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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  Fun to Drive - - - When Not In the Shop - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Colt45 - April 14 - 3:46 pm

  My LR3 has spent more time on the road than on the road - - 3 weeks so far. (With 2 weeks parked while on vacation, and 2 weeks actual driving it.) - - There was paint peeling from the front bumper and the nav system isnt working properly. My local dealer has been excellent. Im hoping LR will figure out whats wrong. I enjoy driving the LR3 during those times Ive had it on the road. Sigh, maybe itll be out of the shop by next week - - Week 4.

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  2002 HSE Freelander - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By gallaghp2 - April 8 - 10:00 am

  Many reviews I have read have really been about the build quality and the service. Going along these lines, the one thing you have to remember is you pay a higher price for being exclusive. Added to that is the additional service cost every - 3K, 12K and 24K etc. This SUV is best for the room inside and the smallness on the outside.

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  recall on goodyear tires - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By steven y - April 8 - 10:00 am

  less than 10500 miles I had to go to dealer for repair of leaky windshield twice and I just learned there is recall from Goodyear tires due to cupping of the tires.Cupping means uneven tread wear causing one side of tire to swell.

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  10:12 - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By Chris Harvey - April 7 - 9:50 pm

  Excellent engine, body, and interior features. Strong acceleration, smooth ride. Sunroof in good position. Agile on turns, good acceleration.

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  LR3 - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Gary Alzona - April 5 - 4:43 pm

  This is a fantastic vehicle. Very smooth and solid especially when during harsh road condition. I have nothing but praise for this vehicle. Very enjoyable to drive every day.

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  dont purchase... read on - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By jay - March 30 - 12:53 am

  Ive had my Range Rover for 5 years now, and have had nothing but problems for the last 2 years. Its to the point Im just waiting to see what will break next. Air Suspension went out last month, Steering column adjustment went out last week. Various exterior pieces - left headlamp assembly, side air vent, and tag light are all falling off or the plastic holding it together has broken. Oh yea, reservoir tank cracked 3 months ago and the front end differential broke last year. My family is actually afraid to drive the thing for fear of when it will break down again ( the differential went out on vacation to TN from FL., Dont expect Range Rover to fix out of warranty - 5 yrs. for $80000

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  disappointment - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover
  By alex - March 23 - 10:13 pm

  three friends have this vehicle and have been disappointed with how many things have gone wrong in so short a time. programming and electrical issues prevail. cameras do not function properly.

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  LR3 Hard on Gas Mileage but great vehicl - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Lilly - March 23 - 10:56 am

  Bad gas mileage.But I love the car. Rides nice and operates well. The back up detection system is nice. Nice Ride, smooth.

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  Unreliable Slug - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By Wakes - March 22 - 10:44 am

  I purchased my Evoque new in February 2015. Since the vehicle was purchased it has had a software update (at 1200 miles) for the transmission to improve performance. Then the check engine light came on at approximately 2K miles. Turned out to be a faulty sensor that took several days to repair, due to part being unavailable. On August 1st, while in traffic the transmission froze up and the vehicle rapidly decelerated with the dashboard warning indicating "Gear Box Failure", resulting in the vehicle being towed. Land Rover corporate claims they have since resolved the problem with another software update, however I have not had the opportunity to drive the car yet-33 days later. While the dealership was addressing another issue- freeze up problem with the touch screen interface; the computer module blew out. After 33 days the part has finally come in. The transmission on this vehicle is very sluggish in the lower gears, and power is very limited from a stop position, which makes pulling out into traffic a challenge. I really would love to recommend this vehicle, but the amount of problems and poor transmission and acceleration make this a poor and hazardous vehicle to own. It does get good mileage, when working. I have never experienced a new vehicle with so many issues in such a short period. Land Rover Corporates attitude has been less than overwhelming. Extremely disappointed in the vehicle and the corporation.

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  Great Looks, HORRIBLE TRANSMISSION - 2013 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By cgallen - March 21 - 7:05 pm

  I got the Dynamic because I liked its sportier looks, but I cannot get over how much I HATE the transmission programming. Around 30 mph if you are maintaing speed in traffic and give it just a little gas, it drops a gear, jumps the rpms to 3000, the turbo kicks in, you yank your foot back off and try to slowly accelerate. HORRIBLE, especially for a >$60k vehicle. I have never had a more jerky ride, and it is making me hate this vehicle. And on top of that, my tail lights filled with condensation after the first car wash. 6 months later, I am still waiting for the "new improved ones coming out in 2014." Kind of ruins that look of quality and prestige...