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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  HSE - 2007 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Jim - November 3 - 8:50 pm

  Ive owned luxury cars for 10 years. This Is the biggest mistake thus far. I ended up trading my HSE for a 2008 Lexus LS460. Need to work on value and consumer confidence. Those who can spend money will. Please make a better SUV. Better warranty and product.

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  Best small SUV ever! Style and Fun!! - 2013 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By smoorenc - November 2 - 1:51 pm

  We have had our Evoque for 1 year now. I cant get it away from my wife. This car is such fun to drive and we have never had any issues with it. I can tell you unless something drastic changes we will be purchasing another one in 2 years. Quick and maneuverable are 2 words that come to mind. Plenty of power and zip.

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  Looks good! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Bettycat - November 2 - 10:00 am

  Love the looks & feels good inside. A good chicks car. The driver needs an arm rest, the engine needs more power, the upgraded stereo sucks. The rear passenge windows only go down half way. ( but I do love the vehicle anyway ) Looks DO matter!

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  Excellent. I dont miss my Mercedes CLS - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Daniel - October 29 - 4:03 am

  I just purchased LR2 with all available options a week ago, so I cannot comment on reliability. Safety: Ive seem some crash photos from UK, and LR2 seems to be a solid truck. Power: 230HP/234lb.ft. Number isnt impressive, but thats how the engine should be for SUVs;Torque. Plenty quick. Warranty: Meets STD 4yr/50K. Maintenance included for 4 years is very nice. Other things: Its unbelievably quiet for an SUV, its tech upgrades work well.(great nav system, bluetooth, etc.) Unbeatable off-road capability. Exterior looks top-class and interior is small but luxurious and super comfortable. I dont miss my 2006 V8 Mercedes CLS (trade-in) at all. Not as fast, but I love the new LR2

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  The real freelander - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By M-technic - October 29 - 2:00 am

  Very nice car. I boudht it for my life and she is realy rest satisfied.

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  Grey/Grey Westminster - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By TadM - October 29 - 2:00 am

  Even people that dont like cars covet the new Range Rover. It handles and rides like our old 1998 BMW 740iL. We looked at the no personality Lexus LX470. The RR is amazing in the rough stuff.

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  Love it so much I laugh @ myself - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By David - October 27 - 7:13 pm

  I didnt think I cared much about what car I drove. Then I drove this one. The on road ride is as good as any and off road, well, the only problem with driving this machine off road is it does it all itself. After dialing in the appropriate setting, the best thing (and only thing you need to do is give it a little gas and steer. It goes anywhere effortlessly. My wife calls the on road ride "like butter". As I drive around town I catch myself smiling. The acceleration and handling is just fun. Oh, the sound of the Jag motor is music to even this non- autophile country boy.

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  Great Truck, Cross Bar are Whistling - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By schwa75 - October 22 - 4:20 pm

  Just picked the truck up on Monday. Put 300 miles on it in two days. Rides great, turns heads. Had the dealer install cross bars for the roof rack. Wind noise is troublesome. Dealer recommended moving the crossbars further back on the roof. Still no improvement in wind noise. Finally pulled them off tonight and the noise is gone. Will keep you all posted.

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  FREELANDER SE3 WORKS FOR ME - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By BRADE1063 - October 19 - 10:00 am

  FREELANDER IS MY FIRST SUV. AND WHILE NOT A LARGE SUV, I NO LONGER FEEL INTIMIDATED WHEN A TRUCK OR OTHER SUV COMES UP BEHIND ME. MY SE3 IS COMFORTABLE, SPORTY, SOLID AND GETS LOTS OF LOOKS FROM OTHERS ON THE ROAD.

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  "Land-Lover" - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Eric Scanlan - October 17 - 3:20 pm

  To put it simply, its just fun to drive. Its got all the smooth handling and comfort of a luxury car all wrapped up in a sporty and classy looking SUV.