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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  Stick with the ML 500. - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By kevin - February 26 - 12:16 pm

  After owning the Mercedes ML500. I thought it would be fun to drive the Land Rover. I have been very pleased with this SUV. The Mercedes does perform much better on road than the Land Rover.

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  A great SuV with classic style - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Happy owner - February 26 - 8:30 am

  We have only had our RRS for 2 months, but we love it. A true luxury car

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  LoveMyEvoque - 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By lovemylr4 - February 25 - 8:32 pm

  Amazing ride, very smooth. It has a lot of power. I feel safe in the car. I drove the LR4 for two and half years and was ready for a smaller car but could not find one as comfortable and good to drive until I drove the Evoque. I got the Dynamic, I love the looks of silver with the black top and the square mufflers.

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  Beautiful to Drive, Awful to Maintain - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By skibum232 - February 11 - 3:46 pm

  I would love to rate this car a 1 but honestly cannot. Purchased used with 50k in 2006 and sold in 2010 with about 90k. Routinely the car went in the shop from 2008 until I sold it and typically was $500-$2000 a time. The car constantly had issues with pumps, leaks, brakes, gaskets. The MPG too was horrid, at one point doing neighborhood/city only I averaged 9.8 MPG. Mechanical aside though I loved it. Loved the looks, the way you sat, the space, features, handling in snow and Land Rover knows how to make a car look cool. Would I ever own again? Probably not unless they overhaul how they build cars. My next car purchase I was focused on reliability and MPG and not just good looks.

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  Freelander 2005 - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By lakewood - February 11 - 5:16 am

  I goofed or did I? I did not test drive the car I took home. I expected regardless of color, they would all work the same. This is idealistic. My transmission had an intermittent problem. Actually, I did not goof. The factory is repsonsible, not me, to deliver a working product. Could a 5 mile test drive identify something...maybe. For the average person, it would not.

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  Just loving my SRR - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By HISNHER - February 7 - 11:10 pm

  I had the 03 HSE. that was too big. this is the car! When you step on the gas this car flies! I just love it

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  One Fine Car - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By LynchMob - February 5 - 2:00 am

  Second to none. this car looks and performs better than you could imagine. although the price it is steep, it is worth twice the sticker. i test drove all cars in its class, and none even came close to this one.

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  Worth the Price - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Dr.Vin - February 4 - 12:46 pm

  Terrific vehicle. Loved my GX470, but the RR HSE is simply another level. Too new to comment on reliability, but so far, its all good. Interior is far nicer than that of any other vehicle in the segment. Cant wait for foul weather to test the Terrain Response System.

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  Its a car you will hate to love - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Bryce - February 4 - 8:36 am

  This is my second Land Rover Discovery. My first was a 2000. It caught on fire on the freeway. What else do I need to say about that. I was stupid and bought a 2004 model in May 2008. Okay I know its now 4 years old now, but its only got 46,000 miles which I thought was pretty good. I cant drive it without lights turning on every second and a dinging noise going off all day. Driving it will remind you of Vegas. My check engine light wont go off because of the gas cap either. Its funny how they use Land Rovers in Jamaica for off road safaris from 1985 but my 2004 cant make it to the store. If you are thinking about a Land Rover just dont do it. Go buy an Acura.

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  The Best Vehicle Ever! - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Jim Womack - February 3 - 10:00 am

  If this vehicle doesnt do IT for you, nothing will. The new Range Rover is light years ahead of the luxury SUV market and right in the middle of the luxury sedan / $70,000 market. Trade in your "S" class and forget about driving your "7" series. This vehicle will knock your socks off.