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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  very nice vehicle - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Riskit - December 30 - 2:00 am

  This is a very solid car. After 10000 miles nothing has failed. Average mpg on the road is 18.5 in town 16mpg. This is a very comfortable car to ride in with surprising performance for heavy vehicle.

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  Oh God Ive Made A Terrible Mistake - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By please take it back - December 30 - 12:46 am

  I have never known true regret until I bought my 2003 Discovery. There it was sitting in the lot gleaming, little did I know that the Devil can come in the shape of a car. I should say that I bought it used, with 55,000 miles on it, it drove wonderfully for the first 3 months when my monthly sojourn to the Land Rover Service Lot began. Every light on my dashboard has lit up like the 4th of July sky, I especially enjoy the ones with the exclamation marks. Every gasket, every hose, everything except the engine, whose failure I am currently awaiting, has failed. Anyone who comes across this vehicle should run, not walk in the opposite direction. A demon lurks beneath the gleaming hood.

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  Wouldnt buy one again - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Lee - December 29 - 5:00 pm

  Owned a 2003 R/R for just over 2 year. It spent over 6 months in and out of the workshop with over 44 different problems. Like a fool I bought a new one 3 months ago and this time I went for the top of the line 2006 Supercharged Wesminster Limited Edition, at almost $100,000. Numerous problems already and it is now in the workshop having a complete brand new ($12,000) engine installed. Crazy! It is less than 3 months old and done just 4000 miles. It has numerous other faults and defects including the paintwork which is covered in orange peal, dirt under the paint, too heavy clear coat etc. etc. The Range Rover MUST be avoided at all cost. Stay away from this SUV because you will regret it!

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  Worst car ever made!!!! - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Karmafan84 - December 29 - 4:26 pm

  I have owned this car for two years and it has been a love hate relationship. beautiful to look at, stunning interior, fast and nimble for how big it is. The problems come from ALL THE PROBLEMS. Been in the shop 10 times now, had to replace the suspension at a cost of 4k and still have problems, the sound system and navigation regularly short out, the engine coolant reservoir blew and had to be replaced, the seals are all starting to leak and it is very noisy at highway speed, and the front parking sensors no longer work. Not to mention the people at the dealership are extremely rude and told me that it is pretty old and reaching end of life. its only 5 years old!

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  Bonatti Grey RRS SUPERCHARGED - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Tsai - December 27 - 5:53 am

  Great vehicle, fun to drive, strong performance, great handling and turns heads everywhere I go. I have only had one consistent problem and that is a "Faulty suspension" indicator that keeps coming on and locking the vehicle in standard height. I have to then restart the car in order to get it to go away. Its finicky and can happen several times in a day. Other than that, one of the best vehicles I ever bought.

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  If you want to lead the pack... - 2000 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Big Papa Pump - December 25 - 10:00 am

  There were 10 things I wanted to do before I die and go to heaven. Number 4 on that list was to own a Range Rover. This sweet riding vehicle reminds me of my first real girl...smooth...silky...and something everybody else wishes they had...enuf said!

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  Great Little SUV - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By JK - December 23 - 4:46 am

  This is a great little SUV - its definitely not a huge vehicle for hauling lots of stuff, but you know that when youre looking at a smaller SUV. We have owned this HSE for one year and it has handled very well in the snow, on a frozen lake and in general traffic. The disign is much improved over previous versions and it is generally a fun car to drive for the price.

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  24 months and still going strong - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Land Rover Lover - December 20 - 7:56 pm

  I have had my LR2 for 24 months now. This was my 1st land rover purchase but definitely wont be my last. The only problems I have had over the past 2 years have been very minor and very easily and quickly resolved by excellent service at my dealer. I still get many admiring looks and questions about my Tambora Flame colored LR2. I would have paid thousands more for a comparably equipped X3, Q5, or RX350. Considering that routine maintenance was also included sealed the deal. Overall, I have been very happy with my purchase and am always surprised to hear stories of "bad experiences" with LR2s since my experience has been the exact opposite (dependable, comfortable, and reliable).

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  Silver Freelander SE - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Reid - December 20 - 10:53 am

  Engineering "work-of-art". Quality build, exceeds my expectations in every area. Exceedingly good ride and handling. Excellent off road traction. Bigger than it looks though lacks large cargo area. Will likely stick with a Land Rover product. Highly Recommended!

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  LR3 - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By bkalhor - December 15 - 2:06 am

  This is my third LR and by far the best one to date!