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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  Best Vehicle owned - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Trevoro47 - February 13 - 10:00 am

  I work out of town for a living and average around 40,000km a yr on my vehicles, the Land Rover LR2 has been the best vehicle I have owned and I have owned everything from trucks to cars to vans and I wouldnt drive anything other than my Land rover. admittedly the cargo space is a little tight but aside from that this vehicle is solid! I live in Canada and going through the 7 months of Canadian winters you need a reliable vehicle. Aside from the schedule maintenance I havent had a single issue with it, even after putting 30000 km on it in 9 months the engine still purrs like a kitten. Love it thanks for the dependability Land Rover. Good job!

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  LR V8 SE - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By retfalvi - February 10 - 12:53 am

  As expected the "Queen of SUV"s. Love the solid feel and the quietness of the V8. Straightforward design, cannot go wrong with a Jaguar engine. Features are tailored to my needs. This will be a keeper.

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  Could be for you - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By bedhead - February 8 - 2:00 am

  depending on what youre looking for, this could either be the best or the worst car youll ever buy. this is for someone who wants an suv but isnt too interested in off-roading. someone who if they were getting a coupe/sedan would opt for a convertible. someone who wants a quality-made car with something more than a plain-vanilla GM make. someone who wants to stand out a little on the road without having to spend $70k. i love it, this car is for me, its easily worth the small premium.

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  Loving my new LR2 - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By highwaydude - February 7 - 7:10 pm

  I am going on my 3rd week of owning the new LR2 and have had no problems. It rides very comfortable, very quiet on the road, and the best sound system I have yet to have in a vehicle.

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  Love my Freelander - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Cathy - February 3 - 2:10 am

  I love this SUV. It has been reliable, fun to drive and just all around a great car. Would definitely buy another one!

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  We love our Landrover Freelander - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Patty - January 29 - 8:16 am

  Theres a Landrover club and many other Freelander owners love theirs as we love ours and have had no problems with it other than normal wear items. It seems the only ones writing reviews are ones that have had problems but most Freelander owners I know have a good and reliable experience with theirs.

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  Hands Down Safest SUV - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By Melissa - January 22 - 1:49 pm

  I leased a 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque (Pure plus with options) in February 2015. It had some software issues during the first month (key was locked inside vehicle so that was an issue that needed to be addressed early on) but the dealership was very accommodating. I never had an issue with the Evoque after that. I do find that a bigger engine would be better because it is a big sluggish to take off. It handled the road very well and it was a very smooth ride as well. It had very good gas mileage especially on long drives. Entertainment system is great! ****The most important thing that I will tell you is that 2 weeks ago, this truck was involved in a rollover accident and it was considered a total loss. Injuries to myself and the driver were very minimal as we walked away from the scene with minor injuries (cuts and scratches). For that very reason, I am going to get another one. I deem this to be a very safe vehicle. Dont take for granted the safety features in the truck. They work!

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  Love This Car - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Howard Popper - January 21 - 9:16 pm

  Only had this car for 3 weeks,but truly love it. Got rid of a 2 yr. old Benz and took a beating, but what a difference in quality! The 5k pricetag for the upgraded interior seems steep but is worth the price .Handles great and is a pleasure to drive.

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  45K Report - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By DH - January 17 - 4:43 pm

  Beenn nothing but perfect so far. Average over 22 mpg and the only problem was a clip in the tailgate came loose. Great comfort and visibilty. Easy and fun to drive. Best vehicle I have ever owned. Sound system is great as well as the lighting system. Not so sure about the key. Several times if you install the key and hit the start button prior to getting your foot on the break the computer gets confused and it has trouble starting. Take the key out and get the sequence right and it just resets. Not a big deal if you know about it, but otherwise you could sit for a while. Just a really nice small sized SUV.

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  Fell in love with Rimini Red - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Love the LR2 HSE - January 17 - 8:16 am

  Looked for a smaller SUV to replace Grand Crapokee Overland and test drove lots of others. Loved the LR2 and bought it. Rimini red/Alpaca is beautiful and the 19" wheels are striking and not tacky. Kudos to LR for this excellent midsize SUV. Drives like a sports car. Return LR/RR customer.