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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  Range Rover Sport - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Darlene - October 27 - 11:36 am

  Very sporty, fun to drive, A little small inside, but comfortable. Quick acceleration, turns on a dime. Super stereo system.

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  Fun, Practical and Safe - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By rigoberto gutierrez - October 21 - 2:00 am

  On-road and Off-road, Its Impressive.My wife and two children love it too. We do everything and go every where, whatever the weather or the terrain. Smooth ride, low center of gravity makes corner and u-turn smoothly. I recommend it highly.

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  What are the complaints about? - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Jaybird - October 16 - 5:50 am

  I have had this vehicle for about a month now and am very impressed with it. I am averaging 23 mpg and no mechanical problems. I have read many negative reviews about this vehicle and have figured out why. First, this is not a sports car. I can see why people have to have engines replaced. The engine requires synthetic oil only. It has enough power to do the job but can see people flooring it all the time because it "just isnt enough" and that takes it toll on an engine, as is also true for the transmission. The brakes are disc- front/drum back so you cannot stand on the brakes all the time and not expect to replace pads very often. Its a luxury SUV treat it good, it will reciprocate.

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  Beats the competition, hands down! - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Dave W - October 7 - 11:03 pm

  When I first saw the RRS I knew this was the one. I remain impressed with the AWD technology as well as the verifiable reputation that Land Rover has for "getting you there and back" This is one of those cars that after you lock it and walk away, you look over you shoulder to check it out.

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  My second Freelander - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By Brocktoon - September 26 - 10:06 pm

  I traded my 2003 Freelander in on a new 2005 last month. Going with the Freelanders is the best decision I ever made when it comes to cars. Why are there so many freelander complainers? Who knows, but its the best selling truck in Europe, and they cant be all wrong. The 2005 is a definite improvement over the 03 in terms of looks and comfort. Dont listen to people who say this is not a capable car, I had the 03 in mud up to the doorhandles and we made it out fine. Try that in any other SUV for the price. If you are considering purchase, yes they do require some "care and feeding", but check out some web enthusiast sites first and get the real story.

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  Freelander solved a major problem! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Davey - September 25 - 10:00 am

  I just brought a freeland and think it rocks! The Nissan Exterra is TOTAL CRAP compared to this! Also, Land Rover solved a major problem that I had! Most 4x4s you have to shift into 4 wheel drive mode. When you do not use it much the gera get dried out and it stops working right! With this it is full time 4 wheel drive and thus the above problem is sloved!

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  Best LR ive owned/driven - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By quiet - September 18 - 6:50 pm

  Ive slowly moved up from the disco 2 to the lr3 to the rrscs and I gotta tell you this truck is slick and fast. I usually drive on the highway and going from ramp speed to highway speed is a dream. Put this thing in sport mode and two things happens, it sucks a lot of gas but also an adrenalin rush. Ive had no issues other than a having to replace a fuse for the heated seats and the drivers airbag sensor. While Im at it I must also say that no Major issues to report in regards to the lr3 and disco 2.

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  Head To The Top Of The Class! - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Chofgarden - September 18 - 2:33 am

  Picked up our fully optioned LR3 last week, cant decide whether its a luxury sport utility or a rock climber- it does both so well. Ride, quiet, refinement, power, ergonomics all superb, features are many and well thought out. Quality seems excellent, no initial problems of any kind. Feels solid as a rock, drives as quiet and smoother than our E320 Mercedes. This car raises the standard way above anything else on the market, even the Range Rover! Well worth the price, in fact a bargain.

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  The Best Ever - 2008 Land Rover LR3
  By Marko - September 8 - 8:00 am

  This is absolutely the smoothest car Ive ever driven. Its comfort and ride are second to none. The LR3 inspires confidence and its capabilities are far beyond those of its competition. Ours is outfitted with every possible option. We just love it. Some complain about its weight, but thats one of my favorite features. This car is strong and sound, and you can feel it. I highly recommend this car.

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  The best does come in small packages - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Austin - September 6 - 11:00 am

  We were running an errand when my girlfriend needed to use the rest room-- - we were near a LR dealership, so i decided to stop by, 3 hour later i was walking out the dealership owning the new LR3. The only HSE available was the floor model in silver/black interior. I traded my 2001 DiscoII SE7 and im so happy with the LR3. The vehicle is loaded with features and had everything i had in my old disco and then some. The LR3 has power, distinctive styling, comfortable and reliable. I have driven in snow and the terrain response is incredible-- starting in second gear instead of first makes the truck more stable at take-off. My girlfriend is a sport car freak, but she love the LR3.