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:

• 

  My LR3 makes me happy! - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Katie - April 3 - 6:33 pm

  I test drove other SUVs and none come close to the elegant feel of the LR3. It is hip, cool and exudes confidence. I also like the fact that no one else in my neighborhood has one, but that will probably change since I keep getting so many compliments. The turning radius is so cool and I love the look of the front end and overall styling. Land Rover does a beautiful job of designing something truly unique among all the cookie cutter SUVs out there. I feel good when Im driving my LR3 and feel safe too. Great combination! I love this truck!!

• 

  On Going Electrical Issues - 2011 Land Rover LR4
  By landrover5 - April 3 - 8:31 am

  We purchased the LR4 LUX with every option that Land Rover offered. Total price was around $65,000. The vehicle was great for the first couple months but then we noticed the rear fog lights would not work. We took the car back to the dealership, by that time the lights worked again. (very strange) The electrical issues went up to the windows, the steering wheel buttons then the car just wouldnt start. It was towed numerous times back to the dealership but they could never find the problem. The vehicle was just taken back under the lemon law. Land Rover agreed to place us into a new vehicle but were still not sure about it??

• 

  Great....so far.... - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Brent Bonfiglio - March 27 - 11:16 am

  I have owned this vehicle for just a couple of months... but I love it. It was replacing a 2005 range rover. This truck is FAR superior to the older model... I have had a couple of recalls ( computer updates only) so it has been back to the dealer twice in two months... but has been wonderful, other wise.

• 

  Not much "Free"Lander-ing - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Ms Meliss - March 24 - 9:56 pm

  This SUV is beautiful inside & out...looks can be very deceiving! This vehicle is FUN to drive, & being a Mom it has lots of spots to store stuff. My fondness is most relevant in its ease of all vantage points while driving (No blind spots!) The down side has been since my purchase I have had to replace my brakes twice, averaging every 16,000 miles! Although covered under warranty, I had to replace the fuel pump, had the car towed to the dealership, upon pick-up, I was horrified to find that my SUV had sustained body damage while at the dealership! Currently, it has overheated three times! After reading previous reviews, and escalating fuel costs, Im TOTALLY convinced on a Hybrid!

• 

  Unreliable - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By Mr. Collado - March 11 - 10:53 pm

  The car has stalled 2 times and the dealer is unable to find the problem. Lights go on on the dash board such as breaking and traction control and the dealer has been unable to fix it.

• 

  Still love it. - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By OrangeSE3 - March 10 - 10:46 pm

  I purchased mine used in 2004. Did have a coolant/oil issue. Land Rover replaced the engine under original manufacturers warranty and Ive not had an issue since. I average around 22 MPG. Its a great vehicle and fun to drive. Handles amazing in the snow.

• 

  Knee Problems but overall great car - 2011 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By flipper8 - March 9 - 7:56 pm

  Leased my RRS 2 weeks ago, and have found that the combination of the driving position/ accelerator pedal position and accelerator pedal stiffness is causing a lot of knee pressure and discomfort. Feel like I am developing knee tendinitis. This is the only drawback about the car (but a major drawback) as I enjoy the look and ride of the vehicle a lot.

• 

  Upper Class Compact SUV - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Rover723 - February 25 - 2:00 am

  Although the Freelander is compared with the Honda and Rav4, I dont think it should be. After riding all three, the Freelander feel much more solid and designed for much more aggressive off road experiences while really giving off a "European" feel while on the black top. Weighing in at 4500lbs due to all the steel reinforcements, it can use a little more HP, but it still has a little punch accelerating. The interior is all business but still has a conservative upper class feel. All in all the 2003 model gives much more SUV than others in its class and brings with it the prestige of Land Rover.

• 

  Happy with my 2002 Freelander - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Burn2 - January 30 - 2:03 pm

  Bought a loaner vehicle with 9,000 miles, so expected some minor cosmetic problems - only thing was the dash-mounted drink holder; replaced, no problem. Now have put 20,000 miles on vehicle and only problem Ive had was the transmission, replaced under warranty. Amusing since this is a BMW-sourced item, and not a Land Rover part. Other than that no reliability issues. The dealer (North Point, Alpharetta) has been very good, no complaints with their service. Gas mileage is as expected, 17 mpg all city driving. In the real world the power is just fine for merge into highway traffic, take left turns on busy roads etc. Feels solid without typical SUV porkiness, comfortable ride.

• 

  Happy I bought it - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Danny Paul - January 28 - 10:00 am

  I have had two very reliable Land Crusers before and I am very happy with this vehicle. It is clearly a luxury vehicle in every way possible