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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  Worst quality 4x4xfar - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By PAM - February 22 - 5:56 pm

  Looks unique and feels great when it runs! POOR build quality and reliability. Roadside assistance called 4 times w/in 3 years. Towed to dealer 3 times! Trouble with engine, tranny, door speakers, brakes, antenna breaks often, hard top rattles, soft top a pain in the neck/plastic windows haze, engine has no oomf, wide turning radius, dated interior/controls, poor instrument lighting, need a key for gas- cap, dealer not helpful. Never buy again! Afraid to drive far from home.

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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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  Looks are great but maintenance is poor - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By T Joseph - November 9 - 10:00 am

  We purchased this vehicle in 07, warranty was still on the vehicle. Every since 07 I cant even keep track of how many times this SUV has been in the service dept. I dont know if its the manufacturer or the technicians that work at the dealership. on 3 different occasions I picked up the car and had to bring it back in less than an hour and it was always something different. pls purchase extended warranty if you plan on buying. Extremely poor maintenance.

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  Looks are very deceiving - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Range Rover - November 9 - 10:00 am

  Real quick review: this SUV is beautiful but the maintenance is very poor. I have owned for over 3 years and have been in the dealership service department as if I worked there. I dont know if its the manufacturer or the technicians but there is always an issue. If you have time or money to waste this SUV is right for you. I highly recommend purchasing extended warranty.

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  Got Gotten! - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By Bubbles - November 4 - 3:13 pm

  This is the first car I financed in order to buy this car last minute, I had to scramble to get it. Within the same month of buying it, I had 2 take it back to the dealership because the car wouldnt start, they fixed it then couple of weeks later the temp gauge started lighting up. They looked at it 2x, first stating coolant level down, then claiming the cap containing coolant needed to be replaced, now after 2 wks temp gauge still light red. I then took it to Land Rover dealer and they also recommended engine replacement to the tune of $10k. I was shocked, depressed, and felt like someone just really took advantage of me. I GOT GOTTEN!!

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  Multiple Problems - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By jmiddleton - November 4 - 2:00 am

  The day I bought the car the problems began. I have had problems with the gas gauge reading empty when it wasnt. One day the engine coolant container desided to break for no reason at all and smoke up my engine. I havent taken it off roading because I am afraid it is going to break down on me. The dealer told me that it is usual for the breaks to go out at about 15000 miles. I have had warning lights come one multiple times for no reason. And the list goes on.

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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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  Deeply Disappointed - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By SUVFan - October 10 - 6:26 pm

  The Land Rover HSE is an excellent looking vehicle. However, that is about as far as it goes. I have had the HSE for seven months and it has been in the shop seven times (six for electrical problems - one for molding clips and road noise). The tires are making the loud road noise so they have to be replaced before 20,000 miles. Gas mileage is horrible.

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  Warning to all... - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Sarah - October 6 - 1:26 am

  I bought my car in 2005 and it was under warranty until 2008. While under warranty, they had to replace 2 window motors, the sunroof motor, a fuel valve and eventually they put a rebuilt engine in this money pit! Fortunately, I did not have to pay for any of that-I just spend endless hours/days at the dealer. I should have been forwarned. In the past month (mind you I am 8 months pregnant)its left me stranded on the highway twice. Battery was the first cause (ok, batteries need to be replaced) but 1 week later, here I am stranded without a car again (it died while driving and Im waiting on the problem this time.) I am furious and WILL NEVER BUY any sort of Land Rover product again!!

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  My biggest headache - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By 2003 Freelander - September 3 - 2:40 am

  I purchased this vehicle certified December of 2006 and Ive had nothing but problems. First, I had to have the ball bearing replaced (under warranty $3,000). Then the engine ran hot 3xs, each time the coolant had run out and had to be replaced. The 4th time I had to take it in due to the coolant again, it turned out that I needed a new engine! Thank God for warranties ($7,000). Now its in the shop again because the gasket needs replacing. I spoke with a Land Rover mechanic that told me to get rid of it. He also said that there have been several problems with the Freelander in general. Further, he said that I will continue to have problems that are expensive if I keep it.