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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  One was not enough - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By RovX2 - June 1 - 4:36 am

  We bought our Sport in Sept. for me. The ride is smooth and the pick up is excellent. I love our car, but my wife loves it more and I couldnt get her out of it so that I could drive it. So we just bought her one also. Two is definitely better than one.

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  Lemon - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By ken duff - May 30 - 8:24 pm

  Bought January 2015, nothing buy trouble. In and out of repair shop 8 times, last time they replaced the whole engine.

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  Discovery - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By LandDriver - May 24 - 2:00 am

  All hype no extras....not even a DVD player! Poor visibility, lots of blind spots.

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  2008 LR2 HSE - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By LTC - May 22 - 7:10 am

  I have owned it for just under 2 yrs. All service free and one quick recall item while in for service. Average 20 MPG with much stronger V6 than previous Freelander. It handled the record DC snowstorm with ease.

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  Love this SUV!!! - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By John - May 18 - 12:53 am

  I love this SUV! It can not be compared with other mid-sized SUVs becasue its not. Not inside anyway! Our LR3 seats 7 large adults totally comfortably...even more comfortably than the Suburban....the biggest of the SUVs. But outside you wouldnt know it. The turning radius is just amazing as well. Parking is a sinch!

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  Waste time going back & forwd to dealer - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Lemon - May 14 - 10:30 pm

  What the....this guys writing about excellent car seems like from marketing department to counter bad feedback AC leak into interior carpet. Gas suspension dead one after another. Gas pump kaput. Radio/Audio need to be reset by dealer for some strange reason this is just some. Going back and forward to dealer ship like i have free time to burn. Thats why the sales never top BMW or Lexus as a new comer finally I settle with Lexus No Headache at all.

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  Poorest quality SUV ever built - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By The Robinson Family - May 13 - 11:50 pm

  The LandRover Freelander should of never been imported into this country. I have been a car salesman for over 18 years and have never been around such a poorly built vehicle. My wife and I owned ours for 3 very long years. Everyday you wonder whats going to break next. We had a issue with everything from coolant leaks to electrical to front brake rotors that must of been a cruel joke to the consumer. I bought the vehicle wholesale and still lost money because dealers are scared of them. My wife had always liked the looks of the Freelander but was terrified to drive this suv with its host of problems.

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  Love my Rover! - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Kristen - May 11 - 10:16 am

  My husband bought me this car soon after we had our baby in December. I couldnt love it more. Its got amazing handling and pick up. The steering is incredible. Its full of cool offroad features that you can even use on road. I use my "snow" setting in stop and go traffic.

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  great looks....terrible car!!!!!!!! - 2001 Land Rover Range Rover
  By 2001isalemon - May 10 - 2:00 am

  Replaced transmission after 13,000 miles, all bulbs blow our, replaced air bag and drive shaft, electrical system blew out hands free device......its a LEMON!!!!!!!!!

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  Many Issues Resolved - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By MacDoodles - May 10 - 2:00 am

  It was only a few days after purchase that a heat issue surfaced, then smoke started rising from the engine. The radiator and thermostat was replaced, all while I drove around in a Discovery. I also noted some problems with engine & transmission performance on the quality survey I received. Many issues I noted were on a list of recalls. All of the lacking components were addressed and ride/drive quality improved significantly. I am sure these have been fixed on many before delivery, being an "early adopter" has its draw backs. Over all, since my initial problems, I am satisfied with the car/truck.