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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  Solid Well Built Trouble Free - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By D. Brink - June 26 - 10:00 am

  Attention to detail. Under the hood of the Fords and chevys we looked at before buying the Freelander, I found that most of the electrical connectors had wires that were at almost 90 degrees to the conntection;as if the wire was too short. I also found some rather cheap feeling plastic interior molding. The Ford did not achor the back carpet firmly to the body either. The freelander had none of these types of short commings. Besides that the Roll down back window, heater windshield and side mirrors were just a couple of features for which I did not mind paying.

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  The standard in 7 seater luxury SUVs - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By hidlebac - June 25 - 2:03 am

  It is solid, heavy, and safe. I feel comfortable when wife is driving it with our daughter. It is a solid car, with a slick, ergonomic cockpit. Lots of buttons but they are very thoughtfully placed. The Nav is great. I would recommend a nav update DVD from Navteq for people who still have the original software. It makes things alot better.

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  British is still best - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By hotscot - June 17 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle excels in every department, and is the benchmark of excellence!

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  Great SUV! - 2014 Land Rover Range Rover
  By nautictalk - June 16 - 5:07 pm

  Long time owner of RRs. Just sold my 2006 SC edition and it was the best car I have ever owned. Reliabilty throughout my ownership was stellar. Never had a significant issue. I currently also own a BMW 750 and 650. And have owned other premium vehicles in the past. And as I said the RR was the best of the lot. I just took delivery of a 2014 full size RR SC with every option except the towing package. This is by far the best RR. Its fast, comfy and execution in materials and fit/finish is flawless. I love it. That being said, there are a few areas of improvement needed. Should be no Eco auto on. Navigation could be improved. And rear hatch cover can be improved. Great SUV!

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  150K Miles and completely reliable - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By erniki - June 13 - 11:23 pm

  Single owner, mostly highway miles, and this SUV deserves all the credit as a reliable, safe, and stylish SUV. Have just over 150K miles and have had 3 repairs on the SUV since first purchasing in 2004. 1) Cup Holder 2) Sunglasses Holder 3) O2 Sensor Routine Maintence on the SUV includes: 1) Every 5,000 miles change 0w40 Mobile 1 2) Tires 3) Serpentine Belt 4) Transmission and coolant flush 5) Brakes ** Do not take to Range Rover Dealer ** Since ford purchsed in 2003, the parts are regularly available at most auto mechanics at half the hourly rate. Love this truck, could not imagine ever going back to a Tahoe. Curp appeal, safety, and comfort at its best.

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  Outstanding Car - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Bruce Brown - June 10 - 2:33 pm

  The LR3 has the versatility I need in a family car with the smooth and solid ride of a luxury sedan. The Jaguar 4.4 liter engine is quiet and strong enough for this heavy car and the transmission is flawless. The interior is perfectly designed, with the distinctively high Land Rover seating position and elegant controls. Both the second and third row have more usable space than any other car or SUV in this class -- I can fit three car seats in the second row and two adults in the third. Zero service problems after 6K miles. You should not expect this heavy and solid car to get good mileage and, alas, it does not. But other than that understandable shortcoming, this is a terrific car.

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  Whats all the fuss? - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By markrayburn - June 4 - 10:01 pm

  Ive owned a few Discos and have loved them all. There may be some troubling anomalies out there but Ive not found one. Regular maintenance seems to be the key element, and catching anything suspect early on. My 2004 SE has 202k miles and is clean as can be. Fixed early signs of lifter noise right away (at 100k) by doing an oil cleaning flush and new Castrol. Been silent since. I replaced a right CV joint on my 96 SE7 (my favorite because they were still putting 5-speed manuals in them). It drove my family for 265k until I was forced off the road one day at 65mph and rolled 6 times. I could still open all 5 doors. Landed on its wheel. Amazing. Had two others. Loved em all.

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  Range Rover Luxury for lower price - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Dominican LR3 Owner - June 4 - 4:13 pm

  This Baby has nothing to envy the Range Rover, comfortable, fun to drive, driving in Semi Automatic Tranny is amazing, i love this vehicle, Bad: Fuel consumption for a V6 is kind of high but, the person who buys a vehicle oof this caliber knows they must spend money on fuel, if you are looking for a "Fuel Efficient" vehicle buy a Toyota Rav4 and take it offroad, Quality people, British Quality, the best offroading vehicle out right now, BUY IT NOW!!!!

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  WOW - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By papillonpup - May 24 - 9:06 pm

  What a difference from my old Disco. Waited for this one since the Auto Show and it was worth it. GREAT on-road drive but havent had the heart to take it up to the quarry yet. Went over the test track at the dealership like a bump in the road.

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  Best in Class - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Duke974 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  while no vehicle is perfect, the Discovery seems to be the best all- around of the SUVs. It performs like a tank off-road and a luxury car on- road.