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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  My Review - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By William Eve - November 13 - 2:00 am

  An excellent small SUV. Land Rover treats you like royalty even after you buy it the vehicle. Fun to drive, great handling. We have a 6 year old and can usually store all the items needed for a trip. I highly recommend this SUV in the small class. The certified used program makes them affordable too. The gas mileage is decent as well. Using synthetic oil is a bit pricey but it does increase engine life.

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  Style and Substance meet in the Disco - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By druidess - November 10 - 10:31 am

  I am the original owner of my beloved 2004 Disco 2, which has logged more than 220,000 miles, many of them hard ones in Maine winters. I love this car so much that I put in a new motor at 180,000 miles, but sadly just learned that the undercarriage has rust. The plan was to get a new Jeep for me when my daughter got her drivers license, but shes getting the new Jeep and I am keeping my Disco for as long as we can keep the rust at bay. Although in very inclement weather she will be driving the Disco. Some time ago a massive Ford truck slammed into the side grate of my Disco destroying his whole front end, while Disco sustained a slight smudge. Looking for a replacement when this one goes.

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  sound system is weak - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By bob reuland - November 5 - 2:00 am

  the siud system is the weakest link...so to speak. Otherwise it is superlative

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  4th Discovery in the family, big change - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By MB - October 20 - 1:23 pm

  This is our 4th Disco since 95, and this is a big upgrade, they have finally introduced the upgrades required to make this a better car to drive. Being a BMW fanatic, you can see the influence, unfortunately the ownership didnt last too long. Lets hope Ford doesnt "screw it up".... Love this vehicle, not as much as my Defender 90, but thats ok.....

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  Perfection in motion - 2007 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Surprised - October 18 - 11:20 am

  This car has been perfect for me. I was originally looking for a sport sedan in the 50k range, but I couldnt find anything that fit my personality. I wanted something that was comfortable and fun to drive but stood out. I found the comfort in one car, the drivability in another. But in this Range Rover Sport, I found both of those attributes plus the X factor in appearance. This SUV really stands out. I get looks and compliments everywhere I go. Its big enough to look rugged and tough as well as being sleek enough to look sexy. Land Rover could have not made a better SUV. When I tell someone that I own a Range Rover, they congratulate me for getting the Sport and not the other one.

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  Awesome Potential.... - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Roverdawg - October 17 - 5:53 pm

  Great vehicle......when its working. I love this car but Ive had repetitive problems with the air suspension and some other issues. Unfortunately, despite mult. visits the suspension faults remain. Poor reliability on my particular vehicle (related to early build?. Also had the fuel tank recalled/replaced, susp. compressor replaced, front speakers replaced (rattling), hood release cable replaced (failed), rear distance parking module replaced (failed). And yet, I still would recommend this vehicle IF you buy a 2006/2007 and get the extended warranty. Glad I bought the extended warranty!

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  Reliability is the problem - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By BAD choice ;LR2 - October 11 - 10:00 am

  Once i saw this car i loved the exterior and interior and lots of extras it came with. So i dropped my first choice back then which was the vw Touareg, as i had a concern about the vw reliability. Unfortunately i was totally wrong cause it i never suffered with a car like this LR2, every now and then it should be towed to the dealer for electrical problems, that actually there is no real solution for them. Engine fault and transmission fault are keeping flashing in your face! tail gate got stuck more than once. What a great loss i had spent a fortune to own this LR2 and i cannot depend for long journeys in it.

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  Fun to Drive when everything works - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By NH RRS HSE - October 2 - 12:53 am

  Purchased new 2010 Silver RRS HSE in Nov 2009. Upgraded leather package / 20" wheels / HD - SAT radio. Vehicle rides very nice, quiet and smooth with plenty of power. I have had a few electronic (SW) issues however. The front NAV screen / display area went black (came back on next day). Brought to dealer for inspection..but of course was working then. This past week the radio audio went out (has not happened twice) came back on the next day and today a Tire Pressure Monitoring System Failure alarm came on. Back to the dealer tomorrow. They indicated they need to reprogram the car (and both keys). I also had a "Bonnet Open" alarm. Fixed by snapping connector back. All this in 6 months.

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  Said Goodbye - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Peter - September 30 - 6:23 pm

  Turned the vehicle in a couple weeks ago 5 months before the end of the lease. Notwithstanding the fact that I was at the end of my mileage the continual reliability problems were just too much to take. Since purchase this vehicle would be difficult to start once in a while and it became more frequent over the past few months. After the suspension problems a few months back the ride was never as compliant as it was when I purchased. Became very harsh and vechile began to rattle a bit at times. I am very saddened by this turn of events. I was thrilled for the first year but it ended in a most unappealing way. I wish Land Rover luck under their new ownership.

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  Road Trip in 2012 LR4 - 2012 Land Rover LR4
  By jim6090 - September 28 - 6:18 pm

  Just finished a 3000 miles 12 state12 day road trip in our 2012 CPO LR4. I could not have asked for a better road car. From NC to the Maine North Maine Woods. 80 mph on the highway or the 150 miles that we did offroading through the woods. It was nothing short of awesome. 19 MPG overall. Great comfort, security. This our 3rd LR.