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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  Absolutely Great.....ITS A TRUCK!!! - 2001 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Andy/M - April 24 - 2:30 am

  The best looking SUV by far, and the most comfortable seating position of any vehicle Ive sat in (someone over 61"). It is not a sports car, but you definately OWN THE ROAD. The interior design is quirky/different which is what I like about it. All materials are solid/ heavy/ luxurious. No plastic or "designed style". This is minimalistic, but quality styling. I got a 2001 leftover for less than a Navigator, Escalade or now even prices on high-end Yukons! Price? No COMPARISON!

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  Ruff Rider - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By "LANA ROVA" - April 7 - 10:36 pm

  Im at 150,000 Km and am finding that every few months Im having to spend a couple of hundred dollars on repairs. But I absolutely love my Disco! I read all of the reviews out there before I bought it (so I knew what to expect but decided I didnt care). Something about these you either love em or hate em. Just make sure you take into consideration the high cost of maintenance on this vehicle in conparison to an American or Japanese vehicle. As for the style or ability, there is nothing else like it out there.I hate all of these bubble crossovers. Bottom line Ive had my truck for almost 3 years and still look forward to getting inside and driving around town especially in the snow.

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  Great Small SUV - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By maxwell - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Because of a long commute it was time to get rid of the big SUV in favor of a smaller one. I shopped everything -- domestics, RAV4s, Honda Element, Honda CRV, and others but nothing came close to the feel of the Land Rover. Having owned a Range Rover I was skepticle -- it was inexpensive and I was worried about quality. Since Ive had the vehicle I have had only one minor problem (a window bolt that needed tightening). The service is excellent, the vehicle rides wonderful and solid. It really is a Land Rover in small form... Ive driven it from MA to FL and back, and have not had one issue. Great vehicle.

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  me and my Discovery (love it hate it) - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Ken - March 5 - 12:33 am

  Always wanted a Land Rover I have admired them since forever. My land Rover is love/hate relationship. The thing cant go more than 6 months without need for a trip to the dealer, most of the time it is for something minor. My rover loves to gulp gas even on highway trip if Im lucky I might get 14 mpg (avg speed 66 mph). Ergonomics poor, off road performance way better than great. Snow, mud, water no problem. I purchased it with the older style nav system, which after the $700.00 cost Land Rover decided not to make map upgrade DVD disks for up dating. Great they have rendered the system useless as for up to the date maps and such, thanks Land Rover.

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  Almost Perfect - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By jmr1967 - March 4 - 8:50 pm

  The build quality is great, and I have had no problems wiht the car over two years and 25000 miles. Great for road tripping, being stuck in LA traffic, or a moderately spirited drive on some country roads. Plenty of power, competent off road (yes I really have taking it off road), and it can pull my Defender 90 on a trailer.

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  I think I bought a lemon - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By DLW - February 27 - 9:43 am

  I loved my LR2 so much, until numerous electrical issues, having to get it towed twice, $900.00 break jobs. The car looks great inside and out, but I have had nothing but problems with it and it is exceptionally expensive to service. Even oil changes...can only be done by the dealer. I would not recommend this car, unless you have a lot of expendable income you would like to blow on service issues!

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  Nice but fickle - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By bayviewwilliams - February 19 - 10:26 am

  Bad weather of any kind, this LR did not put one wrong foot forward. I also thought the Freelander was handsome, and unique among all the RAV4s and CR-Vs. The gas mileage for a small ute was appalling. Some niggling problems with LR, even covered under warranty, were an inconvenience. $100 oil changes made me sick-a workaday Rover 2.5 V-6 really needs synthetic oil from new? If you need to be unique, go ahead but be warned. Otherwise, keep looking!

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  Range Rover Autobiography Surprises - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover
  By baron58 - February 13 - 9:05 pm

  Last year I bought a R/R Autobiography. Stornaway Grey with Ivory hide/black stitched and Piano Black wood........and what a car! Land Rover have produced the 4WD Bentley. The overall finish is amazing, perfect paint, near perfect body shut-lines. Not Lexus-like but amazingly close.......and this is a Range Rover!! The 4.2l supercharged V8 is superb, the ZF auto brilliant. Ride excellent although a bit of body roll due to weight and high c of g. Does not handle as well as the Sport. Ride comfort and silence at all speeds and road surfaces is world class. High spec level for this model in Australia leaves nothing to be desired. At Au$230,000 Land Rovers pricing is over the top.

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  Transmission Fault - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Eric - February 13 - 8:06 am

  With less than 500 miles on my LR3 a hose to the transmission cooler came loose and left the car stranded on the side of the road.

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  Grate SUV - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Emad - February 11 - 2:13 pm

  This SUV is the best I ever had, its fun to drive, comfartable and looks nice.