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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  Horrible Choice - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Ramez - August 4 - 8:23 pm

  This is a horrible SUV to own. Stay away from it unless you are a wife who wants revenge on a cheating husband. There are plenty of better choices out there. Bad quality, uncomfortable interior, low gas mileage, sluggish starts from full stop and lots and lots of leaks!!

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  There is nothing like THE Range Rova! - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By NHroverlover - August 1 - 6:43 pm

  I bought my RR as a Cert Land Rover, and purchsed the extend warr. I absolutely love this truck. The " Snob factor" , everyone looks and stares at you when your in this SUV. Dealership service has been perfect, and they have even picked me up at the airport at 11 pm to get my baby back from being in for a schd service.

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  unreliable - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By rob - July 31 - 12:03 am

  I have owned my LR3 for 9 months and have been back to the dealership on numerous occassions. I have had to replace broken components on the gas tank door. I have had 3 recalls- they replaced the entire fule tank and internal components-they repalced the air compressors-they had to update software for a faulty ignition switch and I now have a water leak from the internal dome light. I can say I agree with ALL the auto reviews that the LR3 is one of the least reliable autos on the market. I had been a Nissan consumer for 10 years and I must say I cant remember a single problem with any of my past Nissian vehicles.

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  Range Rover vs. Porsche Macan - 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By Bruce - July 30 - 7:47 am

  I test drove the Range Rover and the Porsche Macan. I couldnt justify paying 10K extra for the Porsche Macan. Sure the Porsches engine was strong and had better pick up and felt expensive but was it worth 10K more. I really like my red Eovque and it gets a lot of great looks and compliments. I would like the pick up to be a little faster in the Evouqe but given the recent news about VW, I would give up power for better emissions. The interior is very nice and feels classy. i acutally had to read the owners manual from almost front to back to understand all the features. The SUV looks comparably small compared to other SUVs and lack of trunk space is noticable (i had a Audi Q5 before). Overall I am very satisfy with this purchase. i probably paid too much for it but oh well.

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  LR2 Gets the Job done - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By slojas1 - July 27 - 10:00 pm

  The LR2 fits 5 passengers comfortably with a good amount of room for storage. The 3.2L I6 engine provides enough power for passing at high speeds. The fuel economy is passable at a combined 17.5 mpg. The LR2 is a great buy combined with the Land Rover no service charge for scheduled maintenance. Other premium services such as road assistance, and others are included with purchase. These features scores major points as they are services that are usable.

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  A nightmare wrapped in a prettty package. - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By maxmoney - July 27 - 1:53 am

  This car was one of the best cars I purchased until I hit that 50-60K mark. After I reached 60K it was downhill from there. Had it in the shop countless times because of having to replace the suspension (which I converted to coil instead of replacing the expensive air suspension), had to replace the radiator twice, an alternator (because the coolant from the radiator that leaked caused it to malfunction), a fuel pump replacement, countless brake pad and rotor replacements, and top it off with hard-to-find tires. This used to be a fun vehicle to drive but each time I turn the key im worried if ill need AAA to tow me from the side of the road.

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  Disappointed Again - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By hsm - July 23 - 5:30 am

  This was the Range Rover to make amends for the RR problems of the past. It seems it is not to be. Since buying new, Ive had repeated problems with "check coolant" light, oil service reminder that would not reset and now a "Suspension System Fault" that they cannot seem to fix (Land Rovers build problem, my dealer is great). The alarm signal sounds, the message light says drop speed below 30 mph. I think Im done with Land Rover, the is the second lemon Ive had in three model years. Designed well and fun to drive, just dont go too far...the reliability is not what it should be for a car in this price range.

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  Get in the mud! - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Ryan Knapp - July 21 - 11:43 am

  The truck is more than fun to drive and the comfort is exceptional. I was aware of the reliability issues and got a 100k bumper to bumper warrenty with the sale up front. Dealership has been great about the minor issues we have had, but then again it has been used as it was intended. I have been in mud holes, trails, cow pastures, and rocks with it and it has never stopped! Handles as well as some other sports cars I have been in and everyone loves it.

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  Worst purchase - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Ceceila - July 20 - 5:13 pm

  Well I purchased my land rover in 2007 and the first thing i had to fix after two weeks of having the land rover was the passenger window on the drivers side, which was a lot of money, than 6 months later i had to fix the brakes, then the water pump, thermometer, gas tank, which i might is upside down after taking it someone other than land rover and now the head gasket, I had to fix the land rover more than enjoy it, it put me down after it was supposedly fixed twice on the freeway last year when I was 8 months pregnant, I have had the greatest time with this vehicle, unfortunately there was no warranty available when i purchased the vehicle, i would like my money back

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  Very Solid Vehicle - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By mazerac - July 20 - 10:00 am

  This is a well built vehicle and the quality of it is evident the first time you get in. It is comfortable and has excellent road manners. It is at its best when navigating roads during bad weather. The 4WD and high drivers position make driving during stormy weather.