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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  Fun to drive in Texas Hill Country - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Troon - September 26 - 10:00 am

  The vehicle is safe and fun to drive. I live in the Texas hill Country and love to hunt. This is a great SVU for going into the hard to get to areas. The gas mileage could be better but over all its a small price to pay. My Irish Setter fits well into the cargo space. Overall I would purchase another Land Rover in a minute.

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  Nice little ride - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By devynsdad - September 25 - 5:10 pm

  I had a 2002 Freelander for about a year and a half before we had a third child and traded up to a Discovery. In the time I had it I had one problem with the coolant hose popping, but I was just pulling into my driveway when it happened, so no biggy. We made three 1000+ mile roundtrips in the Freelander, and had no problems at all. In a sea of Escapes, Libertys Rav4s and CRVs the Freelander is a very sweet little alternative. Plus Land Rover dealerships treat everyone so much better than other makes its amazing.

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  Dream Car, but not quite a Nightmare - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By vgardon - September 24 - 10:00 am

  I have always wanted this car and finally bought one in 11/2008. It was already 5 years old, but initially ran well. However, after having it for about 1 year, major issues arose (i.e., O2 sensors went, window motor broke, major ticking noise from under the hood, etc). This car is very expensive to maintain and after a while, it just wasnt worth pouring any more money into it. Thankfully, it has never shut down on me, but I dont think I would buy another one until I know much more about maintaining luxury cars.

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  D Rover - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By demast - September 20 - 2:00 am

  This is a great SUV with unbelievable off-road capability. The only downfall is the poor gas mileage. Would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone that needs full time four wheel drive.

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  Everything but the Acceleration - 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport
  By Lee - September 10 - 7:16 pm

  I have had my Discovery since December 2015, and while I absolutely love the look and comfort the acceleration is horrible. I actually thought something was wrong with the vehicle after a few weeks of having it. I wish I had given it a longer test drive before purchasing.

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  I Love My Disco! - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Peeete - September 8 - 7:13 pm

  I only have driven it 400 miles so far, but I am impressed. Coming from a sportscar, I am surprised how agile this vehicle is. Its not fast off the line, but it has plenty of power on the highway. The visibility is outstanding, and the handling is better than two rigid axels and ancient steering should be. The vehicle is solid as a rock, and the finishes in the cabin are WAY better than the new LR3 (oops I mean a Ford Explorer). I admit I had my concerns about buying such an antiquated vehicle, but it functions very well. Sure its quirky; some ergonomics are lacking but the old-fashioned, stately British charm is a big part of its attractiveness! A local dealer to fix it helps too!

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  R Disco - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By BWLaClair - September 3 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car over the weekend. After 3 days i have fallen in love with this car, I had a 2002 Disco and i thought that was GREAT. THIS CAR CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED IN 1 WORD WOW. This car is fablous and i recomend to everyone to get one if you want to have performance sex appeal and well to have your neigbors look at you and go wow. YEAH GREAT CAR.

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  Things to Look For in a Used LR3 - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By OoltewahLR3 - August 24 - 5:46 pm

  I bought this LR3 in 2008 when gas prices skyrocketed, and everyone was dumping their SUVs for better fuel economy. I bought a 2005 LR3 V8 with 30k miles for $20k with a full bumper to bumper warranty. Once I took it off- road with the dealership mechanics, I fell in love with it. I dont care that the sunroof leaks - at least not that much. If you buy one, make sure to buy it during a rain storm and drive it aggressively. Thats when youll notice a leak problem if there is one. Also - look for signs of leakage below the VIN number plate. There is a piece of paper below it (likely from the factory). If it is discolored, it is probably from one of those crummy sunroof drains.

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  Tough trucks, but expensive to operate - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Raoulduke101 - August 21 - 2:33 am

  Ive had my 03 Disco for just over 6 years now. Bought it used w/ 10k miles. It is a very capable off-road vehicle and can even tough a 4000 pound boat with relative ease (braking is not so great). The truck has held up relatively well, but I have had a number of major problems including a blown manifold gasket ($800 repair), blown axle seals (warranty), 02 sensor ($800 repair), and the window motor ($200, installed myself). Alot of annoying minor problems have occurred also. The gas mileage really stinks (11-12 town, 13-15 hwy) for such a small vehicle. The car is not very comfortable, as you feel pretty crammed inside it. I would not buy another one.

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  LR3 the Best of All Worlds... - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By JKC - August 17 - 11:53 pm

  Overall I am very satisfied with my new LR3. It is rides smooth (like a Lexus), quiet (again like a Lexus), and handling is firm (like a BMW) both on and off-road - something most SUVs can claim. There were very minor problems when I picked mine up, but service corrected quickly. However, they shouldve done it beforehand. Not something you want to deal with when getting a new car. MPG is horrible, but already knew that beforehand. LRs has always been a favorite of mine, but always fell short of me getting one until now. The main reason is reliability. Hopefully, they corrected that or at least working on it. Ill see...