Overview & Reviews

Land Rover is a luxury SUV manufacturer that has its roots in England. Many of its vehicles are replete with the sort of leather-lined comforts that call to mind hunting lodges and high tea. Land Rovers are also known for being stellar trail-busters, endowed with the moxie to get down and dirty when the road gets rough. Currently owned by Tata Motors, Land Rover is one of just a few automotive brands in the United States to solely market SUV products.

After World War II, two British brothers, Spencer and Maurice Wilks, were impressed by the rugged and versatile nature of the U.S. Army's Jeep. They worked with the British automaker Rover to create the first Land Rover in 1948. Called the Series I, this truck was equipped with permanent four-wheel-drive, a canvas roof and optional doors. These early Land Rovers were crude but extremely well-suited for operations in the field.

The 1950s saw Land Rovers moving toward increased power and refinement. Launched in 1958, the Series II offered added horsepower and a somewhat less rudimentary exterior, with sills designed to disguise the exhaust and chassis. The first diesel-powered Rover was also produced during these years. The Series IIA came next, in a production run that lasted from 1961-'71. As the '60s drew to a close, Rover was acquired by Leyland Motors Ltd. (which would later become British Leyland).

Land Rover's storied Range Rover made its debut in 1970. Equipped with a V8 engine and a body made mostly of aluminum, the stylish vehicle was more consumer-oriented than its predecessors. In the mid-'70s, British Leyland was nationalized; by the mid-'80s, the company — renamed the Rover Group — had been acquired by British Aerospace.

The automaker officially entered the U.S. automotive market in 1987 when the Range Rover made its debut on American shores. It was followed in 1989 by the Discovery, which was initially offered only in two-door form. The Discovery was the first all-new Land Rover in 19 years.

In the 1990s, the sudden popularity of the burgeoning SUV segment placed the brand in an enviable position. In response, Land Rover's vehicles, while still retaining their go-anywhere attitude, became more luxurious, particularly after BMW bought the company in 1995.

The Land Rover family of vehicles has continued to grow. The late '90s saw the introduction of the Freelander; the compact sport-ute held the distinction of being the first production vehicle to offer Hill Descent Control. The latter optimized maneuverability on steep descents by automatically braking to keep the vehicle's speed in check.

BMW's control was short lived, however, and in 2000 Land Rover was sold to Ford. Ford worked hard to improve the reliability of Land Rover's vehicles, but by 2008 Ford's financial instability resulted in Land Rover being sold again, this time to the Indian automaker Tata Motors.

Today, Land Rover is still well known for its luxury SUVs, including the ritzy yet rugged Range Rover as well as smaller and more affordable models like the LR4 and Evoque.

User Reviews:

• 

  Everything you want in an SUV - 2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar
  By TravelGal - December 31 - 12:47 pm

  Love everything about this SUV. It’s ultra modern dash was a huge selling point. I got the R Dyanamic with the digital display. If I had to find something that I didn’t like it would be the gas tank at 16 gallons is too small.

• 

  Bmw cant touch this - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By KEN - December 31 - 9:36 am

  5000 Mi its been great,fun to drive,plenty of power ,tons of room ,my 63" son can sit in the third row seat in comfort,can play my ipod,nav super,my wife keeps telling me to stop driving it like my jag, why? You can!Great handling,great suv!!!

• 

  Step aside tiny cars and shoddy SUVs... - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By AzJamie - December 29 - 2:00 am

  Your friends will be impressed, your enemies will fear you, your mother will be happy that you ditched that "dangerous" sports car... I purchased this vehicle about two weeks ago and have loved every moment of driving it. It feels solid and looks tough. The interior is top notch and filled to the brim with technological goodness. The gas mileage averages out to about 16 mpg - not bad considering the size of the vehicle. Everyone seems to complain about the NAV system, but I dont think it is all that bad. Once you read the manual, things are pretty easy.

• 

  Very Pleased - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Pleased - December 29 - 2:00 am

  Driving the Land Rover Range Rover has been a thrill. This SUV not only turns heads based on the sleek appearance, it handles like a dream. The interior is exceptionally comfortable-it just works well. The stadium seating is great for the kids. Ive never noticed so many people checking out my car as I do now driving the Range Rover- its a great SUV!

• 

  best - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By hahano - December 29 - 2:00 am

  this is the best ever

• 

  Some owners need to understand. - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By PITBULL - December 26 - 5:06 am

  Ive had a few different SUVs and this one is the best so far. For owners who whine about gas mileage..."You knew it had a V8!" If gas prices were cheap I dont think anyone would be crying about the Rovers gas economy. Ive also read some owners comments about "squeaking" noises. Leather seats need to be conditioned with leather conditioner and that will stop the "problem" with interior noise. Im willing to bet that a lot of complainers have never had to actually take care of their cars. Just take them in to service and spend a ton of money! Everyday car care could solve a lot of these so-called problems that people who would probably never take them off-road would have.

• 

  excellent - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By dsr - December 22 - 10:00 am

  Truly one of the best vehicles i have ever owned!

• 

  Good to GO - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Brian R. - December 8 - 6:10 am

  Have always liked the styling, but never wanted to buy the 90s RRs for fear of build quality. Got a good deal and needed a winter vehicle. Had a LandCruiser previously and the RR gets much better gas mileage; more comfortable ride as well. Really enjoy the unique styling. I have only had normal maintenance so far, brakes, rear bushing, oil, winter tires, etc. The dealership is a little pricy, but not much more than Toyota. I put snow/all seasons on this winter and it performed flawlessly. I have owned 2 e320s, an XJR, a landcruiser, an acura CLS, a grand cherokee, and a cts-v. The interior build quality is the best I have ever seen or owned. And this is coming from a car guy.

• 

  New Land Rover owner - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By NewRoverOwner - November 28 - 10:00 am

  I have always like the Land Rovers but could not accept the 12-14 MPG of the larger Discovery or Range Rover. The Freelander fit my needs with many of the features I would expect from a Land Rover. Was surprised it lacked several features listed below in the "Suggested Improvement" section. Great car so far. Also had a great experience with the dealership sales staff.

• 

  freelander - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By lb3319 - November 28 - 10:00 am

  I feel safe in this vehicle, esp with my children. I like the wider wheel base, the reinforced side passenger doors, dual airbags. What I really like is the rear passengers sit up higher than the front for safety purposes. The body design is simple but sporty. Easy to drive and park. The real challenge will be this winter to be able to drive in the snow.