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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  Night mare - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Budu - February 20 - 10:00 am

  I have spent over $12,000 on this car, $7,500 of which at a dealership to fix the engine, with no luck. Then the transmission broke down and that took another $4,000. It has been out for less than 200 miles and the service engine light is on. This car is so lovable but such a nightmare. Are there new model engines and transmissions that can work on this 2002 Freelander?

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  Like Lemons? Youll Love Freelanders! - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By Alex - February 12 - 7:03 pm

  Computer/electrical problems right off the bat. HCD light keeps coming on (very bad sign) and engine sputtering. In the shop 4 times in less than 2 months. Left stranded 2 times in freezing weather - dead as a door nail. Horrible brakes, slides bad. Head room for people under 3 (three) feet tall. Land Rover road-side service is undependable - took 4 hrs to show up. Radio is grainy and weak. CD player/ radio has broken twice. Leather/door fabric gets dirty very easily and does not clean up well. Problems with Freelander range from serious safety issues to the unbelievably annoying. My 1997 Altima had less trouble. Shouldve bought a Honda CRV! Trading this piece of junk in next week. $27,000 mistake!

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  Please dont repeat my mistake! - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By SherryFM - January 12 - 8:53 pm

  Please read this. You dont deserve to endure what Ive endured over 1.5 years. Ive had the entire fuel assembly replaced; the entire air compressor suspension replaced; the air bag assembly replaced; the radio (twice) and the inside of the rear tires are bald while the outside are in fine shape, due to a major suspension design flaw. It now lives in the garage until my lease is up (I rent cars to travel for my job.)

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  Land Rover Freelander - Nightmare... - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By DrHudson - January 3 - 11:03 am

  I love this car, but I know the service department employees by name. There has been nothing but trouble with this car since the day I bought it. The cooling system has broken 4 times. The F4 F4 F4 Transmission error has recently appeared and the dealership is quoting over $7,000.00 to repair. I have spent over $15,000.00 in repairs on the vehicle and there is no end in sight as to repairs that are still to come. The average repair done by the dealership cost upwards of $500.00. I have never got out of the dealership with a bill less than $500.00 and that was for replacing a small coolant hose that one day just exploded into several hundred pieces. I have basically rebuilt the cooling system