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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  Loved my LR2, Really Love my LR4! - 2010 Land Rover LR4
  By Kelly - July 18 - 10:00 am

  I had my eye on a used Range Rover Sport when I decided to test drive an LR4. The LR4 was more refined and less bread truck looking than the LR3 so I decided to take it for a spin and what a spin it was! I was hooked on the first curve. The LR4 is spacious with an improved engine giving it plenty of torque to both hug and pull the road towards you. The grill is downright sexy. I love all the windows and height inside the cabin. There are sensors for both the front and back of the vehicle. There are so many places to store things like my sweater for when I go into a restaurant or my gym shoes for walks in the woods or the golf range. There are two ample glove compartments up front.

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  Do not buy this car!!! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By kitty - July 17 - 2:33 pm

  After 4 months, this car needed a new alternator, since then its gotten the cooling system fixed 3 times, a whole new transmission, needs new timing belts, and a new fuel pump. Also the radio is broken, and the moonroof wont open. This car is terrible, and I was a fool to buy this car without researching it better. I hoping to get rid of it tomorrow! Do not buy this car. I will never own another Land Rover.

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  A Rose among the Lemons? - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By Karen C - July 15 - 11:20 pm

  I bought my Freelander even after reading the less than stellar reviews I found on the internet. Now I wonder if people were trying to hide something - I LOVE THIS CAR! The handling is superb, the leather interior, heated mirrors and seats, and awesome stereo system (6 cd changer) make it a dream to drive. Im getting ~22 miles to a gallon - way more than posted by others. My only beef (and its a small one) is that I wish it had a little better pickup when pulling out. But at highway speeds it cant be topped, and Ive easily avoided several dicey situations with its fast, accurate response. Buy one!

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  Worst Car Ever Built - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By MPakdaman - July 14 - 1:16 am

  I owned a 2002 HSE Freelander and hope to never own another Land Rover ever again. I have had this vehicle for less than a year and it has been the worst car I have ever owned. The vehicle has been in the shop 7 times in 9 months and the transmission was rebuilt completely. How can a car with 33,000 miles ever have transmission problems. The service engine light comes on pretty much every month and the techs at LandRover never seem to understand why. After my transmission issue...I had the same problem within a week period....isnt it amazing.

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  im smitten! - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By sherry heverly - July 13 - 12:46 pm

  I just bought my lr2 last week and love it! it is my 2nd LR. it looks great, handles great, and i feel very safe in it. im sure there will be some quirks.................it is a landrover, but the dealership is wonderful and really takes care of the cars and their customers. im smitten!

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  Still Lovin it! - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Geoff - July 12 - 12:56 am

  Use is as a daily driver here in New England. Exterior is beautiful and interior appointments are plush save for the electronics which were outdated even when new. Its more like a luxury all weather vehicle but still sturdy when you need it most. Always turns heads and you feel great driving it.

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  You gotta love this Rover... - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By atldane - July 10 - 10:08 am

  I know, I know...horrible reliability, very expensive, low mpg..but I love this vehicle. This is our third one, and this one I am going to keep. I have 130,000 miles on this Discovery, I am pouring money into it, but I love it. It was time to get something more reliable and better on gas, so I chose a new BMW 328i so I could keep the Rover. I now have a new car, but have my boy to take to the lake and use for rugged adventures. You know the saying "if it isnt leaking then it is empty" about Land Rovers. well it is true, true, true! But worth every penny...I really love this truck!!! Very Classic....

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  Find a good one - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By iward1 - July 8 - 11:33 pm

  I bought my 2003 Disco with 98k miles for $6000 in September 2013. Have a Land Rover specialist (preferably not a dealer) do a thorough inspection before you buy. Get a service history. Expect a lot of work to have been done. The only red flag is a history of overheating associated with a very loud engine knock/tap. In the last 10k miles I have replaced the power steering pump and done regular maintenance, about $1200 total. Im not bothered since I paid so little up front. Its a fantastic truck with an old-school feel. I average 11mpg city and 15mpg highway. If you love it and treat it well, this truck will get to 200k miles and beyond.

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  my rover - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By range rover hse - July 1 - 10:33 pm

  This truck is a looker. People often compliment me on my purchase. However, it has more than its share of mechanical defects and glitches. Part of the problem, I believe, is there are just too many cute electronic gadgets. Thus more things that can go wrong. I have just over 60k miles and have already replaced a major portion of my transmission. (under warranty) I dont think this is acceptable. If you are looking for a conversation piece, this is it. If you are looking for economy and reliability, not here!

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  Great So Far! - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Billbo - June 27 - 10:00 am

  Great to drive, youve got "vehicle" around you. Can see the whole road around and in front, others want to get around to know what is actually going on in front of us. Fuel economy lacking, but if thats what you want, its simple... Look Elsewhere! Customer service at my dealer is outstanding, "Pampered yet Professional". So far Ive gotten what Ive paid for. Will see this winter and following my first Land Rover Dealer Sponsored "Wheels event" where they help you to fully understand and appreciate the abilities of this true off-road vehicle.