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:

• 

  Its me, I just enjoy driving it... - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By Brian Bisgood - June 1 - 10:00 am

  Its a great SUV, if I had wanted a plush interior I would have bought a diferrent Moel.

• 

  bad car - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By david mckinney - June 1 - 10:00 am

  after two years of owership the motor and trans are shot

• 

  Love my Land Rover!!! - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By kait - June 1 - 10:00 am

  This car is awesome. Fun to drive, good stereo, love the 2 sunroofs, comfortable ride, plenty of cargo room, and easily pulls my horse trailer with 2 large horses. Very poor fuel economy and also brakes sometimes lock in snowy/icy conditions.

• 

  Overpriced - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Primal28 - May 29 - 10:43 am

  I began having problems immediately after purchasing the vehicle. The most dangerous problem was the lunging and hesitation (dealership claims it was a software / programming issue). I have experienced near death 5 times now! The navigation, radio, blue tooth & voice recognition malfunctioned and some were never repaired, just disconnected by the dealership. The car was lemon-lawed (hauled off on a flatbed trailer 3 weeks ago) and I still have not received my settlement payment as Land Rover has conveniently misplaced the paperwork. Im still making $1,000 a month car payments and riding a bicycle around town.

• 

  Caveat emptor - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By CH - May 29 - 10:00 am

  This is a high-maintenance vehicle that has lots of gizmos that go out of whack and are hard to get serviced. The commitment of the company to you after they have cashed your check is minimal. You better love the design and flexibility of the vehicle, and I mean really love it, because the problems, potential and actual, are many, and youre mostly on your own.

• 

  Best Luxury SUV - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Range HSE - May 20 - 1:20 pm

  The Range Rover combines great performance, style and capability. Especially the quality of the interior and the sound of the Harman Kardon system are unmatched by any other luxury SUV. Back seat passengers love the heated rear seats in the wintertime. The bluetooth telephone system connected easily with my iPhone and provided good call clarity (people are mostly unaware that Im speaking with them on the handsfree system). I have found the Range Rover to be surprisingly agile. The cornering ability is impressive for such a large SUV. Driving around town I usually average between 14mpg-15mpg (this is with no highway driving).

• 

  New LR4 LUX LOVE THIS SUV! - 2010 Land Rover LR4
  By vimal1970 - May 17 - 12:03 pm

  I drove up from Virginia Beach to Richmond VA on 11/7/09 and bought a LR4 LUX. We just had a bad Noreaster here in Virginia Beach, I can say that the LR4 made us more comfortable driving through the heavy rains and floods. LR4 was for my kids and wifes safety...over the low mpg. The kids and wife were able to see everything and clearly. The ride is amazing...I am glad I bought this over the Q7, GL- 450/320, LX470. A very well thought out car with seating for 7 adults. If you are planning to buy Land Rover in mid-atlantic...Go to Richmond Land Rover.I am already looking into a possible 2011 Range Rover for the wife so I can get her LR4 for myself next year.

• 

  Too Mnay Problems - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By martman99 - May 17 - 6:00 am

  This was Land Rovers supposed entry-level vehicle for their "premium" line of autos. Have yet to get that "premium" feel. Too many electrical and engine problems and now there appears to be a transmission issue with this car although we have kept up with the maintenance. Additionally, the dealership is NOT owned by Land Rover and they are less than helpful. Land Rover, NAs customer service dept has to be one of the worst I have had the opportunity to deal with in my 30 years of buying and maintaining cars. DO NOT buy a used Freelander - You WILL regret it!

• 

  Car Saved My Life - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Nat Lee - May 16 - 9:23 pm

  I loved my freelander! I had my freelander for 6 months until somebody backended me on the highway going 85 mph., that being said this car saved me without a scratch. This car was definitly sturdy and very fun to drive. The only problem i had with the car was a big warranty issue- nobody wanted to warranty because the price of parts is high, that is what i have heard, however i never had any problems with parts or the way it ran.

• 

  graet truck - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By John - May 10 - 10:13 pm

  Great Truck, Kids love the sun roofs, Quiet as you drive down the highway at 80. It goes through mud, rivers, snow and the country club to golf with four full sized men and their bags. Great truck