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 supercharged rover! - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Rick Respicio - April 4 - 1:40 am

  Its been a month now since we got our RR Sport Supercharged and it has been and still is and will always be "FUN TO DRIVE"! If you dont mind the gas mileage on this baby then you should take a look at this SUV. I checked out the competition and this became my choice of toy. Overall, I give high remarks on the FUN FACTOR, Performance, Overall Design, Quality, Creature Comforts, etc. Maybe they should rename this car and badge it as "Range Rover SuperSport"! ;)

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  My LR3 makes me happy! - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Katie - April 3 - 6:33 pm

  I test drove other SUVs and none come close to the elegant feel of the LR3. It is hip, cool and exudes confidence. I also like the fact that no one else in my neighborhood has one, but that will probably change since I keep getting so many compliments. The turning radius is so cool and I love the look of the front end and overall styling. Land Rover does a beautiful job of designing something truly unique among all the cookie cutter SUVs out there. I feel good when Im driving my LR3 and feel safe too. Great combination! I love this truck!!

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  On Going Electrical Issues - 2011 Land Rover LR4
  By landrover5 - April 3 - 8:31 am

  We purchased the LR4 LUX with every option that Land Rover offered. Total price was around $65,000. The vehicle was great for the first couple months but then we noticed the rear fog lights would not work. We took the car back to the dealership, by that time the lights worked again. (very strange) The electrical issues went up to the windows, the steering wheel buttons then the car just wouldnt start. It was towed numerous times back to the dealership but they could never find the problem. The vehicle was just taken back under the lemon law. Land Rover agreed to place us into a new vehicle but were still not sure about it??

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  Very nice SUV - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By chris - March 28 - 3:56 am

  There are only 2 brands of SUVs in the world, in America there Jeeps and in the rest of the world there are Land Rovers. Sophistication meets true 4x4 ability, the one aspect all other SUVs lack. Truly refined luxury, solid, and fun to drive. This machine makes you feel good driving it. Thank God Ford made a better engine, my disco was weak in the power area and this machine is a powerhouse. Its not as interactive as a BMW, where all the electronics almost know what you want and everything works together, but it is a wonderful machine in its own rights. Yes, even a 2008 Tahoe has more "stuff", a X5 is more electronically advance, and some have more room, but this is an amazing SUV!

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  Great....so far.... - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Brent Bonfiglio - March 27 - 11:16 am

  I have owned this vehicle for just a couple of months... but I love it. It was replacing a 2005 range rover. This truck is FAR superior to the older model... I have had a couple of recalls ( computer updates only) so it has been back to the dealer twice in two months... but has been wonderful, other wise.

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  Not much "Free"Lander-ing - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Ms Meliss - March 24 - 9:56 pm

  This SUV is beautiful inside & out...looks can be very deceiving! This vehicle is FUN to drive, & being a Mom it has lots of spots to store stuff. My fondness is most relevant in its ease of all vantage points while driving (No blind spots!) The down side has been since my purchase I have had to replace my brakes twice, averaging every 16,000 miles! Although covered under warranty, I had to replace the fuel pump, had the car towed to the dealership, upon pick-up, I was horrified to find that my SUV had sustained body damage while at the dealership! Currently, it has overheated three times! After reading previous reviews, and escalating fuel costs, Im TOTALLY convinced on a Hybrid!

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  Gotta Like It - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By rs1 - March 23 - 5:06 pm

  Since I bought this vehicle I have gotten a lot of comments about it. It is awesome to quote my kids. It is a pleasure to drive. The mileage is not great, but is what I expected. Have slowed down a little on the highway in order to maximize mileage. Not a real problem as the seats are comfortable and I enjoy the ride. Average mileage has been 17.5 mpg plus with about 2/3 of miles on highway. Everyone who gets in it likes how airy it feels with the rear moon roofs.

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  The best - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By smith - March 19 - 3:43 pm

  This land rover is just like its older brother but is more sportier in the inside and out. It delivers the best quality performance you would like in the price range for this SUV. During the test drive, we went on a 70 degree angle which I thought we were going to tip but the sales lady assured me that these cars were made to do this off road activity and give a sporty atitude at the same time. Its not very powerful, I would compare the power to a BMW X5 3.0. However the Supercharged is very powerful like the X5 4.8. I give this car an A+ in all its capabilities and performance.

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  my experience with Freelander - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By Milan Humplik - March 16 - 2:00 am

  This is my 2nd SUV,I am really pleased with it, easy to drive and handle on hgwy,off roads, perfect steering, no problem to drive in a very bad weather conditions/snow, rain../If You are looking for a car you can go shopping or driving off road, go for it ..I call may Freelander "baby Range Rover"

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  Land Rovers Are Amazing - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By LandRoverDave - March 16 - 2:00 am

  Incredible Vehicle All Around, One of the Safest cars on the road if you dont make fast turns.