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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  Lemon - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Larry Goodman - July 18 - 2:00 am

  Bought the car 2003 in june of 2002. We had problems from the start. Replaced engine, resealed all windows and hydrolic problems. The car was found to be a lemon and was replaced by Land Rover. We received a new a new 2004 on Dec. 23 2003. We are now having the same problems as before. The hydrolic system has put the car in the shop for the last week. While the dealership has been acceptable the quality of the SUV has not.

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  Totally disappointed - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Totally disappointed - July 16 - 5:43 pm

  I loved the looks of the SUV. But the maintenance is terrible. New brakes and Rotors at 22,000? Never before in a vehicle Have I had this happen and then New tires needed at 28,000. I was Told that I got the average life out of brakes and Max out of Tires. I had problems with air noise and with the front end steering from day one. I have traded car for BMW that has showed me a Rover is not the way to GO. Very disappointed in the up-keep of this SUV. Glad to no longer be an owner of this SUV.

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  manager - 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport
  By rao patel - July 15 - 10:54 pm

  i took to dealer two times. to find shifting problem couldnot find any thing. problem still there. blaming software. somany years driving of different model manufacturer i donot recomend to own land rover discovery.

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  Dont be fooled - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Toyotas From Now On - July 7 - 12:13 pm

  This was my first and last experience with Range Rover! If you want to throw your money away, this is your brand. Do your homework before you get caught in the hype of Range Rover. Ive owned numerous SUVs (Mercedes, BMW, Land Cruiser etc.)and this brand is truly "tall hat-no cattle!" Never purchase this brand without a thorough pre-inspection by a certified Rover mechanic. Get to know him well because you will be helping put his kids through college! Youve just met your new best friend. The ride quality and rugged good looks are the only redeeming characteristics that stands out to me. Toyota/Lexus is your stand-out best-choice every day of the week.

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  2004 Review and response to - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By DONN - July 7 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my 2004 Range Rover in April and I could not be happier with it. As a car enthusiast, I have had many fine automobiles including the 2002 Toyota Landcruiser which I traded in for the RR. In response to the ill informed "M Waldner, re. Garbage", I would not put all that much consideration into an article written with words that are not in the English language, ie. sfter & suspenion. The Range Rover is an excellent vehicle given its BMW roots which have provided it with significantly increased reliability and performance. The only drawback I have been able to find is with the navigation system which I would rate as poor.

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  Transmission & Radiator Issues Beware - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Mpanico2004RR - July 3 - 9:10 pm

  For anyone buying a pre owned 2003-2005 Range Rover HSE, make sure that the radiator issues in the past have been corrected. They fail and the electronic thermostat does not sense the overheating. Thus, the radiator fails and the transmission overheats with zero warning. Over time, the tranny 50K on will eventually fail and cost you thousands to repair. We are a loyal RR family owned 2 and one saved our friends life in a head on accident. But, Land Rover North America has zero loyalty back after your cars warranty expires. Even though you may have had chronic complaints about issues they can not resolve, after that warranty expires and things eventually fail, they say sorry. Terrible!

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  Brakes,rough shift, poor low speed drive - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By n. butler - July 3 - 1:10 pm

  From day 1, the brakes have groaned, squealed and gushed. A soft pedal feel. The car lurches into gear at low speeds and the feel is that of sliding into gear with a jerk. I am always concious of it. The dealership says it is the feel of this car. It gives me cause for concern and is not a comfortable drive. I am very unhappy with these conditions.

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  We hate our 04 Discovery - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Nothing But Problems - July 2 - 10:00 am

  We have had our Rover for six months with 8 trips to the dealer for problems. When buying this new vehicle we thought we would never have so much difficulty. We would not suggest for anyone to purchase one. By far the worse vehicle we have ever had. The dealership has done nothing to help the situation.

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  Better than ever? - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By LR318 - July 2 - 10:00 am

  Just got back from the Debut Night at the local Land Rover Dealership. The build quality seems incredible. The "Door Test" (see how sturdy the car is made based upon the sound made when the door is slammed shut) passed with fly colors. The car is so sturdy, it is so quiet and the materials seem to be top notch. I felt so safe in that car, even when the 300 HP kicked in, 80 mph in that car needs no hesitation. All the important buttons of AC/Heat,Radio, NAV, and other functions were within reach from driver seat, plenty of cup holders (I counted 10).Room of a minivan, capability of more than any other SUV, and I would not hesitate to trade my Discovery in for one of these! Yeah its that good!

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  My Cell Plays Better Audio - 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Tee - June 29 - 12:54 pm

  WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!!! This is my very first Range Rover. I decided to give it a shot since I was tired of the QX80s size. I ordered my 2016 Range Rover Sports SE and did not upgrade the audio system because I did not think the standard radio will be that bad. I am not an audiophile and I listen mainly to the Enya station on Pandora, classicals and Jazz. My vehicle was delivered to me last week. What a shock!!! My Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge produces a better bass sound quality that the piece of worthless stuff they put in the vehicle and called speakers. The enjoyability of a ride is always complimented by the rides audio system. This is such a disappointment!!! All the false buzz about the meridian speakers sound on the range rover is plain total baloney. I am so disappointed and I am now thinking of selling the car. Also, the entire incontrol app is total nonsense. There is no usable app amongst the 6 or 7 apps thereon. The horrible audio and incontrol app system aside, the car drives well. Its a Range Rover!