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:

• 

  A powerful and comfortable compact 7 seater - 2011 Land Rover LR4
  By tanker6 - April 1 - 3:55 am

  Very happy with it so far. Outstanding dealership experience. Very comfortable and quiet, and capable off road. Great turning circle good for narrow tracks. This was a good alternative to a Tahoe for me.

• 

  Top range - 2007 Land Rover Range Rover
  By donte - March 30 - 12:20 pm

  I have always wanted a Range Rover since I was a child. When I test drove it I knew it was the one for me. My personal opinion about this car is outstanding, I cant find the right words to explain this car. The handling is wonderful, as well as the exterior and interior. I highly recommend you buy this car if you like to enjoy the finer things in life

• 

  My Gasaholic - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By DJF4x4 - March 28 - 10:00 am

  The vehicle is an incredible SUV. I love everything about it with the exception of the gas mileage and the fact it only runs on premium.

• 

  She will go where others cant follow - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By 03Disco - March 25 - 2:00 am

  I have taken my 03 Disco off road twice now (serious mud up to the frame off- roading) and believe even with stock tires she is unbeatable. However, I have serious reservations about the quality... leaking sun roof, punchy cruise control, oil leak, warning lights come on for no reason... where to start and where to end. With that said, she is a blast to drive (when things are working) and with the new design, turns heads on every street corner...

• 

  Doesnt Live Up to Land Rover - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By tylo - March 23 - 2:32 pm

  This car was expected to be an excellent car, but what we got was far from it. This car has had issues from day one. Each window, excluding the windshield, has had to been replaced at least once, for a total of seven times because they would not roll up or down. The car currently only has 60,000 miles on it, but only two years after buying the car, the transmission had to be replaced at a whopping $6000. Roughly four years ago, the engine had overheating problems, and since then, weve only been able to drive it short distances, which kept things at bay. This car wasnt built very well, but hey, it is a nimble little SUV, and is still fun to drive. I just dont touch the manual shifter..

• 

  So far, so good - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Rover Girl - March 22 - 1:50 pm

  Another satisfied owner, at least so far. Only owned two months & driven 1,200 mi., but absolutely love the vehicle! Gets lots of attention, yet have only seen one other LR2 on the road here since they existed. Love that - driving something unique, not the same vehicle in everyones driveway. Just holding my breath that it proves to be reliable. Replaced my Montero Limited, which had only one minor issue over nearly 100K miles. Dont expect that from a Land Rover, but hoping for the best! Like most people, I considered nearly every other SUV out there in this class, but liked this one the best. Planned on an LR3, but the LR2s are actually more advanced, & look to be much more reliable.

• 

  The last Discovery, the best Discovery - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Paul Gifford - March 22 - 11:43 am

  Have enjoyed every moment behind the wheel of my SE Discovery. I feel safe and secure at its helm. I have had zero maintenance concerns and find the dealership fantastic. Would recommend others to get one of the last few reamining.

• 

  Another nightmare... - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By GearJam - March 19 - 6:53 pm

  Oh, lets see.. Ive put 4500 miles on my Freelander since purchase, and have spent MORE in repair bills than I payed for the car. Transmission- Failed.Transfer Case-Failed. Engine- failing.A/c,Sunroof, Power Door locks, failed, failed, failed. 84K on the clock so far, and if I ever see my Rover again, shes getting traded for a Jeep Wrangler, No questions about it no more Land Rover Products are in my future.

• 

  The Java Giant--Comfort and Fun - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Stuart James - March 19 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the 2003 Landrover Discovery SE in May of this year. We lovingly call it the "Java Giant" based on its size and distinctive Java Black color. The Java Giant is a luxurious vehicle, with functionality, that performs well on road and off road. The improvements over previous models make this vehicle a pleasure to own and fun to drive. It cruises on the roadways and tackles the backroads with ease. The only downside to the Giant is gas, it has the appetite of Goliath when it comes to fuel ecomomy. All and all, the Java Giant is a true SUV, and if it is worthy of the Queen of England, it is good enough for me.

• 

  Luxury, I think NOT! - 2001 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Michael - March 17 - 9:06 pm

  So after owning two Acuras, I stepped down apparently into a Range Rover. Problems: Handle broke off when opening hood, plastic. Door handles breaking off, cars suspension deflates in the cold, takes 15 minutes to get it up. A/C didnt work well in summer, screen went out. DVD player doesnt work now, CD player doesnt work, back lights went out and bulbs dont fix it. Back lid wont stay up, pieces break off of this car constantly. Hood thinks its open when its not, key fab broke, and door locks dont work right. Sometimes car wont start and give reason why. Ive spent about 3,000 on this car in less than 8 months (about 1/3 what I paid for the car in first place. FUN TIMES!