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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  You get what you pay for. - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By M.M. - November 9 - 10:50 am

  This is my 2nd Discovery and I have gotten what I paid for with both, a very capable on and off road vehicle, with great benefits in the fact that it is weighty and stable. I got out of a Dodge 2500HD diesel 4x4 crew cab into this and was looking for something substantial, and found it in the Discovery. I have had no major service issues. The "command position" seating is great because you can see almost everything. I feel very safe hauling around my precious cargo in the Discovery and would buy another. Dont get it if you are looking for good gas mileage, that isnt what these were built for.

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  Great Little SUV w/traction - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By redmiata2 - November 9 - 2:00 am

  Love this cars handling as I drive in the rain almost every day. Note: spare tire mounting does impact rear view visibility. Corners well, accelerates adequately.

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  The Best SUV Ive Ever Owned - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Ms. E. - November 9 - 2:00 am

  More spacious and comfortable than a GX470 Lexus. I was really impressed at the quality and ride of this SUV. Ive been a long time Lexus owner and decided to switch after driving this vehicle. It is a dream.

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  There is a reason its called a Rover - 2000 Land Rover Range Rover
  By rangeit4444 - November 4 - 4:03 pm

  There is a reason its called a Rover because its a dog! Love the styling, but the reliability is horrible, resale value is pretty much zero. The electronics are so far outdated and the interior is still way behind others in the same class. I would never buy one again. We thought our 745li was bad on reliability, but this thing is horrible. Run and run very fast to something else. We traded it in for a loaded Lexus SUV and gosh what a difference! Talk about creature comforts, yet still have towing and off road capabilities. The 745li is going to be dumped for a Lexus soon.

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  1 year and going strong - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Rick - October 27 - 7:13 pm

  I have had my Tambora Flame LR2 for just over 1 year now. I have had no problems with my vehicle at all. I still get lots of positive comments about its looks. The only time my vehicle has been in the shop has been for scheduled maintenance and 1 moonroof recall. I am still impressed with all the standard equipment for the price and still very impressed with the ride and comfort for a compact SUV.

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  Love the LR3 - 2007 Land Rover LR3
  By grampulla - October 26 - 3:23 am

  Great car if youre buying it for the right reasons and not for a soccer mom/dad car. Might want to look elsewhere for that but if youre looking for an SUV that will support and active outdoors lifestyle or haul around 7 adults with no problem then this is your vehicle. I owned a 2000 Disco which I loved to hate but still decieded to take a chance on the LR3 and so far I am happy I did. Being a LR I did buy the extended warranty to 7yr/100000 and well see how it goes. Rear seats fold down completely flat and allow me to put up to 4-5 bikes in the back of the vehicle. I mounted fork mounts in the rear seats and now my bikes stay put.

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  range rover - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By westminister - October 26 - 2:13 am

  I had used ordinary land rovers almost 20 years ago and finally decided to go to the top of the line in this family and that was Range Rover Westminster limited edition. The car turned out to be exactly what can be expected of its performance, ride, stability, safety and speed. I did not have any high expectations of fuel efficiency. When you use a car like this, you are not concerned about fuel efficiency. But, I have been pleasantly surprised with my experience of getting 14 to 15 mpg in city driving and 18+ for highway driving (in spite of high speed and full blown air conditioning use).

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  great veh... - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By tstid - October 25 - 6:20 pm

  jsut purchased this month...great veh...owned ml, lexus...they dont compare...cant compare...the lr3 is in a league all by itself....roomy interior, great feel at the wheel...takes curves wtih a breeze...does well in crosswind and is very quite...true off road...looking for a true suv...it is the lr3

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  One Big Problem - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By amf - October 25 - 4:10 am

  Big Problem : This is our familys third Land Rover. A Discovery in 1994, another Discovery in 1998. We loved them both and loved our Service Manager. We needed more power to pull a trailer, so in December we took delivery of a fabulous LR3, V8, HSE. Fabulous except for one thing that makes driving, especially long distance driving, really miserable: the driver (and front passenger) headrest is slanted forward at a really uncomfortable angle. No matter where the seat itself is positioned, the headrest is tilted so that the drivers neck is bent forward; it is impossible to sit up straight and have your back, neck, and head rest comfortably. Check this out before you buy or lease !!!

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  Awful Reliability - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By DisgustedNSF - October 25 - 4:06 am

  I am the unfortunate owner of a 2003 Land Rover Discovery that I purchased new in August of 2003. Since the vehicle was first placed into service, the vehicle has been the most unreliable, frustrating and irritatingly expensive vehicle I have ever come across, let alone own. Although the vehicle is only 5-1/2 years old with approximately 78,000 miles, it is worth no more than the market value for its scrap metal due to its habitual mechanical failures.Despite religious maintenance, the mechanical failures have included: Rear-end differential failure at 30,000 miles; Power window failure at 55,000 miles; Blown head gasket at 55,000 miles; cracked engine block at 78,000 miles.