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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  So they do live up to their Reputation, atleat the 03-05 - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By jma3 - December 16 - 8:53 am

  I bought a beautiful bronze color HSE with 49k miles. All was fine the first year until my second and third year gremlins started taking over- Please get yourself a factory or extended warranty for as long as you own this SUV. Coolant reservoir exploded without warning and light inside cabin came on only after damage was done- coolant hoses explode. Fuel pump, alternator, battery, thermostat, dashboard readout console, navigation, overheating, heater hose, and endless electrical issues ALL went out thru my ownership including headlamps not illuminating at times. My RR left me stranded 4-5 times on the road. I would only get a preowned again with a warrantly no matter the mileage.

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  ONE NICE DRIVER - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By B MITCHELL - December 15 - 10:00 am

  THIS ONE IS UNLIKE THE OLDER MODELS,THEY HAVE PUT TOIGETHER A REAL WINNER THIS YEAR.. JUST LOVE IT, AND MY WIFE THINKS ITS FANTASTIC.

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  Range Rover 2003 - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Chap - December 15 - 10:00 am

  By all means the Rolls Royce of the SUVs. Classic English attention to detail inside and outside of the cabin with the ultimate Bosch (BMW) engine under the hood. Could be a bit more fuel efficient but at these prices, it really shouldnt be the defining issue. It is, quite simply, in a class by itself, and likely to remain so. Well worth the wait!

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  Make sure you love your dealer - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Tom - December 11 - 10:40 am

  The electronic parking brake system locked up and burnt up the rear brakes. Dealer fixed it all and I had a loaner but it took two trips to get it right. Then developed a interior water leak, again took two trips to fix. Land Rover US customer service has high school girls with an attitude answering the phones, no help. The car is actually tremendous which makes this very sad. Great ride, quite, great stereo, good gas mileage, super style, excellent off road. Everyone that rides in has nothing but compliments for it. Just make sure you love your dealer because it is built in England and they like to drink before they come to work.

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  Great vehicle - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By mike - December 8 - 4:23 pm

  Love the looks, great ride, outstanding in the snow. Cant beat the 3rd row seats, almost bought the Lexus 470, glad I didnt. Must have better fuel mileage.

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  all-around awesome! - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By ENVfernandez2453 - December 3 - 2:00 am

  this car is an amazing buy! completely worth your while if purchasing as a first car for a teen in high school or heading to college. it has all the great aspects about an SUV and the luxury appeal land rover adds on. the SE3 model is a sure fire win, with its removable back the car seems more like a jeep than an SUV. overall, very good

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  BIG mistake! - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By ihatelandrover - December 2 - 9:03 pm

  Purchasing this vehicle was the worst mistake I have ever made. A coolant leak caused me to need a new engine after only 50K miles. Land Rover fought me tooth and nail over this, although they admit that this was a factory defect. It took 2 months to get a new engine (at considerable cost to me, even with the extended warranty). This is the second Land Rover that died on me. This car also ate brakes and, like many Freelanders, the sunroof broke an hour after I drove it off the lot. This vehicle was not worth the money that I put into it. The poor quality of Land Rover customer and sales service only made the experience worse. I will never consider a Land Rover again.

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  Its a head turner - 2010 Land Rover LR4
  By FirstLR4 - November 26 - 11:56 am

  I am proud to say I have an LR4. The car is chock full of options and amenities that make it feel like it should be much more expensive. I test drove the Mercedes ML350 at about the same sticker price and it lacked several of the options and features of the LR4. Very happy with my decision and would highly recommend to anyone. Reliability was the only question in my mind, but the thing feels solid when you drive it. While I probably will never take my LR4 off-roading, its nice to know that no matter the situation, Ill likely be able to get out. Get to your nearest dealership and test drive one.

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  Love the looks. - 2009 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Kevin - November 25 - 9:26 pm

  Its my 5th range rover. I think it will be the last. Fun to drive best looking SUV on the market. I have owned it 1 week. Its been in the shop twice. The dealer has had it longer than i have.

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  2004 DISCO II SE - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By f-f-e - November 25 - 6:50 pm

  I bought this vehicle because of its super cool looks! So far it has been trouble free and a real pleasure to drive. The all wheel drive makes it an excellent vehicle to operate on or off road and it sticks to wet roads with no problem. The sound system is the best Ive ever heard. Ive owned several SUVs and this is my favorite!