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 - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Dan - February 11 - 8:53 am

  I have really enjoyed the LR2. I have 1800 miles on it so far. I own 2 other SUVs and an Audi. This is the most fun to drive. Many positive comments from people of all ages. Smooth drive, great stereo (even without tech) and the headlights are super.

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  My first SUV - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By jamesr717 - February 10 - 10:00 am

  Its my first SUV, and Im delighted with the choice! Great dealership, and an even better deal. Went ahead in spite of some lukewarm reviews, and Im glad I did. It has enough power to get out of its own way. It looks and feels sturdy, and is unique enough to turn heads. The Land Rover cashe is a bonus as well. Rides fine on the highway, and gets far better gas mileage than expected. I get 27mpg on the highway (70mph - Cruise on - A/C off) Interior, even with the leather option, is a bit spartan for a vehicle with such a "luxury" reputation. Do they really need so many "Land Rover" badges?

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  Mine is ok - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By azetterm1 - February 10 - 9:10 am

  After reading a lot of negative reviews on-line about the Freelander I decided to purchase one anyway, figuring that most people that wright reviews do so because they have had a problem. I was right, I have had my Land Rover for 6 months now with no problems except a dead battery, which is normal after 6 years. I checked the carfax report before I purchased the vehicle and there were no issues in the past. Some common problems that I read online were brake issues, thou I have not had any problems I upgraded the brakes anyway just to be on the safe side. Brakes warp because of heat, so I added slotted brake rotors which improve ventilation and ceramic pads which create less heat and dust.

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  Best Car Ive Every Owned - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By jerrocopter - February 10 - 5:45 am

  Weve had our "hippo" since 2005 and purchased it with only 12k miles on it. We now have over 110k and weve loved driving every mile with this SUV. We did a lot of research before we made the purchase and knew about the many problems that others have reported with this vehicle, but we have been so pleased with the reliability and fun-ness of the Freelander. We have not experienced any of the frequent problems that are reported. Neither my wife or I take very good care of the mechanics of our cars. We usually go 10-15k between oil changes, weve never changed the transmission fluid, and sparkplugs were replaced for the first time at 95k. It still runs great and is very reliable.

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  2006 Range Rover - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By two time owner - February 4 - 7:40 pm

  Excellent SUV, if you are looking for the best SUV on the road the Range Rover is it. This is my second Range Rover and it does not disappoint. Compared to the Lexus, and BMW it is the better vehicle and the dealership stands behind the service from delivery to service.

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  rover is the best suv yet - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Cargirl - February 4 - 10:00 am

  This is a gorgeous car inside and out. it is very comfortable as it has 14 settings for the drivers seat. i have a bad back so this is wonderful. i have had the bmw x5, the jeep cherokee,the toyota runner and nothing compares. this is real class with energy.

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  damn good four wheel drive - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By RSPARKDOG - February 4 - 10:00 am

  i was off roading with some H2s, they couldnt hold a candle to my Discovery, i highly recommend driving one before buying any other SUV

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  Every day Tank - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Warwick Dales - February 3 - 4:03 pm

  This vehicle is only comparable to a Sherman Tank when looking at its off road capability.Been very impressed at what its got me through and out of.To be honest most of the places i thought only mad or insane people would get through,ive saunted through with this vehicle.Fuel consumption is the only hindrance,otherwise good to look at and my wife looks hot in it!

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  Fun to drive plus much more - 2008 Land Rover LR3
  By kdflyer - February 1 - 11:43 pm

  Great vehicle, went from a fully loaded Toyota 4runner to LR3 and after way to many years in a Toyota found something more fun, limited owner group and great dealer support. I recommend changing tires to standard SUV tires and watch fuel economy go up by 1 - 2 miles per gallons and better ride and longer life. Put 2 extra pounds of pressure in tire and she really sails down the interstate. 3rd row is awesome design compared to everything else in this class. Looking forward to the LR4. Trade off from the Toyota is better space, better visibility and after changing tires better fuel economy. Drawbacks is number of dealers but quality has been great.

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  Silence is Golden - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By David Harland - January 31 - 12:46 pm

  This is a great car that I bought on the strength of the previous model. Its a great car ALL round, more economical than the 4.o ltr, faster and more stable with a host of features. One dissapointment, its noisier than the old model and more raunchy. Im sure lots of people like the throaty sound under acceleration but personally Id prefer a silent car in this class