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:

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  Eats tires - Beware - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By faganravens - October 6 - 1:40 am

  I leased this vehicle in April 06 and will turn it in early. It is a capable and comfortable SUV, but it eats rear tires. LR does not tell you about the TSB on its tires until after you chew through your first set at about 15K. I am on the second set of $1000 tires and they are going bald in the back at 34K. The vehicle is too expense to replace tires every year. Not isolated, see class action lawsuit against LR.

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  A Nightmare in Sheeps Clothing - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Dale Booth - October 4 - 8:30 pm

  Well, Where do I start - Land Rover ought to really be ashamed of the product they built. This engine design is a total joke. I had my Freelander approx. 1 year before I had to trade it in. The problem was with a leak of the engine coolant into the engine. This slow leak was unrepairable. The only TEMPORARY solution was a new engine for a cost of $10K, according to Land Rover-Jaguar of Houston. I had them put the SUV back together and drove it to the nearest TOYOTA dealership where I traded it for a 2005 Toyota 4Runner. It has been happy driving ever since. MY ADVICE TO ANYONE THINKING ABOUT PURCHASING A NEW OR USED LAND ROVER. DONT DO IT; UNLESS YOU HAVE MONEY FOR REPAIRS.

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  30 K report - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By DH - October 2 - 12:30 pm

  Just took it in for 30K check up. Been flawless thus far, all I have done is the free service. Lots of fun to drive, 22 mpg. Very happy with this purchase.

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  Fun to Drive when everything works - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By NH RRS HSE - October 2 - 12:53 am

  Purchased new 2010 Silver RRS HSE in Nov 2009. Upgraded leather package / 20" wheels / HD - SAT radio. Vehicle rides very nice, quiet and smooth with plenty of power. I have had a few electronic (SW) issues however. The front NAV screen / display area went black (came back on next day). Brought to dealer for inspection..but of course was working then. This past week the radio audio went out (has not happened twice) came back on the next day and today a Tire Pressure Monitoring System Failure alarm came on. Back to the dealer tomorrow. They indicated they need to reprogram the car (and both keys). I also had a "Bonnet Open" alarm. Fixed by snapping connector back. All this in 6 months.

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  Said Goodbye - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Peter - September 30 - 6:23 pm

  Turned the vehicle in a couple weeks ago 5 months before the end of the lease. Notwithstanding the fact that I was at the end of my mileage the continual reliability problems were just too much to take. Since purchase this vehicle would be difficult to start once in a while and it became more frequent over the past few months. After the suspension problems a few months back the ride was never as compliant as it was when I purchased. Became very harsh and vechile began to rattle a bit at times. I am very saddened by this turn of events. I was thrilled for the first year but it ended in a most unappealing way. I wish Land Rover luck under their new ownership.

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  Not Worth the Money - 2011 Land Rover Range Rover
  By sbohnsack - September 30 - 6:05 am

  I have a 2010 and have had nothing buy issues. With 19,000 miles the rotors are warped and the tech said I am 5,000 miles away from needing back breaks. Before the Rover I had a GMC Denali I still have it. The Denali has 105,000 miles and I still do not need breaks. In addition the Rover Satellite radio and electronic system is a joke for the money you pay. My recommendation is save the money or buy a BMW, Porsche, or Mercedes bottom line the Rover is not worth it.

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  Great Choice!!! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By firstimebuyer - September 29 - 10:00 am

  This is the first car that I have bought myself, and I am very impressed. I was looking at a lot of other SUVs and almost bought a Pathfinder, until I saw the Freelander. The difference in the handeling and smoothness of the ride separates this vehicle from all the others in its class. And of course, you cant go wrong with a Land Rover, even one thats affordable!! I reccommend that anyone who is interested in buying or leasing an SUV take the Freelander for a ride, you will be very glad you did.

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  great car - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By don - September 28 - 9:33 pm

  this vehicle turns heads and gets you lots of attention if thats what your looking for. Great interior design and exterior design, all the exterior curves/lines of the car are beautiful. Ive had some trouble with the air suspension not lowering by itself when the car is turned off; the car will sometimes do it and sometimes wont. also note, that the voice command for the cd player, if you ask to play track "seven" the car will play track "seventy". Overall, great car, very sturdy and powerful. Anyone in the orange county area, Land Rover Newport Beach dealership has extremely friendly service.

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  Road Trip in 2012 LR4 - 2012 Land Rover LR4
  By jim6090 - September 28 - 6:18 pm

  Just finished a 3000 miles 12 state12 day road trip in our 2012 CPO LR4. I could not have asked for a better road car. From NC to the Maine North Maine Woods. 80 mph on the highway or the 150 miles that we did offroading through the woods. It was nothing short of awesome. 19 MPG overall. Great comfort, security. This our 3rd LR.

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  LR3: Driving can actually be fun - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Marloag - September 28 - 4:03 pm

  My experience with the most recent LR3 I purchased has been great. It is actually fun to drive. It has wonderful off-road capabilities, as well as being very comfortable and roomy inside. The three sun roofs make the whole car bright and even more spacious. The navigation system is relatively easy to use, and very helpful. The folding-down back seats has been very useful as well.