Overview & Reviews

Pedigree means everything at the top end of the sport-utility market, and no luxury SUV has more pedigree than the Land Rover Range Rover. The Land Rover name dates to 1948, when the Rover group began building bare-bones 4x4 vehicles with extraordinary off-road capability. The Range Rover emerged from this off-road tradition in 1970, billed as the first Land Rover civil enough to be driven by a person in a business suit. This two-door SUV was stylish, yet quite primitive by today's standards, but it was immediately popular among wealthy U.K. consumers with a taste for the safari aesthetic. Sales in the United States started in 1987, though quite a few Range Rovers were imported through the gray market in the years preceding.

Now in its third generation, the Land Rover Range Rover still carries considerable prestige. From an off-road perspective, it's one of the most capable SUVs available at any price. From a luxury perspective, it's probably the most elegant and distinctive utility vehicle on the market, despite a few rough edges. High pricing keeps all but the very rich from buying a new Range Rover, a fact that only adds to the appeal of this elite 4x4.

2013 Range Rover Specs
The 2013 Range Rover is a five-passenger luxury SUV available in two trim levels, both featuring 5.0-liter V8s. The HSE model produces 375 horsepower and 375 pound-feet of torque, while the Supercharged's V8 develops an impressive 510 hp and 461 lb-ft. Both engines are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control.

A permanent four-wheel-drive system is standard on all Range Rovers, along with low-range gearing and nearly 11 inches of maximum ground clearance. The standard Terrain Response system allows the driver to customize powertrain, suspension and electronic stability and traction systems to best handle five predetermined off-road conditions.

Engineered in the late 1990s during the brief period when BMW owned Land Rover, the Range Rover is nevertheless aging quite well. It employs unibody construction (instead of body-on-frame architecture) and a fully independent suspension (instead of solid axles). These changes make all the difference when cruising on pavement, as the Range Rover now delivers the composed ride and secure handling expected of a true luxury SUV. Yet BMW engineers went about their work carefully so as not to compromise all-terrain ability.

Cabin design is a mix of traditional and modern in the new Range Rover. The upright seating position, blocky dash and large steering wheel evoke the feeling of an old-school Land Rover, while supple leather seats (with contrasting piping), walnut inlays and a navigation system with both on- and off-road mapping assure you that this is indeed a contemporary luxury vehicle. The cabin, like the exterior, manages to be both retro and modern at the same time, especially with the new gauge cluster that is, in fact, a large LCD screen. Nevertheless, its controls can be rather arcane in fine British tradition. A roomy reclining rear seat makes it possible to carry a pair of adults or three children in back, but cargo room is only average due to a high load floor.

If you're looking for a premium SUV with unparalleled off-road abilities and a legendary pedigree, the new Range Rover is an obvious choice. If you want to save some money and get a bit more on-road talent with that same legendary pedigree, the Range Rover Sport is a good compromise. However, any Land Rover has an albatross slung around its neck in the form of disappointing reliability. Buying one has been known to cause headaches (and breakdowns), which is certainly ironic given their status as go-to vehicles for adventures to Outer Mongolia.

Used Land Rover Range Rover Models
The present-generation Range Rover dates back to its introduction for 2003. Between then and '05, a BMW-sourced 4.4-liter V8 rated for 282 hp was the only engine available. It came with a five-speed automatic transmission. However, in 2006, then-parent company Ford replaced this engine with a pair of Jaguar-sourced V8s. The HSE featured a 305-hp 4.4-liter V8, while the Supercharged had a 4.2-liter V8 that was (surprise!) supercharged to produce 400 hp. The same number of transmission gears and four-wheel-drive system were employed as in the current Rover. The current 5.0-liter V8s showed up for 2010.

Buyers interested in technology will want to pay particular attention to year-by-year changes when shopping for used Range Rovers of this generation. The navigation system was CD-based until Land Rover upgraded it for 2005 (although it's once again a bit behind the times). A rear back-up camera and adaptive headlights were added to the standard equipment list for 2006.

There were significant changes made for 2007 when the interior was given a mild refresh, with twin gloveboxes, new cupholders and a slightly more intuitive control layout. The customizable off-road settings debuted that year along with an upgraded rear differential and an electronic parking brake. Airbags were also relocated for better performance and a driver's knee airbag was added. For 2010, there were minor exterior updates, a new LCD instrument cluster and navigation system, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and a 360-degree parking assist camera. Updates were also performed on the adaptive suspension, Terrain Response and stability control systems.

