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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  Nothing but trouble - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By hhr1owner - October 17 - 4:43 am

  I bought this SUV with 60k miles and now its got 65K and I had spend over 3k in repairs. The timing belts and all the components on the front of the engine. Now the fuel pump which is going to be over a thousand. It has been nothing but expensive. I wouldnt suggest this vehicle at all. Unless you got the time and money to keep in the shop. I am selling right after the fuel issue is fixed.

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  JUNK! - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By David Nadeau - August 18 - 7:20 am

  2 days after purchase, check engine light on..return to dealer..Needs new motor...common for this model..Ford Warranty ESP kicks in..$9600.00 for a new motor! Then Differential goes..now right front axle is gone...all covered under warranty...but it has spent more time in the shop then in my garage...Cant wait to get it back so I can trade the piece of junk!

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  NIGHTMARE - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By brad - August 2 - 11:06 am

  Bought the car with 65,000 miles. It overheated on my cross country move at 67K (left me stranded with my family in Nebraska) and now there is irreparable damage done to the engine. I need a new engine which costs $12,000!!! WTF this is a total NIGHTMARE. Be careful Head gaskets go early and often. Land rover makes a horrible engine. I thought I was getting a unique car that would be a beast offroad, but it couldnt even handle on-road driving. I would not use this car to tow anything. It says there is a 7700 lb towing capacity but the weak engine shouldnt be forced to tow anything but the car itself.

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  Beware! Total Lemon - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By chrisl - August 2 - 1:00 am

  This care is a piece of crap. UNDEPENDABLE! Have had it 3 years and nothing but problems. Thank God I purchased an aftermarket warranty which more than paid for itself. The warranty has expired and I have to dump this car pronto and cut my losses. Anyone who owns this car and hasnt had problems should consider themselves lucky as it seems to be few and far in between.

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  Run, Dont Walk, Away from This Car!! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By DHall - July 31 - 12:33 am

  We really like the look of this car and interior, but the reliability and service is the worst. This car has been nothing but problems since day 1. Service people not friendly and overcharge you on everything. Dealerships all very far away unless you live in a bigger city. Engine went out at 50,000 miles, right after lease bought out and warranty up conveniently. Brakes suddenly went out with no warning and ruined the rotors right away. Heater never worked right and sunroof broken. NEVER AGAIN will I step foot on a Land Rover lot or recommend them to someone else. I wouldnt want someone else to be stuck like us. Run away fast!!

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  Junking it! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Indistress - July 4 - 6:23 am

  Bought the truck with 17K miles for $17K, thought it was a good deal for a Landrover. At 35K Miles the Engine needed replacement and now at 73K Miles the Transmission is slipping and needs replacement. Radio is shot. Sunroof was replaced twice. Brakes AND Roters wear easily. Maintanance is costly. Would not recommend buying any of the Landrover vehicles after their latest Consumer Report Reviews. Company should be taken out of business for the quality of their vehicles...THere is nothing luxurious about them....

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  Yes - sadly I join the masses - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By s white - February 22 - 8:06 pm

  Today I join the mass of disappointed Freelander owners as I became victim too, of the mysterious disappearing coolant. Well, not so mysterious. Yes - Land Rover of Harrisburg called, the car they sold to me just a little over 2 1/2 years ago -JUNK! I was told I was actually lucky I made it to 110,000 before the engine went. Yes - Land Rover of America told me they had no knowledge of any problem with the engines. Guess employees there are blocked from using Google. Cant get most parts. We were trying to find a rear windshield wiper and rear window motor. Now we know - Land Rover has cut off all ties to the Freelander including parts support. DONT BUY. SELL QUICK!

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  Good but quirky - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By RJD - February 3 - 4:36 am

  As the other reviewers said, it is solid, heavy, and safe. I feel comfortable when wife is driving it with our daughter. But for the money, there are so many quirky things that go wrong, the tire pressure guage is faulty, had an issue with brakes, the issue with water coming in the car from the sunroof, etc. It is a solid car, but Costco is the only jungle Im headed to. Too many off road features and not enough attention directed to designing a slick, ergonomic cockpit. Way too many buttons, and the nav totally stinks. A paper map is more useful. My Acura TL has a nav that blows this away. Ill be turning my lease in in 2 months and not getting another.

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  got the replacement, still suspicious! - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By rdnyc - January 18 - 3:30 am

  Got my HSE in June 05 and had nothing but problems since day one culminating in total suspension collapse at 50 mph. Dealership replaced car and have so far done 4k miles without a problem. Keeping my fingers crossed.

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  Enjoyable but disappointing - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By mrmhouston - January 13 - 1:10 am

  I love driving my Land Rover. It is great in Houstons frequent high water and I take it off road about a dozen times a year. It has been disappointing, though, due to the amount of times Ive had to take it in for repairs (approx every 3,800 miles while under warranty). Maybe the bugs have been worked out? It is a good working vehicle, not a lot of bells and whistles that most of todays cars have. Is the trade-off worth? I cant tell yet.