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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  2008 Range Rover best ever - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover
  By jeff brother - May 28 - 9:33 am

  This is the best suv I have ever driven. I have owned several Mercedes and Lexus, nothing compares to my Range Rover. Awesome ride and comfort from the interior. I am hooked for life.

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  Perception is Everything - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Monte03 - May 22 - 5:16 am

  Buy it only if your intentions include offroading. Only then could you truly enjoy this vehicle. There are a plethora of better handling and more fuel efficient SUVs, but none that are as truly capable off road. Some people suggest the Touareg, but I would highly disagree. Every major component on the lower 50% of that SUV is susceptible to damage due to its independent suspension. One more suggestion to people who are buying this rig... Get the Old Man Emu steering stabilizer as a first order of business. Especially if yours comes with the 18" wheels. It will eliminate, for the most part, rut-tracking on the freeway and bump- steer.

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  What a nightmare !! - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By NO more Disco - May 21 - 10:30 am

  Bought this from the Land Rover Dealer, They forgot to mention this year has a problem with ABS/Downhill Assist/Traction control failing,and with Engine Oil pumps. They remembered it after I bought it, "yes they have had a few problems with this year" The 2003 is not the year to buy, the locking diffs, and transfer case are not on this model year but on the 2002 and 2004. Should have bought a jeep. It looked cool, when it ran it was awesome when it did not it was awful.

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  Curiosity caravan - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Curiosity caravan - May 20 - 8:56 am

  The first day I bought it I went out looking for some off-road fun. Since then I have taken my family a crossed the country and back, on and off the road. The dealership I bought it from did not tell me the first owner hit a fire hydrant. That lead to problems for about a year, but it was all covered. Since then I have had no problems. It is not under warranty anymore. So I save money by doing all minor maintenance myself. Yes, the gas mileage stinks bad. To be honest that is the only bad thing I have to say about it. I will get another or rebuild when the time comes.

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  FamilyGuy LR3 driven daily - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By MidwestFamilyGuy - May 20 - 12:00 am

  Wow I am impressed. I purchased the 2005 Land Rover LR3 SE V8 Java Black/Black Leather to replace our 1999 EB Expedition. The LR3 gets used as a daily driver and my family loves it! Striking good looks, plenty of power, soft supportive heated leather seats front and rear, etc.. This was a definite upgrade from our aging EB Expy. Have had zero issues with the LR3 since new and am considering replacing wifes Grand Cherokee Overland with the new Land Rover LR2. I was considering a new Tahoe ,Yukon,Expedition type vehicle but am glad I have something different I dont see everyone else driving around town. The Brits are back thanks to BMW and Ford completely re-working the entire line up.

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  Weekend Vehicle - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By docvp - May 18 - 2:00 am

  Always wanted a range rover and have always owned a BMW. I initially brought a 2003, and driving out of the lot, the steering went in to major problems. I decided to wait for the 2004 model and paid a premium. 10 problems.1) Lumbar supports deflate) Navigation freezes 3) Fuel guage never reads full 4)HVAC fan in rear and front make loud vibration noise - dealer says there is no problem5) thekicker - air suspension, level control inactive for three weeks. In shop three times for that - I have driven a rental(which I had to pay for- Land Rover does not offer loaners) more than the rover in winter (thats why I brought it!)out of room....

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  the best - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By robert johnson - May 17 - 10:00 am

  the best suv on the market so far, considering value, performance and prestige

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  THE BEST - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By bigpoppeer - May 14 - 10:00 am

  The best car I ever drove!

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  ***REPAIR NIGHTMARES*** - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By mail4kwa - May 8 - 10:00 am

  I have spent the past week in a 2004 Freelander as a loaner while my 2002 was being repaired. 2002 1)Front brakes pads at 25k and 37K 2)Front brake rotars were warped and cracked 3)Ill fitting rear door squeeks 4)HDC & TC lights always on 5)All brake lights "went out" for a week 6)Rear windshield wiper has seizures 7)Front windshield wiper jets broken 8)Seatbelt warning lights on all the time I could go on but Ill stop 2004 While driving back to dealership, realized HDC&TC lights on...discovered that brake lights where on during the entire week! Yes! And it had less than 800 miles! CRAP!!!!!

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  range rover - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By IICHILL4U - May 8 - 10:00 am

  This is by far the greatest truck ever built!!!!! It combines ruggedness and luxury in a package unparalelled by any other vehichle on the planet!!! Land Rover only makes SUVs so theres no surprise that they reign supreme in this market. Land Rover put it best. Not A. The.