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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  Check Vehicle Carefully - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Off Roader - March 18 - 12:00 am

  On the plus side, the LR3 provides the off road features of the Range Rover for a lot less. Do not pay premium for HSE, SE with added options a much better bargain. Do a thorough check of the vehicle for manufacturer defects and quality. My car had a tear in the rear seat leather and numerous internal scratches consistent with dropped tools during manufacturing. Rear parking assist didnt work upon delivery. Remember, you are buying a British made vehicle, not German or Japanese, so dont expect the same quality of workmanship. Having said that, as a true off road type SUV it is the best on the market for the cost. I also like the third row seating - much better than comparable SUVs.

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  Love it so far... - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Amy Peterson - March 11 - 3:36 am

  This is such a new vehical, the jury is still out, but so far its terrific. It drives like a luxury car, but its so nice to sit higher in traffic. Its so high-tech that there are features I know I wont use. The third row seats are roomy and easy to fold. When folded, there is a ton of cargo space. When people are sitting in the 3rd row, there is little cargo space. My kids think the best feature is the 3 sunroofs. Great sound system too and very quiet ride too.

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  Computer Issues - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By IROC - March 6 - 12:16 pm

  Bought the car 2 weeks ago, has been in the shop the last week because the stereo and navigation system keep going on and off. The service people cant figure out the problem and seem like they are clueless all around. Have always owned BMWs and regret switching. I would wait a year before I bought this vehicle, let them work the kinks out. Car is new so they are trying to fix problems on the fly.

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  Saved My life - 2008 Land Rover LR3
  By Peterkin - February 25 - 6:56 pm

  I was driving my brand new Land Rover Discovery last week when the car next to was hit by another car and hit me. I was pushed off the road and hit a group of large trees at about 40 MPH. I did not even have time to hit the brakes. The car did everything right- all airbags deployed engine shut off etc. I walked away -the car totalled. You know all the other features are great but safety is number one. I am picking up my new Discovery soon!

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  Disco SE7 - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By ckadventure - February 21 - 1:53 pm

  I am not sure what the negative fuss is about in relation to Land Rover products. My wife & I purchased an 04 LR Discovery SE7 for the purpose of a daily driver that will seat 3 children comfortably, yet is capable of handling serious off road conditions-as we are very outdoor oriented. We made the correct choice! Yes it is an expensive vehicle to both purchase & to maintaine; however, if you DO maintaine the vehicle properly (just as you should any vehicle) you should be issue free. We have never been left stranded, nor have we had any catostofic failures. My Disco is fast approaching 100K miles & I intend to put that many more miles on it. Amazing offroad & equally amazing on the Hwy.

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  Just bought - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By K and G - February 21 - 12:33 pm

  Picked it up Wednesday. QC issues apparent still. Moonroof wouldnt open (solenoid, relay, switch, fuse?) Ding over gas tank. Orange Peel. For $50K should be better esp. upon initial delivery. I realize its a LR which will be taken into the wilds but dings are acceptable new only on a Defender. Drives comfortably but not sure if im confident enough to take it up to Bimmer speeds on A3 autobahn. Still too new to review accurately. Cross shopped with X5, XC90. Nav system is intuitive but ive found systems such as the Portable Hertz "neverlost", easier. Location of CD Nav player is ridiculous. Not too concerned over the Logic 7; which carmaker really knows audio? Best in Class room.

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  Great Looks Are Not Everything - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Amanda Jean - February 7 - 10:00 am

  I bought a Land Rover because I thought if I was going to own an SUV it should be the best. Well, as far as looks it is better than any other small suv out there. As far as reliability, not so good. I bought my truck in may 2003 and have had it to the dealership for faulty electrical 3 times!! I know cant unlock or lock my doors and the dealership wont look at my car for a week!! Gas is also unreal. Though the truck is a headache I love to look at it in the driveway.

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  Be warned - 2009 Land Rover LR2
  By Jimmy - January 28 - 9:10 pm

  Great car until you you need to buy parts. A cracked windshield 3 month back order. Front bumper 6 weeks minimum. Accesories out of sight. 1600 for a tow package, 1000 for roof racks. Already had a fuel pump leak 2 months after buying it. It cost 41,700 I tried to trade it 3 months later and the best i could do is 30,000 and that was at the dealer I bought it from, Before it had a scratch on it. So much for resale value. Drives great good gas milage for an AWD great stereo but will never buy another Landrover at any price

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  3 Year Report - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Rick G. - January 21 - 2:43 pm

  My 2008 Tambora Flame LR2 just turned 3 years old. I am still completely satisfied with this vehicle. It has remained very dependable, comfortable, and fun to drive. Outside of regular maintenance, it has only been in for service for a couple of very minor issues over the past 3 years. It still gets lots of looks and I still get lots of positive comments from people. It is a really nice mix of a rugged "go anywhere" SUV and a comfortable luxury SUV at a very reasonable price considering all the standard equipment it came with. I am still very happy with my purchase.

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  Calakes Review - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By wjones - January 15 - 10:00 am

  This is an awesome vehicle to drive. The handling far exceeds what I imagined. I have driven 4x4s for some 20 years, and this is an incredible machine, both for getting around town, and (my favorite) hitting the far off and hard to reach fishing spots in the Eastern Sierras that only can be reached with a 4x4. What else can I say, this vehicle is real fun!