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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  LR4 Rocks - 2010 Land Rover LR4
  By skanlon - June 18 - 10:00 pm

  This is my second LR. Owned an 08 LR3 which was bullet proof, pretty much brought it in for scheduled services and changed the tires. Current LR4 is at 21K, and the only 2 trips to dealer were for the first service and for an insp. sticker. Vehicle is refined and holds up well. 17.9 mpg. on avg. I have two friends that have Range and they are looking into picking up a LR4.

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  Range Rover - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By David S - June 14 - 8:33 am

  There is no doubt that the Range Rover (RR) is the best looking SUV, but it is far from the best SUV. In fact, it just may be the worst. When you hear the rumors about the high level of frequency that the RR needs maintenance, believe them. One of the most frustrating attributes of ownership is having an $80,000+ vehicle needing to go in for service every 3 or 4 months. Not only that, but the service department at the dealerships are expecting the maintenance. There are no apologies or concessions offered. I feel that the time spent and the frustration used while owning this vehicle is highly unwarranted.

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  As long as its not raining - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Adam - June 13 - 8:13 pm

  I love my Rover Sport...Have had several BMW X5s in the past and they dont even come close. The exterior is great, interior, everything is within reach. I was quite concerned about reliability when I purchased but with almost 8000 miles, I have only had 2 problems. Sunroof leaks and dealer cannot seem to fix, have replaced seal and sunroof twice but still leaks in the rain and car wash (this seems to be very common with Rover from what I have read on line). Rear door seals falling off. Only draw back is everything has to be ordered by the dealer and takes a couple of weeks to arrive. Fuel mileage is not bad at all, I am averaging 18/19 city/hwy mix. Would definitely buy again!

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  Solid, but needs improvement - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By JMO - June 13 - 10:00 am

  Beware of the small gas tank. SUV with a 15 gallon tank.

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  My new love - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By jennifer - June 10 - 10:33 am

  Drove it in snow & rain and it handled great! Drove a BMW M3, so you can imagine the power, control & handling I need. RRS drives like a dream, its a luxury SUV that actually handles all the elements and gives you the power & control all at the same time. I miss my M3 but after driving the RRS, Ive found a new love. Also use to drive a Land Cruiser & compared to the RRS, the LC drives heavy & is hard to steer. It truly amazes me how easy the RRS steering is, its effortless. it doesnt feel heavy or huge. 1 thing that used to bug me were the lines in the windshield (for defrosting), but you get use to it. Also, its common knowledge not to buy an V8 SUV if you care about gas mileage!

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  2010 LR4 Lux Intermittent Electrical - 2010 Land Rover LR4
  By honey11 - June 9 - 5:08 pm

  Love our LR4, just wish I didnt have to bring it in for repairs every few weeks. Tire monitoring system keeps throwing codes, the NAV and radio goes out once in a while and then theres the windshield wipers that suddenly shut off and stay off. I read about other people with the same issues, lets just hope Land Rover gets it figured out so we can buy another one. Otherwise, we wont do this again.

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  Engine damaged after overheating - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By jeevanga - June 5 - 1:12 pm

  Bought with 29k and whole year of warranty left for $22000.Used for 4 years and put on only 11k due to terrible gas mileage.Loved the ride and apperance.No issue for 3.5 years then 3 amigos appeard but did not fixed. Engine overheated due to coolent tube leak and seems to be head gasket blown or engine cracked.Sold it to carmax for $7000.

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  Sad! - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By alicia75024 - May 29 - 6:07 pm

  I have been reading blogs all over the Internet about Land Rover problems and I could just spit! I purchased my 2004 LRD 10 days ago... I dont drive much, just back and forth to work. A couple days ago I was driving and the car overheated, I pulled off the freeway right away and while pulling over the car started to smoke and shut down... now I need to spend 6K on a new engine, the mechanic at LR chuckeled and said "yep, we see it ALL the time". What a waiste of time and money.. If this is such a common problem shouldnt there have been a recall??? Also, anyone know a good and honest mechanic in north Texas...or should I just part it out and cut my losses? It sounds like this wont be the last problem with this vehicle!!!!

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  An Expensive Ride - 2002 Land Rover Range Rover
  By INSTANT ROVER FAN - May 29 - 2:00 am

  So far so good. I took over this Range Rover after it was garage kept and pampered at every routine dealer maintenance suggestion. I continue to do the same and have not been disappointed. Its an expensive vehicle to maintain, but it will not disappoint when its called to duty. Yes, the vehicle has some quirks, but its something I have found in each vehicle I have owned. Nothing is perfect, but this vehicle gets me and my family where we need to go regardless of the weather and most importantly it does it safely. Luxury is one thing, but safety and reliability is top priority in my book and that is why I chose the 2002 Range Rover as the chariot of choice.

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  Lovin it! - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By tindallsmom - May 26 - 2:00 am

  I love this SUV! I must admit Land Rovers are an aquired taste, but once you aquire it youre hooked. I really like sitting up high-even my hubbys Z- 71 seems low to the ground to me now. It handles well and I feel very safe in it. It only gets 3 light poles per gallon :-) but we were aware of that before we purchased it, so its no big deal. The doors dont open very wide & I was concerned about being able to get my daughter in/out, but it hasnt been a problem. Overall,Im extremely pleased with our purchase.