May Fragment (R/2000/038)Car-Recalls.co.uk (reproduce DVSA) · Other source · published 5 June 2000 · consulted 2 November 2026
How to buy a Land Rover 90, 110 & Defender (1983-2016)Haynes Manuals UK · Technical documentation · published January 2017 · consulted 2 November 2026
Land Rover Defender review: common repair issues (AA Mechanic)The AA · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026
Fiabilidad Volvo S60 (2010-2017): averías y testimoniosFiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 5 October 2026 · in French
Fiabilidad Volvo XC60 (2008-2017): averías y testimoniosFiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 5 October 2026 · in French
Problemas Volvo XC90 D5Total Renting · General press · consulted 5 October 2026 · in Spanish
Land Rover DefenderWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
Land Rover DefenderWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
Land Rover DiscoveryWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
Land Rover DiscoveryWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
Land Rover DefenderWikipedia (francés) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French
Volvo D5 de 185 CV para S60, V70, XC70 y XC90Autopista · Motoring press · published 27 July 2005 · consulted 5 October 2026 · in Spanish
Volvo V70 (motorizaciones por generación)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 5 October 2026
Volvo S80 (motorizaciones por generación)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 5 October 2026
Volvo V60 (motorizaciones de la primera generación)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 5 October 2026
Land Rover Defender Buying GuideHeritage Parts Centre · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
Land Rover Discovery: Engine Flywheel May Fragment (R/2000/038)Car-Recalls.co.uk (reproduce DVSA) · Other source · published 5 June 2000 · consulted 2 November 2026