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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  Elegant Beast - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Arizona Chariot - May 9 - 4:46 am

  I purchased a new 2010 Range Rover after looking at every high end SUV on the market. This is my second Range Rover and the workmanship and quality of the materials are outstanding. This is a truly elegant beast. I live and drive in Arizona where the roads and climate can be very harsh and challenging. I now have over 1,300 miles with NO problems. This is one of if not the best and most comfortable vehicle I have owned. It is a far cry from my previous Rover, Benz, Porsche or BMW SUVs, all great vehicles. This new 2010 Rover is clearly in a class of its own. The electronics are fantastic. Kind of reminds me a little of the avionics panel in my airplane. The Jaguar engine has great power.

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  My personal warning to all - 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By carguy951 - May 5 - 10:37 pm

  Warning to all Evoque owners Will let me start by saying that Im 38 years old and have gone through about 37 cars already due to my love for cars , However I have never experienced such poor service then land rover.The major problem that we experienced was due to the shifter malfunction causing the car to engage in gear and running into my parked Car. Range rover had found 3 fault codes and replaced the electronic gear shifter.After calling range rover they are refusing to pay for damages and my demand of replacing the car. This car could have killed someone and they just dont seem to care . This was my 1st and last Land Rover I will every own.

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  Very poor service - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Deo - May 5 - 10:12 am

  There was a problem in my rrs brake and we reported on the 2nd week we got the car. However, dealer and land rover never treat it seriously and always tried to push it away. Dealer is smart, they made the first record in their system right after the brake is out of warranty. Although they promise to replace it for us in October 2016 and now they say we need to do it on our own. Stay away with this cheap brand. Shame on you!

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  Pleasantly supprised - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By dukesush - May 3 - 6:48 am

  Recently purchased a used Freelander and we are very pleased with it. Very sharp looking exterior. Very fun to drive, especially in sport mode. We perform all recomended maintenance on schedule, which I gather is vital with the Freelanders and it has given us no issues. The stock audio system is the best sounding Ive heard in a ten year old vehicle. We are getting good fuel milage too, about 23 MPG.

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  What a nightmare! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Ronda - April 30 - 3:46 pm

  Dont be fooled by the Land Rover name or how the truck drives. These things are a nightmare. I had a gasket replaced at 80000 miles and it seems that I was one of the lucky ones to have mine last that long. I have been told that eventually I will need a new motor. The truck drives great in the snow and will turn heads driving down the road. That is if you can keep it out of the shop long enough to enjoy it. Buyer beware!

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  Junk - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By shamfam - April 20 - 8:10 pm

  My husband and I have had our Freelander for almost 4 years. Two weeks after we got it, it stalled leaving me and my then 1 year old stranded. That was the first engine problem. Then we had three recalls, child safety lock on passenger side door, brake light and gas cap. We have had a ticking noise for over a year and for some reason the dealership mechanics cant seem to find out what it is. Mind you this was before the warranty was up. Now after the warranty has expired, they tell us we need a new engine! Weve had numerous problems! The leaking of coolant that has now leaked into the engine oil, the resevoir has been replaced among many many other things. This car is nothing but junk

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  LR is the best 4x4xFAR - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By jahman - April 19 - 10:00 am

  The steering was very tight when new but is loosning as it passes 7k. The salesman and I did doughnuts in a dry parking lot... try that in any other truck. LR service is top notch. It is making some vibration in the rear when turning, dealer says it is traction control, but im not too sure when it happens at low speeds ie: pulling into a parking spot. Overall I love the little Rover. I cant wait to get a bigger one.

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  Shes a beast! - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By RoadRunnerTX - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Overall, I am very pleased with my 03 Disco SE. It adopted the 2002 Range Rovers silky 4.6L engine, and is as powerful as it sounds. Shifting is smooth and quality-sounding. Sharp- looking inside and out. With a skilled driver and without ACE, it still corners remarkably well. Surprisingly quick acceleration - very deceptive at stoplights. :) Plows through heavy rain, puddles and soft sand like a hot knife through butter. Will pull anything you can think of, yet is refined enough to shame the H2. Very easy to park. Looks like a box, but is as nimble as a sedan.

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  Good Ride - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Fast Eddie - April 17 - 9:50 am

  I own a new LR3 and enjoy the ride qualities of this SUV, very smooth and quiet. On the freeway it seems a bit sluggish but once up to speed it really holds its own and again the ride is very smooth. I have had some issues with the check engine light coming on and off, make sure you screw the gas cap on snuggly the MILS system is very sensitive and this will cause the engine light to come on. One thing to be leery of is the vehicle only takes super unleaded (91 octane) that is a huge chuck out of your wallet with the price of fuel, the dealer will not tell you this. Overall I do enjoy driving and owning the LR3.

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  Favorite vehicle to date! - 2008 Land Rover LR3
  By Barry - April 15 - 10:36 pm

  This is the first vehicle Ive owned that I actually like the more I drive it. I use it for every-day driving, hunting in EXTREME off-road conditions and even towing my 22 ski boat every now and then. I own many vehicles including off-road 4x4 trucks and Ive found the capabilities of the LR3 are MUCH better than the pickups for hunting - and way more comfortable! Driving horizontally on steep hillsides is unbelievably comfortable due to the air-suspension self- levelling system. This is my first Land Rover product but I think Im going to ditch the 08 Lexus and replace it with the 09 Range Rover for the "family" vehicle.