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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  Swiss Army Knife of SUVs - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By ChrisC - October 15 - 9:30 pm

  I have had this truck for over a year already and it has never let me down on-road or off-road. True to its Land Rover heritage it coddles you in comfort and protects you from the elements while taking you through all types of road conditions and terrain with ease. The design of the truck also sets you apart from the bland styling that is out there today on so many SUVs. It is truly among the very few off the showroom do anything, go anywhere type of vehicle. A true Swiss Army Knife of SUVs.

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  Excellent - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Gregg - October 14 - 11:23 am

  Having owned a 99 and 02 discovery the difference is night and day, but the real measure is my last vehicle the 2003 range rover. I drove the range rover for two years and had zero problems and much admiration from my friends, this car(LR3) is so similar to it in the areas that matter. The differencs are few and far between little things that are mostly cosmetic and do not effect you on a daily basis. Off road driving is actually better, its quieter, nimbler etc.. I cant recomend this car enough, period!

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  2005 LR3 - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By bkalhor - October 8 - 9:53 pm

  This is my third Land Rover and so far my best Land Rover! I highly recommend it...however the gas mileage does put a nice dent in my wallet - it is still better than the mileage on my Series II!

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  Not much room - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Scott - October 7 - 6:20 am

  This was my wifes truck. We traded it in this last week because its not comfortable for a 63" broad shouldered man, and because the local land rover dealership stated that it is normal for these trucks to need new rear brakes and rotors at 40,000 miles. It has a recurring issue of brake squeak which the dealer said they could fix for $250.00, but that it was not covered under warranty (5yr 50000 miles). Its had to have several oil leaks repaired (Oil pan, front differential) under warranty. I would not recommend this truck unless you buy it somewhere other than a Land Rover dealership, are small to medium build and are related to a Land Rover mechanic.

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  Meets both family and personal needs - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By dcw - October 6 - 2:00 am

  The rear “child” seats are great. Their close proximity to the floor allows the kids to play with toys or lay out crafts for the trip. The individual headphone jacks for each are great, especially since the kids can listen to the radio station of their choice while we listen to our CDs up front. My wife likes the neat small things such as the passenger side purse hook, windshield micro-wire defrost and dual climate control zones (she is always cold when I am always hot). I appreciate the high stance, especially in stop-and-go traffic. I also value the extremely capable handling the vehicle has in the snow.

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  Old & Reliable - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Ash - October 2 - 12:23 pm

  I have about 53,000 miles and its exactly 4 years in just a few weeks. We also owned a 2006 LS430 Lexus during the same period. Our RR outperformed the Lexus in reliability & comfort. We no longer needed 2 vehicles and we dumped the Ls 430 without a second thought. Kept up with the maint. and the car is running great. My only issue is the early wear and tear on the seats. You can thank our environmental wackos for that as the process for finishing(dyeing) the leather is not what it used to be because of some crazy environmental hazards. The new finishing process causes early wear and tear issues as explained by a number of upholsterers. We are enjoying every mile we drive this awesome vehicle.

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  Best Ever - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By EniwderAuto - October 1 - 5:50 pm

  Easy to get around in. Turn radius makes it easy in city and off road. Gas mileage good for 6000 lbs. Excellent interior space with smaller exterior foot print. Great for highway cruising as well. Much better gas mileage than a crew cab pickup.

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  Freelander S - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By JoeHD7 - September 24 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle cries out for a 5 speed. The engine has limited gearing and is not fast off the line but likes to go in the 60-80 mph range. Gas mileage is in the low 20s, not really great for this size vehicle. The Freelander feels tight and handles well in the rain/snow/ice of Western new York

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  WOW - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Rick Stenlake - September 24 - 10:00 am

  This RR is head and shoulders above the previous modle. I had a 1994 LWB that I really loved. This one is far advanced from the modle after mine. I do take my RR off road and this on performs very well off road as well as on the road. It finally has good power to weight ratio and is fun to drive. My frind has a Lexus 470. I used to like to take his places, including off road. Now the RR is vastly superior to the Lexus so his is not much fun to take anymore. This is an impressive vehicle.

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  Best SUV - 2008 Land Rover LR3
  By fallout79 - September 20 - 2:21 pm

  I had always considered a Land Rover but been scared of the reliabilty. I finally went for a test drive and realized just how good this vehicle is. In terms of design, comfort, style, and capability there simply is not another vehicle that comes close. I bought an 08 with 70k on it and got an awesome deal. It had a full service history and was in mint condition. I drive it all day for business in the week and get around 18mpg. At the weekend I can load it up for weekend trips to the mountains and go on offroad trails that are extremely challenging. Othertimes I tow our 25 boat with ease. Im at 90k with no problems. I have it regularly serviced by the LR dealer who are great. Best SUV!