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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  Lucky to Free myself from this trouble - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By j2thaw3 - September 11 - 12:33 am

  I bought my Freelander from Honda used vehicles with 1 previous owner, and all the maintenance records. I assumed it was a great deal at the time. WOW, after spending about what I owed on it to "attempt" to fix it, it still didnt work. The last shop I took it to said, "Get rid of it anyway you can, there are 7 major engine malfunctions." All this after spending the money to maintenance it regularly. I would up trading it in for half of what I owed on it. This vehicle was a nightmare that I dont wish upon anybody!

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  Amazing - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By leader1111 - September 10 - 3:36 am

  First Land Rover after dreaming for years. Big change from Discovery. Exceptional in every way. Rides like being on a cloud, but goes anywhere. Passengers/customers love going over obstacles. It seals the deal. It is so smooth that I really have to watch speed as at 100-110 mph I still think I am going 70 mph. Dealer excellent. Mileage 14/18 (for 3 1/2 tons) but tired of hearing people complaining that it doesnt get the same mileage as their previous economy car. Duh! Compare its mileage, capabilities, handling and comfort to the Hummer H1 or Mercedes G55 which have the same capabilities, and its half the price.

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  Rover Regulator - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Herbee - September 7 - 10:00 am

  This is the pinnacle of my rover experience. My very first car was a rover sedan. It is unbeleviable how good these vehicles have become. Definetly, the best british vehicle I have ever owned. Fit, finish and comfort are first class. On a recent 5000 mile trip from Chicago through the canadian rockies and back to Chicago the truck performed flawlessley. Fuel mileage has been very acceptable. On one leg of my journey 21.5 MPG highway. I would definetly recommend the new Range Rover to anyone in the market for a SUV in this price range.

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  The Ultimate SUV - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Loves SUVS - September 7 - 10:00 am

  The new 2003 Range Rover is the best SUV on the road. I should know, I have an H2 Hummer, Mercedes ML 320, Lexus RX 300 and the Range Rover. The Range Rover is the best one, it has everything standard and it is great in bad weather. Its AWD gives it great Traction and the air suspension is a lot fun to play with. The Navigation system is great. Cons - Fuel economy and no DVD Entertainment.

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  Coolest luxury SUV around - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By naes91 - September 2 - 7:33 am

  When first looking at thr RRS I was just in utter amazement. They are a sleek and sexy machine. I have had mine since October 2008 and have no complaints what so ever. It drives like a dream, yes a little heavy but I feel it is needed. Its as nimble as my wifes Volvo S40 t5. In the snow it has proven better than my F-150 or past Jeep Cherokee. Sitting in the drivers seat is like sitting in a fighter jet. Comfortable and everything is within reach and convenient.

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  Great SUV - 2007 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By JBLove - August 31 - 9:16 pm

  This is a great vehicle. It has all the options that you would want and has a great design/look. Off road abilities coupled with the on road manners make this SUV a winner. Gas mileage is so-so but a good trade off and it is a 60k car. Has a very solid feel. My suggestions: one locking glove box, a little larger seat with the lower seating surface a bit deeper (like my 2002 7 series BMW), a navigation system that you can input on the fly, and easier to reach (when the door is closed) seat controls.

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  Best car I have ever owned - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By tommyd - August 30 - 3:43 pm

  I have owned many cars, but this is the best. I bought it used and just bought a new 2010 that arrives in 2 weeks. This car on the highway is nothing short of amazing. A gulfstream Jet on wheels. After a long drive I am not the least bit tired the seats are outstanding. Timeless design. I know 4 others who own a RR and all plan on purchasing again, I think the 2010 is likely the next level, I will report back

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  Fun to drive - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By joe - August 30 - 3:23 pm

  Great car unfortunately you better have the wallet to pay for the costly and often repairs. 550 dollars air sensor went out that helps determine the amount of air to let into the engine. This caused the SUV to be unable to even start. Was very fun to drive and turned a lot of heads at my high school. Due to bad weather and my inexperience as a driver it was totaled in a high speed rollover. Very safe car however I walked off with zero injuries and the car held its frame perfectly! Its high mileage and broken axle/wheel rods ended up making it cheaper to totaled. Fun car though

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  Trust me Buy it, I did - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Phil - August 28 - 5:03 am

  I live in Germany and travel on the autobahn daily at over 125 mph. I would challenge any other production SUV to come close to the performance of this one. This truck is a sports car with room to spare. It is in a class by itself, trust me I have drive every other SUV from the X5, to the M class, the Volvo and the Explorer. This one is the best. Any you have to see the way the seats all fold into the floor independently.

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  Our Favorite - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Dr. Joy - August 26 - 2:00 am

  We were first going to buy a Honda CRV and thought that we should try on a newly released vehicle before our final decision. Our decision was easily made to buy the Freelander in February 2002 instead, after test-driving it with respect to the ride, the look, and comfort. We have had only a couple electrical problems with the seatbelt light (1st year) and check engine (2nd year, due to cruise control) signs, but the dealer fixed them rapidly. The service from the dealer is exceptional. We have driven different car makes/models and remain our conclusion that the Freelander is the best!