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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  A vehicle for an active lifestyle - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By supereks - January 8 - 6:50 am

  I bought one of the first vehicles that made it over the Atlantic in late 2001. Just returned from another trip to the New England mountains in the winter. The Freelander is an all- weather vehicle that feels safe in all conditions as long as the tires are new or relatively little worn. Would not try to climb any rocks with this little SUV, but any kind of mud, snow or even shallow water is no obstacle. Strongly recommend rubber floor mats, trunk plastic cover and covers for seats. The vehicle has its problems with quality of manufacturing/reliability (numerous problems were minor, only one left it immobile for a prolonged period due to a problem with delivery of a specific spare part).

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  Good Little Rover - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Unforgiven82 - January 8 - 6:46 am

  I must say that the 03 Freelander is a great little car. With regular maintenance and checking of the fluids we have not had a bit of problems with it. Remember to check the water monthly, it runs quite abit hotter than the normal American Brands. We have not had any problems with ours it currently has 84,000 miles on it, and no major problems besides regular maintenance. Note that Land rover did Recall the fuel module and a stop light sensor and replaced/is required to have them replaced free of charge to us. Great Sporty little car! Ensure that dealer fully informs the buyer of the dos and donts. Dealers like their money/mechanical fees so be sure to ask your questions before buying.

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  Way Better Than Expected - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Zev - January 7 - 6:40 pm

  Have only had it for a week so not much to go on yet, but my first impressions are: one of the best drives out there - seating position is very good and i am an XL size. I had driven the full size Range and the Sport - loved the inside on the full size but this drives so much better - it really drives like a world class sports car.

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  I LOVE MY NEW RR - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Nautictalk - January 7 - 1:26 pm

  I had some terrific cars in the past. I originally bought a MB convertible. But when my son got a RR, I had to have one too. It is so refined in everyway, and is lightyears from a 1996 model I once owned. Its fun and comfortable. I had one minor squeak which was fixed in 5min at the dealership. I really baby this car. When BMW made this car, they knew what they were doing. I hope Ford doesnt screw it up. In my opinion, and for panache, the RR is more impressive than the Lexus and more fun to drive. Drives surprisingly smooth. They could do a bit better with the rear storage. Buy it and you wont be sorry.

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  Best of the Best - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Faisal Farooq - January 5 - 10:40 pm

  I traded in my Escalade ESV for this RR Sport. I just love it. Better Ergonomics, much better quality and handling.

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  Bullet proof - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Jim D - January 2 - 9:16 am

  I bought two for my business. Both have had zero issues. Handling not as sharp as my old FX35 but the car feels a lot more expensive.

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  Hands Down Best Luxury SUV - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By RoverEnthusiasts - January 1 - 7:10 am

  The ride is superb and very, very comfortable. Air suspension further enhances the feeling. No problems since the purchase date, and still rolling problem free. Off-road, the Range Rover performs as if it were a military jeep, effortlessly crossing downed trees and mud ruts. The gorgeous interior and jazzy exterior and mountain-goat like off roading abilities is worth the admission price of $70,000+(new)

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  Outstanding - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Peter - December 29 - 12:13 am

  Wonderful ownership experience thus far. Was skeptical about purchasing because of historical reliability ratings. I have been very pleased with the performance and quality of this vehicle. No problems at all thus far. On of the best handling SUVs out there and acceleration/stopping power is superb. Great off road (put some Nokians on for winter and off road use). For a perfect blend of performance, styling and off road capability, this is the best offering available, in my humble opinion.

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  AMAZING - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By tmoney - December 23 - 10:00 am

  this is the most amazing, not to mention best looking suv i have ever owned. I had a jeep grand cherokee for many years but when the lease ran out and i saw the range i knew i had to have it, and i will never regret that decision.

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  On my 2nd Disco - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Dr Ralph Krutulis - December 22 - 1:43 am

  I am on my second Discovery ( the 1st was a 1996 Disco I). This one is #141 of the limited Camels Cup G4 Series. The machine shows the influence of the BMW design team; it goes a lot faster, a lot quicker, but seems less stable in snow withstock tires. The addition of Nokian SUV tires improves the traction markedly. It was one of the few SUVs that I can put my portable clinic in, and still have room for the kids and their stuff. The fuel milage is worse this Disco (12.5MPG) vs 15MPG on the prior Disco, but it had a smaller (4.ol) engine. I would look at the LR3 next.