There were two previous generations of the Range Rover. Both are coveted on the used market, but potential buyers should know what they're getting into, because Range Rovers have been phenomenal off-roaders, but reliability is poor and repair costs are high.

Sold from 1995-2002, the second-generation Range Rover is the better bet of the two for buyers seeking a luxury experience. Note that 1995 was an overlap year: Rovers bearing a "4.0 SE" badge are the new model, while those with "County Classic" or "County LWB" badging are the old design. For 1996, Land Rover added a high-line 4.6 HSE model, and for the sake of acceleration alone, this is the better bet: The Range Rover 4.0 SE was powered by a 188-hp 4.0-liter V8, while the 4.6 HSE took a 222-hp 4.6-liter V8 with considerably more torque. A four-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive were standard on all models, as were leather upholstery, wood trim and a high-end audio system. Interior furnishings were opulent by the standards of the day, with ample comfort for front and rear passengers.

Second-generation Range Rovers still had solid axles front and rear, but engineers fitted self-leveling air springs to improve their manners on pavement. There's only so much you can do with old-fashioned hardware, though, and compared to other high-end SUVs, the Land Rover Range Rover's ride quality was harsh and body roll was excessive around corners.

Shopping for a first-generation Range Rover could make sense if you're looking for a dedicated off-road vehicle and don't mind repair bills or doing your own repair work. Only a four-door version of the Range Rover came to the U.S., and initially it had a 3.9-liter V8 (rated for anywhere from 178-182 hp, depending on the year) and a four-speed automatic transmission. A long-wheelbase model known as the County LWB joined the lineup for 1993, and not only did it have another 7 inches of rear legroom, it upgraded to a 200-hp 4.2-liter V8.

User Reviews:

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  Worst Electrical Ever - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Mark - September 16 - 12:50 pm

  Complete nav/computer reboots all the time. Buttons connected to computer SLOW. Takes 2-3 seconds every time you press a button to respond. Navigation takes up to 3 minutes to initialize after starting vehicle. Worst computer integration EVER! Doors have unlocked and opened while driving! Wow! Update: Vehicle has been in service for about 50 days over the past 6 months for a multitude of problems. The nav screen continues to reboot about every 2 hours of drive time. They have no idea whats going on. Have been told by service that this is a common problem. The computer integration with all of the functions just blows! To turn on the seat heat and massage, you have to go into the navigation screen! I do not like my passengers touching my navigation screen. Same with their climate control. You cant just put all the functions into the nav screen. Way too many steps to do much of anything. I find myself thinking that I would like to do something, but it is just too much of a pain in the butt to do so. The screens look like they were designed by a 12 year old. A real pet peeve is that I like to see the navigation FULL SCREEN. So, I press the screen to put it that way (getting rid of the road exit information). Then every time I go to a different screen , or the navigation gives a direction, it goes back to showing the road exit information. Petty? Yes. But just shows the lack of detail that went into this vehicle. On the satellite radio, they put so much worthless info on it, that you dont see the name of the song, just the artist, and the channel number. Really? Its a large screen, plenty of room if they did it correctly. I know thats minor, but, every little detail was ignored in this vehicle. When you pay this much for a vehicle, it should be easy to use, fun, and informative. Not at all. My Hyundai Genesis has a navigation/computer integration that totally blows this away. At less then half the price. I prefer to drive the Hyundai! Thats pretty bad. After putting 18,000 miles on this vehicle, I have found this to be the most uncomfortable vehicle Ive ever owned. The seats are HORRID. Like sitting in the cheapest airline seat. This is a common comment from many passengers Ive had. It hurts to drive this vehicle for more than 2 hours at a time. Your butt is just killing you. There is NO padding in the front or rear seats because they cheapened it up so much to save weight. My 2012 Range Rover SC was way, way, way better and nicer. Also, the dashboard, which in my 2012, people used to comment on how nice the leather was, has been replaced with PLASTIC! The interior looks and feels cheap when you really get looking at the details. There are WAY better vehicles for $120,000. I really feel ripped off. On the plus side, the acceleration, is outstanding, though and the ride is very nice. Update 4/7/16. Land Rover has agreed to repurchase this vehicle under the California Lemon Law. Good Riddance! Many people have exactly the same issues with this vehicle...

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  Problems after Problems - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover
  By WKG - July 5 - 9:25 pm

  Where to begin... 30 days in the shop in counting after 6 months. Electrical issue after electrical issue. You would think a company that values its customers would want to ensure a repeat customer, but after owning 3 land rovers, they dont seem to care. I would not recommend this product upon my worst enemy.

