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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  Good! but could have been Great - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By PC - June 7 - 5:43 pm

  I bought the LR2 inspite of its poor reliability reputation. It was the right size, price and looked great. I compared it to X3, RDX, RX350,CX7 and it drove and felt the best overall. I would have rated it excellent but for some irritating issues that seem to magnify each day. First off the gas mileage Ive been getting for in-city is 12.5. . Secondly there is no storage area for the driver. All my other cars had something on the dash or below the right arm to store sunglasses,CDs, papers. The bluetooth on this car does not sync w Smartphones which renders it useless. And the Cold Climate package gets you a windshield that produces glare from oncoming traffic. Other than that its great.

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  I want to love it, but it wont let me.. - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Combee1 - May 28 - 9:50 pm

  I was so excited to get the new LR3 that I refused to wait for an HSE and bought a fully loaded V8 SE model, w/ navi, off-road, and 7 passenger seating. We have had problems with this vehicle from the start. Among them has been several suspension faults (requiring new air compressors), a bad seal in the exhaust system, leaking sunroof, recalled gas tank, bad sensor for cooling system, rattling speakers, broken lathces on seats and on glove compartment, and excessivlely quick and dangerously uneven tire wear. It often takes several trips to Matheny LR in Jacksonville, FL to fix each problem. Their behavior borders on rude at times, and they certainly do not stand behind their products.

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  A complex work of art - 2001 Land Rover Range Rover
  By theschurgers - May 23 - 10:23 pm

  This vehicle is quite complex, so there is higher chance of a failure. Body is extremely durable in a rollover. Absolutely beautiful interior. Body panel fit could be better. Engine is a very old Buick design with modern Bosch controls. Solid axle can provide rough ride. Great to tow horse trailer, exceptional off road. Very nimble in traffic and to park. Outstanding brakes. Very good handling for an SUV, air suspension is very adaptable. We love this car.

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  Lousy Tires - Good Year - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Bill - May 20 - 3:40 pm

  The car is great , but it wears out tires like very fast. Be prepared to change out your tires at 12,000 miles because thats all they last per the dealer. The LR3 is too heavy and the tires are too hard. Be prepared to sheel out $1,000 for the four and thats only if you get a 50% rebate back form Goodyear. The tires started to wear out at 8,000 miles . i could not take the noise from highway driving it was cruel. The roared on a quick trip up the I 95 to savananah Georgia from WEst plam Fl. Upon return to dealer I got the bad news. Your tire are cupped, tire speak they are worn out and noisy. Be prepared to sheel out $1,000 and another $250 to balance and align, not covered by warranty.

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  Frustrated - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By sheyrend - May 12 - 11:57 pm

  We recently helped purchase this vehicle for our son for college. We wish we would have read these reviews first. We had the vehicle a week, and it overheated. Our son never has had the chance to drive it, but now has a car payment - and repair costs worth twice the cost of the vehicle. The thermostat repair is over $900, the oxygen sensors $1100, and now the head gasket and sleeve repair, over $7500. Needless to say, the vehicle cost $6500, and now the repairs have more than doubled that. I have contacted multiple class action lawyers today. Hopefully something can come of this, and this can ber rectified!

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  Mines been fine for 5 years - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By ESSDEE - May 6 - 9:16 pm

  The only repeat problem I have had with mine is the left rear window operator has broken twice. The AC is a little on the anemic side, but I knew that when I bought it - besides its an open windows type of truck. This is not a luxury SUV, if thats what you want, look at an Acura or Lexus. Its a funky small SUV that will get you thru any bad weather conditions. I have never had the truck break down, fail to start, overheat, etc. It has made funky noises, odd warning lights, and burned out lights on occasion. I am thinking of replacing it with an LR2 simply because I would like a little more acceleration and I really like the flame orange color.

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  Love it - 2007 Land Rover LR3
  By ZCS - April 29 - 1:06 pm

  Had a 04 Lincoln Navigator before. Time for something a little smaller. Owned a 1999 Discovery II for 4 years before the Lincoln. The Landrover is just built better. Better quality material. People complain about quality. Never had any problems with my Disco and nothing so far with the LR3. Funny thing my Acura RL was in the shop more than either of these two trucks. This truck is great. Outstanding looks and the dealers rock. Best Ive ever had. Better than my Mercedes, Acura, Lincoln, BMW.

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  I love my Freelander - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By KATHLEENC - April 27 - 5:13 pm

  I did my homework before buying and wasnt discouraged by some of the bad reviews. Am I ever glad! It is very reliable, I have never spent less on repairs, looks great. The AWD works extremely well in Snow and I feel very safe in all weather conditions - which is important with my kids in the vehicle. Maybe some Freelanders are lemons but mine is a GEM. The other good thing about this vehicle is that it is unique - not a lot of others on the road. Excellent handling and performance.

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  Solid, Fun to Drive - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Pasha - April 10 - 10:00 am

  I bought the Westminster Edition with premium sound system that is amazing. Car is very easy to drive in congested traffic thanks to high seating position and excellent visibility. In harsh rain, this thing is unstoppable - retaining solid surefooted road performance. Additionally, this tank is surprisingly easy to park.

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  Works for me - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By not grumpy - March 23 - 10:56 am

  I bought because of the label, have not been disappointed so far. Used even! Wanted something safe on the road for wife and new baby. hadnt read all the bad things about the vehicle. So far (2+years) nothing bad to report! I like it, drives good, sunroof is making noise looks and I still got lots of time and miles on my extended warranty.