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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  Great car - 2009 Land Rover LR2
  By iain tait - March 4 - 6:43 pm

  I live in Western Australia and our CRD LR2 has just come back from 2000 miles in the outback towing a two ton caravan! This vehicle is just awesome and towed brilliantly along with going truely off road through deep soft sand, over rocks and never missed a beat. Aside from a small steering rack issue that was fixed when it was a few weeks old the car has been perfect and my wife went from sceptic to Landrover fan!

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  Not Worth The $ - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Virginia - March 4 - 7:36 am

  Traded in my BMW X5 (8 Cyl) ...and totally regret it. I paid $85,000.00 for my Range Rover, I had extras installed in addition to fully loaded. I have had my vehicle for 2 months and I am already having problems with it. I do not recommend this vehicle, unless your not looking for reliability. I am very disappointed.

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  Havent bought yet but... - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover
  By IDriveAnM5 - March 3 - 10:06 pm

  My wife and hadnt yet found a car that we both agree is truly great. Until we drove the 2010 Supercharged Range Rover. This will be her car (I have an S-Class Mercedes and a BMW M5) and is enough to entice her out of her Lexus RX 350. She drove the new X5 and the GL 550 and found both to be too harsh. She loves the smoothness of the Rangie, the spaciousness, the interior, and the outward visibility (shes small). I like the fact that it jumps when I give it a full boot and doesnt make me want to hurt myself everytime I drive it (like her Lexus does). The Supercharged RR blends luxury, power, and style in a way that few others can. This really is a truly amazing car that I dream of fondly.

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  Excellent Vehicle - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Range Rover HSE - February 28 - 11:46 pm

  This has to be one of the finest automobile experiences Ive had in a very long time. I had spinal surgery several months before my purchase and this was the only car that could give me the confidence to get back on the freeways and streets again. I highly recommend this vehicle to anyone contemplating a purchase of one of the best SUVs out there.

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  Great Touring and Mountain Car - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By W Winegar - February 26 - 5:36 pm

  We bought this to handle tough snow and mountain driving and long-distance higway travel in all weather conditions. The 2005 Range Rover w/its strong BMW engine is by far the most comfortable and responsive vehicle for our needs. We looked at the LX470, but too big; the Cayenne, too small; the Toureg, small and hard ride. The heated front/rear seats on the Range Rover are a real plus for cold nights and loved by our dogs and guests. We use every accessory and all the driving enhancment controls like hill descent, low range 4-wheel, etc., and trust them all. A perfect vehicle for mountain and highway. Get the mega adjustable seats and leather dash. Awesome.

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  Freelander: the right sized SUV - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Placebo - February 22 - 10:00 am

  The Freelander is a unique, fun to drive, premium small SUV. I like to think that its the perfect size -- just big enough to haul my gear around, but not as huge as some of the other small to mid SUVs. It looks great, and there are few of them around so I dont see myself coming and going. Road holding is very car like. The interior is comfortable, if a bit spartan. Back seat room is exellent and comfortable. LATCH access for the baby seat is great. Since this is the last of the current body style, the dealers are dealing, so if you want the base model S (which goes away next year), get to your dealer today to check it out.

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  Night mare - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Budu - February 20 - 10:00 am

  I have spent over $12,000 on this car, $7,500 of which at a dealership to fix the engine, with no luck. Then the transmission broke down and that took another $4,000. It has been out for less than 200 miles and the service engine light is on. This car is so lovable but such a nightmare. Are there new model engines and transmissions that can work on this 2002 Freelander?

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  Do you want toy, or a real SUV? - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By RyanB - February 13 - 8:26 am

  This my first SUV. Ive had a truck in the past, too big and combersome. I had a Mercedes sports car, too small and didnt do well in bad weather. I got spoiled with "luxury" items and didnt want to give it up. I wanted something that was "higher end" but could live up to being an SUV. I bought an 04 Disco and I got just what I wanted. Unlike other SUVs, you can take this one anywhere and not worry about "hurting it". As tough as it is on the outside, it still has luxury inside. The standard features on the Disco would all be options on any other SUV for the most part. So do you want something that is a real SUV, or an oversized car that claims to be one. Land Rover is the ticket

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  Like Lemons? Youll Love Freelanders! - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By Alex - February 12 - 7:03 pm

  Computer/electrical problems right off the bat. HCD light keeps coming on (very bad sign) and engine sputtering. In the shop 4 times in less than 2 months. Left stranded 2 times in freezing weather - dead as a door nail. Horrible brakes, slides bad. Head room for people under 3 (three) feet tall. Land Rover road-side service is undependable - took 4 hrs to show up. Radio is grainy and weak. CD player/ radio has broken twice. Leather/door fabric gets dirty very easily and does not clean up well. Problems with Freelander range from serious safety issues to the unbelievably annoying. My 1997 Altima had less trouble. Shouldve bought a Honda CRV! Trading this piece of junk in next week. $27,000 mistake!

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  Review of 2016 LR4 Landmark - 2016 Land Rover LR4
  By J. Cardenas - February 9 - 6:17 pm

  Purchased a 2016 LR4 Landmark Edition - great package ! Equivalent to the HSE LUX but a big savings. My wifes car and see loves the space, visibility, and safety. Not as peppy as the old 8-cyl LR4 but will do. Could use a little more leg room and rear seats dont recline. Compared with previous model of Audi Q7, BMW X5, Mercedes, and even 2015 Range Rover Sport and she liked this better.