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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  lr 3 - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By edie - August 1 - 7:00 am

  i took my new landrover into the woods camping. it was a blast, easy to drive. the seats folds down and 2 people can sleep comfortably in the back. I really love this car....

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  so far, so great! - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By jsldds - July 25 - 7:33 am

  The LR3 has been perfect to date. Gas prices are hurting a bit but I live close to work. I have taken trips to Las Vegas and Mammoth from southern California. It drives like a champ on the highway and the snow. Very comfortable. I get 17+ mpg on long trips, 13 in the city. It feels like it was carved out of stone. Very comfortable. I have found the seats to be comfortable. Maybe my body type just fits. I see others have had trouble with the headrest position. I did not get the bluetooth, my only regret. I have the 5 seater and to date have not missed having the third row. Some say acceleration is slow. Ive found using sport mode helps. If you want a hotrod SUV, go to the Cherokee SRT.

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  Mirror Image SUV - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By samatnyc - July 23 - 10:00 am

  I love the truck, but for its oddity. We traded in a BMW 528i for it because we have kids that desperately need space (note to SUV haters: stop legislating huge car seats and I wouldnt need an SUV). The truck is solid, handles very well except for a rear axle hop under sudden acceleration. The controls are unique in that many are reversed. For entertainment, go try out the window and audio controls and see English ergonomics in action! The brake and accelerator pedals are close together-- youll get used to that. I find it charming, you may not. No matter how you feel when you buy it, youll have a different opinion by the end of the week.

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  Best of the Last - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By DevilDisco - July 22 - 3:13 pm

  I have had our Black on Black SE7 For almost 5 years, quickly approaching 110k miles. The vehicles performed flawlessly just before Christmas when the snow storm hit Virginia. Most vehicles were fighting for traction on I-95, locked the Diff and the only thing that slowed us down was traffic and caution. The snow came down so sudden the roads had not been plowed. My wife was even driving at that time. She hates driving in snow but in the Disco she was very comfortable, as were our two little ones. Get it for capability and never having to get stuck snow storms and foul weather. Love it for the looks, and fill your tank when she is thirsty. Do the preventative Maintenance its cheaper.

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  More good than bad - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Susan - July 18 - 2:43 am

  I have been overall happy with the performance of this car. It is slow to accelerate and the air conditioner is very loud. There are some annoying design flaws. The flimsy cup holder is in a place prime for constantly spilling. The steering wheel isnt perfectly centered and the back door opens into the curb instead of away from it. The seats should move electrically for a luxury line, but they are manual. The car could definitely use a sunroof. Overall, it drives tight to the curb. The brakes are for a car and dont last long.

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  Subaru, Jeep and Pathfinder combined - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Nakoosa - July 11 - 2:00 am

  98 SD. a small, antique dining set fit nicely in the back. After securing my antiques, I headed for some 4x4 fun. 4x4 ability, especially in mud and on steep hills, is amazing! On-road performance is Very surprising. At first, I felt high, narrow and top-heavy, but after 4- wheeling and some highway time, 85-90 mph felt absolutely solid, fun, and safe. In the past, I had balked at this vehicle because of its gas mileage; but when you dont want to compromise luxury and pure off-road ability, you just have to pay for the little deficits! Replaces 2001 Sub. outback wagon ltd, nissan pathfinder and jeep cj-5 with no compromises except gas mileage!

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  Land Rover - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Kama - July 11 - 2:00 am

  I love it, it is absolutely amazing, and super fun to drive.

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  Baby Rover - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Chris Nordstrom - July 7 - 5:40 am

  It is sad to read the bad reviews by some owners. I have had many vehicles over the years (including other Land Rovers), but have to say this has been a great vehicle so far. I have owned the vehicle since April and to date have 12,000 miles on it with no problems. Ride, comfort and handling are all great. I average any where from 18-24 MPG depending my combined driving. Better fuel economy would be nice, but it seems to be on par with others in its class and engine size.

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  Problems after Problems - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover
  By WKG - July 5 - 9:25 pm

  Where to begin... 30 days in the shop in counting after 6 months. Electrical issue after electrical issue. You would think a company that values its customers would want to ensure a repeat customer, but after owning 3 land rovers, they dont seem to care. I would not recommend this product upon my worst enemy.

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  I love my LR2 - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Jen in 5280 - July 5 - 12:20 pm

  Ive had my LR2 16 months now. I love it. It has never let me down. I have had a few minor problems that the dealer was happy to fix. They even fixed the minorist of complaints. I asked them to readjust my windshield wiper spray and my headlights. The car is excellent in the mountains, excellent in the snow and an excellent daily driver. I have great confidence in my Rover and wouldnt hesitate to drive it anywhere.