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  Worst Car Company Ever - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Matt - January 23 - 6:00 am

  Worst car company ever. I too fell for the range rover dream. How do they keep selling these cars. Most people, like me were too consumed with how it would make them feel to ever read reviews.

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  Not Worth The Money - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Speed Fry - November 3 - 7:29 pm

  "Purchased my first Range Rover HSE 2015 ( six weeks old 3200 miles) and this Friday it goes into the shop for the 6th time. It could have been 40 times (electrical issues) but Land Rover does not have a fix for the Navigation Screen that completely shuts down (43 times and counting). Causing a total shut down of any feature you were using until it reboots. Worse off they knew about this issue and sold me the car without disclosing this. But I have several other electrical issues with this vehicle ( radio malfunction, phone issue, but scariest when my distronic did not activate), the list is longer but you get the point. Dont get me wrong, nicest driving car Ive ever owned, but for the price tag you could do so much better. Whats going to happen when this car is out of warranty, SCARY THOUGHT. Plus Land Rover Corporate is the worst company to deal with. The wont even acknowledge my issues or concerns. My dream car that I waited 45 years to buy, has turned into a nightmare. If your like me and can afford this vehicle... DONT, get something that is reliable. Worst vehicle purchase of my life. Hope this helps. Your Friend The Honest Business Guy"

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  Luxury, I think NOT! - 2001 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Michael - March 17 - 9:06 pm

  So after owning two Acuras, I stepped down apparently into a Range Rover. Problems: Handle broke off when opening hood, plastic. Door handles breaking off, cars suspension deflates in the cold, takes 15 minutes to get it up. A/C didnt work well in summer, screen went out. DVD player doesnt work now, CD player doesnt work, back lights went out and bulbs dont fix it. Back lid wont stay up, pieces break off of this car constantly. Hood thinks its open when its not, key fab broke, and door locks dont work right. Sometimes car wont start and give reason why. Ive spent about 3,000 on this car in less than 8 months (about 1/3 what I paid for the car in first place. FUN TIMES!

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  Dont make the mistake - 2000 Land Rover Range Rover
  By br1993 - December 4 - 8:30 pm

  Im on my second Range Rover. My family has 4 of them also and were all moving away from Land Rover. Dont let the extended warrany fool you. You will spend 4 times the vehicle price to maintain the vehicle! Dont ever buy a used Land Rover! So many problems and not worth the headaches. Land Rovers are kind of like horses, the best two days you have them are the day you buy them and the day you sell them. Get Ready for $1000 brake jobs every 8,000 miles. Make sure you like the dealerships loaner car before you buy because thats what you will be driving most of the time. Everyone of our landrovers has had MAJOR problems. Please dont make this mistake.

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  The Worst Range Rover ever! - 2000 Land Rover Range Rover
  By VERY UNHAPPY - November 18 - 10:00 am

  In the past 6 months, the car has broken down 3 times and had to be towed to the dealership ... this is my third Land Rover, and this is by far the WORST! The first 2 years were fine .. then the car started to fall apart ... and only 22K miles. Run, dont walk away from these cars. Land Rover Corp. does not care about customer satisfaction and or consumer loyalty.

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  Expensive piece of junk!!! - 2002 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Shaniece - August 7 - 4:56 am

  ...horrible...I purchased a Range Rover from someone and in less than 24 hours, it caught on fire and burned up on the way to the guys mechanic, with my 3 year old in the car. I didnt even get a chance to insure it, because it was a weekend. I contacted Range Rover, they were like "oh well" and even took the seller to court for my down pmt back . Get this...he tried to counter sue me for pain and suffering for not receiving the remainder balance, and report my check because I stopped them. The judge did not rule in my favor, and I lost the fastest $5k ever in history...at least for me. Im still devastated.

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  Very poor service - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Deo - May 5 - 10:12 am

  There was a problem in my rrs brake and we reported on the 2nd week we got the car. However, dealer and land rover never treat it seriously and always tried to push it away. Dealer is smart, they made the first record in their system right after the brake is out of warranty. Although they promise to replace it for us in October 2016 and now they say we need to do it on our own. Stay away with this cheap brand. Shame on you!

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  Buyer beware - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By tbone1 - May 6 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a fully loaded Range Rover and after only 1,200 miles it is back at the dealership with the following. Electrical problems, Frame problems, Steering colum, Trans warning light and shutdown, Not starting and many more. And if that was not enough the dealership and Land Rover wont replace the car. I had to hire two law firms to assist and the problem is still not close to being resolved. For the money you pay for this car you would think Land Rover would bend over to help, but no way. Then they are owned by Ford