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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  2004 DISCO II SE - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By f-f-e - November 25 - 6:50 pm

  I bought this vehicle because of its super cool looks! So far it has been trouble free and a real pleasure to drive. The all wheel drive makes it an excellent vehicle to operate on or off road and it sticks to wet roads with no problem. The sound system is the best Ive ever heard. Ive owned several SUVs and this is my favorite!

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  Not your average SUV - 2008 Land Rover LR3
  By maddog72 - November 23 - 6:44 pm

  This is my second LR3 have over 150,000 miles of driving in both. Present 2008 has 63,000 miles. I have extensive driving experiance in all types of vehicles from H1 Hummers to Toyota Prius. Land Rover LR3 is not for everyone, if trips to the mall or shopping is all you do get a mini van. My LR3 is used 60/40 60 % on road 40% off road. It is the only vehicle that you can drive down the interstate at 70 mph and then go off-road and back on the interstate and do so with the easiest driver input. This is a truck, it is big, heavy to get good gas mileage you have to drive it like you want good gas mileage. I average 18 mpg with highs of 21 mpg on trips in flat country. Off road this is a tool

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  beautiful car - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By chebli - October 31 - 7:56 pm

  this truck sound and ride like a car. very elegant and sufficient car.loaded with premium navigation system

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  Glad we bought it - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By LRSC - October 28 - 11:30 pm

  We are very happy with the LR3. It hauls our sail boat, take us off road to remote camp sites and gets us to the snow in comfort and style. The interior is very comfortable and suits our taste. We find the third row seats to be useful and comfortable for adults. It has been in the shop twice. The first involved a failed rear locker. The dealers response was excellent. They swapped a rear end from an LR3 on their lot and got us back on the road within a couple of days. The second failure was a compressor. It was on back order but was fixed as soon as it arrived. No other problems. If it continues to run well we will be happy. We plan to keep it for a long time.

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  Range Rover Sport Rocks - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By mmec - October 26 - 6:10 pm

  If youre looking for an SUV that drives as smooth as a luxury sedan, handles like a sports car, plush interior, and is a real off road vehicle...look no further then the Range Rover Sport. Best in its class, best on the road

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  What a Difference! - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By SCEMARINO - October 20 - 7:46 pm

  I just traded in my 2003 Discovery for the new LR3 HSE. Everything about this car is an improvement. It is so much easier and quieter to drive. More room and tons of extras - it will take me weeks to figure it all out! Glass roof lets in tons of light. Seats are way more comfortable and the back seats are much improved too.

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  Love my dirt demon - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Paul - October 14 - 10:50 am

  I am a little biased here, I used to be a sales manager for Land Rover so know that up front when reading this. I do love love love my disco. This is my 4th Rover (98 Disco, 2x 03 Freelanders (his in black and hers in Red), 03 Disco), and Ive never been disapointed. The thing about the Discovery is that you have to understand what it is before you buy it and be ok with what it is and what it isnt. What it is: - The ultimate off-road vehicle, go anywhere anytime for any reason. - IMO, tough. Ive never had a big problem with any of mine, but then again I do my service and repairs (most dont!) - Expensive What it isnt: - A Mercedes-Benz - Fuel efficient - For everyone

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  Happy With LR3 - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Patrick - October 8 - 6:30 am

  I have over 30,000 miles on my LR3 and have been very happy with the vehicle. Have gone off road and on road, and its been near perfect

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  Great SUV - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By John krebs - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Super does everything right

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  freelander - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By dg3 - October 7 - 2:00 am

  This car is awesome. It drives very smoothly and is relatively quiet. It handles like an SUV but corners like a car. I LOVE IT!