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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  Leaking Sunroof - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Jake - February 25 - 6:13 am

  I have always loved the LR3 and have owned a Range Rover several years ago. I decided to trade my Mercedes for this 2006 LR3SE V8. I only wish I had my Mercedes back. This vehicle has been nothing but a headache. It has been in the shop multiple times for a leaking sunroof and STILL the problem persists. The last time they replace the entire sunroof but it still leaks inside the dome light, right and left posts beside the windshield. Water comes out of the "airbag" plug on the sides! It has been a nightmare and Land Rover will do nothing to make this right. I intend to pursue Lemon Law and hopefully get rid of this poor quality vehicle. I will never buy another.

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  Pleasant Surprise - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Particular - February 24 - 5:13 pm

  I have been amazed by the quality and comfort of this SUV since the day I took delivery a year ago. LR has out done themselves with the Sport. It is the most nimble SUV on the road and the best I have ever owned - and I have owned many SUVs. The style and craftmanship are unsurpassed. It blows my old BMW built SUV away on all counts. Pricey, you say. Hogwash, I say. Its worth every penney! A year on the road and it still turns heads. Handles like a sports car, climbs like a billy goat with power to spare. The air ride suspension is amazing.

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  we bought a lemon - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By jeanned - February 22 - 3:13 pm

  We bought our 04 Disco new and have had nothing but problems. I love it, I love to drive it but the rear fog light burned out after 3-4 months, cannot access it because it is sealed. The radio/cd player went out, dealer did fix that, front headlights are full of moisture, the passenger side window motor broke, dealer did not fix, 500+ to fix that, transmission has leaked since around 20,000. Dealer would not do the warranty to fix this except for a seal, started throwing fluid again while on vacation in FL, dealership would not cover it, brakes locked up while on vacation again, dealership did cover that one, now it needs a new engine, dealer wont cover, LRNA offered a small amount.

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  I REALLY Wanted to Like It, But...... - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Jay - February 22 - 11:03 am

  I owned one of these awesome Ford-made pieces of junk for about 4 months before I wisely got rid of it in favor of a quality-built vehicle. I bought it because I really liked the new styling inside and out and the more powerful engine, but didnt take into account the fact that it would be even less reliable than the 2003 Disco II that I traded in (which is really saying something). In my time owning it, I was at the dealership several times for the "check engine" light (not gas cap related), a total electronic malfunction (it said the e- brake was engaged when it wasnt and wouldt start for a full day), as well as a few other annoying issues. Overall, a miserable ownership experience.

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  Love this vehicle - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By theroux - February 20 - 2:20 am

  I purchased this LR3 after I traded in my Volvo wagon. I love the LR3. Its unique and fun to drive. I previously owned a Discovery and this is even better. If youre worried about gas mileage you should probably be looking elsewhere, otherwise youll love it.

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  The Dichotomy of Land - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Justin Woodall - February 17 - 2:52 pm

  Youll love it, & probably buy it, for the obvious reasons; style, class, comfort, luxury, utility, & the jealousy factor. But, in specific the leather, info touch screen, Harmon-Kardon stereo, & all options of the luxury interior package (an absolute must). You will grow to love the driveability, ride, & handling. If you have the guts to try it, being so expensive, the off road capability of the Range Rover is amazing. I sell ranches in Texas. I can sell properties that others cant in my Rover. Turn the suspension nob & lift the Rover 3 inches. It will now traverse the most challenging terrain with ease, & without feeling like it. Its the love child of a Jeep & a Mercedes sedan. You will HATE the repair bills! In 4 years or so, both front airbags failed (although, I love the feature) rendering it undriveable, a door handle broke, sun roof jammed, & the nav map stopped working (I just ejected the disc!). I suggest finding a expert Land Rover guy near you (NOT THE DEALER!). The dealer wanted $3k for each airbag, $1k for the door, $1k for Sun roof, & $500 for the nav map, thats $8,500! It still cost me $3k with my non-dealer guy. The 255 55 R19 tires are very expensive & the selection sucks. Also, it has the most expensive battery Ive ever seen. Overall, the 2006 Range Rover HSE is an awesome vehicle. Just remember, if you buy one be prepared to drop $5k for repairs at anytime.

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  Power to spare - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By coldbt - February 14 - 10:00 am

  Rugged and powerful... Makes my 93 Wrangler look like a toy. Truly an off raoad vehicle with tremendous towing capacity. Installed cat-back "real" dual exhaust with K&N intake... 20% performance increase plus and honest 20 MPG an trips

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  Great SUV - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Skarfy - February 14 - 10:00 am

  The 2004 Disco, redesigned in 2003, is gorgeous. Make no mistake though, it is a serious SUV...If you want a "car" that also has 4WD, this may not be for you. I love it, but it is not as smooth as, for instance, our 2004 Envoy. However, the V8 blows away the Envoy, and the offroad ability is in a different league altogether. The interior is wonderful - love the wood trim and the interior light. The front is roomy, and extremely comfortable. Was thinking about waiting for the LR3, but the Disco is uniquely Rover, the LR3 looks a little "ford-like" to me. Plus a new Disco is an incredible deal now that the model is ended. Much less body roll than you think in such a high vehicle!!

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  So far, Im in love with this truck! - 2007 Land Rover LR3
  By SF Owner - February 10 - 7:30 pm

  The design couldnt be better, and they realyl thought of all of the little details in this thing. I bought it with 45K miles on it, so Im hoping that anything that would have gone wrong by now has already done so. The company offers extended warranties as well. Great for road trips- very roomy.

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  Dont Buy!! - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By caroline shek - February 10 - 6:40 pm

  This is my second LR2--the first one (brand new) needed a transmission overhaul after 2 weeks. They gave me another one that has overheated twice. Just this past weekend, it overheated while I was driving and smoke began coming out of the hood. Stay away from this car! Its unsafe and unpredictable.