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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  Classic! - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By LR - May 22 - 4:56 pm

  These are phenomenally built trucks that can deliver under the most grueling conditions. 2003 redesign totally transformed these vehicles.

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  the best suv on earth - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By suvmancar - May 15 - 10:00 am

  best suv ever made

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  Ready for some fun - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By allhu - May 7 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this vehicle for 5 months and 4000mi. and have no reliablity problems to report. This vehicle is really fun to drive on paved surfaces which is unique because it awesome in a light duty off road roll as well. I recently took it to a local off road park with my wife and we had a blast. The little monster climbed and descended 40% grades. Its really fun all four wheels engage. We were surounded by dedicated off road vehicles (not street legal)and although we did not attempt some of the punishing obstacles they did (self preservation), Im sure we could have given them a run for the money if we had too.

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  Bluetooth Nightmare - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By Stacye - May 4 - 4:49 am

  I have had nothing but problems with the Bluetooth feature in this car! I have had the Evoque to the dealer more than once. I have also changed out my phone thinking it was the phone. The dealership told me they cant find anything wrong yet I have read all over the internet I am not alone. I do a large part of my business on the phone and this is truly unacceptable.

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  Disco III? - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By autopower - May 3 - 2:40 am

  This LR3 was a loaner in great condition. Was looking for a Disco II but could not find one in the condition I wanted. The driving position is great. The Xenon headlamps are wonderful. I can attest to the outstanding off-road capability of the LR3 [thank you Land Rover Driving Experience]. I now have over 20000 miles on it, and no problems. I average about 17.5 mpg in mixed driving. The 3rd row is more tolerable for adults on short trips than my previous Acura MDX. I usually have the 3rd row folded flat with a mat over it for cargo duty. It does it all.

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  Weekend Fun - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Mark - May 1 - 10:10 am

  I bought the Disco used as a third vehicle for weekend fun. After driving across the Santa Cruz river and trudging through 2 feet of mud and silt... Im totally impressed if not shocked. So were the heavily modified trucks and Jeeps I drove past. Rocky terrain found here in Arizona is a non issue as my new backcountry driving experiences have taught me. This truck may not be refined (Ive owed a Lexus and a baby Benz) but its endearing, fun, versitile and more stares and positve comments than the shiny Lexus and little Red Benz. People just seem to gravitate towards its bold styling and appreciate its brutish stance. It guzzles gas no doubt, but the V8 sounds way cool, especially on start up

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  problems from day one - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Bostic - April 25 - 10:00 am

  We traded my Yukon for our Land Rover thinking we were getting a good SUV . Mistake I have taken it to the dealer averaging every 3-4 weeks that I have had it to get something fixed on it.From the first time I washed it I have nothing but problems the side panel fell off, the knobs to control the seats, the leather seat messed up, the fuel injection, bolts falling off the exhaust, and I just took it last because the drivers door lock messed up. There has been many other little problems and you would think when you pay this much for a car you wouldnt have any problems.

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  Dont You Be Sorry - 2000 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Sorry_I_Bot_It - April 17 - 2:00 am

  22.8 MPG? Never happen. More like 11 in the city/16 Hwy. VERY disappointed in fit/finish, quality, and warranty efforts for amount of money spent. I am SURE it is off-road capable if you can suffer the repair work afterwards. With only one dealer in most towns you are at their mercry. Roadside Assistance? A joke. Rattles on a $60,000 car? Sorry but not covered by warranty. Wind noise? Will if you insist, guess we can cover it. Its a cool looking car. . . but like the Hummer, its a bummer.

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  Classic British - stylish and unreliable - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By John - April 14 - 2:46 pm

  We wanted a car that wasnt a Ford Escape or Jeep Liberty and found the Freelander. Its a tad on the small side, but also a lot of fun and can climb a cliff in either direction. However, since buying (new) weve had all 5 window regulators replaced, the sunroof twice, all 4 brake rotors warped and had to be replaced, and most recently the car quit completely, with 6 different error codes in the computer, most notably that the camshaft position sensor had failed. The dealer treats us like poor cousins to the LR3 and Range Rover owners and we cant get a loaner, even for the latest issue. Bottom line, its a fun car, but if you dont have a warranty, dont buy it.

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  Transmission Erratic - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By SUV Driver - April 14 - 8:23 am

  Truck drags between gears when rpm is at 2000 and speed of 70 mph or greater. Problem is repeatable. When i took to the shop they gave me a loaner and it does the same thing. I like the car but the tranny needs work. Good service and the car looks great.