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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  Meets both family and personal needs - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By dcw - October 6 - 2:00 am

  The rear “child” seats are great. Their close proximity to the floor allows the kids to play with toys or lay out crafts for the trip. The individual headphone jacks for each are great, especially since the kids can listen to the radio station of their choice while we listen to our CDs up front. My wife likes the neat small things such as the passenger side purse hook, windshield micro-wire defrost and dual climate control zones (she is always cold when I am always hot). I appreciate the high stance, especially in stop-and-go traffic. I also value the extremely capable handling the vehicle has in the snow.

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  Freelander S - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By JoeHD7 - September 24 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle cries out for a 5 speed. The engine has limited gearing and is not fast off the line but likes to go in the 60-80 mph range. Gas mileage is in the low 20s, not really great for this size vehicle. The Freelander feels tight and handles well in the rain/snow/ice of Western new York

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  Be very careful!!! - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By pat - September 16 - 8:26 am

  I purchased this great looking vehicle only to have the entire computer system fail in less the a month after purchase. After keeping the car for almost a month and mysteriously running up 250 miles on my car, I got my car back. The car then would change height by itself. They are still trying to it figure out. Lastly, the ride has this strange vibration which the dealer claims is due to the tires sitting overnight and should get better over time. Go figure!!!

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  Wish you had one? - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By MandA - September 11 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle, so far has been pretty reliable... it did have a computer glitch which caused the fuel gauge and descent light to malfunction, however once reset, everything was fine. Not a lot of room, but hey, its a mini- suv! They put the Landrover looks and spirit in a vehicle that is very affordable.

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  Taking a Risk - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By mscolej - July 24 - 7:36 pm

  I took a bit of a risk on this one, 2005 RR with 90K, but I got such a great deal it was in such great shape that I could not refuse. I have always admired these trucks and the ride is awesome. I did get a warranty at a reasonable cost from warranties4wheels. The 2005 seems to be put together better that the 03s and 04s I had driven and it was the last to have the BMW engine. I have not seen any of the major issues or cost that others have seen and fingers crossed hopefully I wont the good news is it was such a good deal that I could spend a little and not be pissed.

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  Ill never drive any thing else - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By nichoal - July 23 - 12:36 am

  It is everything I thought. The clear view, the comfort. I am 5,2 112 lbs. This is the only SUV that fits me. My husband hates it but thats ok. It is my birthday gift. I love clearly seeing everything when I drive. I have found my second love.

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  Luxury Name with Hyundai feel - 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport
  By Max - July 13 - 8:10 am

  This car overall is great but when i bought a land rover i just expected more. I know it is the lower end of the spectrum but i still expected everything my sister has in her Sonata. First thing no blind spot warning, we were told it was because we got the third row seats and they could not get the wiring in. Got the black package but the material feels cheap and every so often it will pop out of place and i have to push it back in. A lot of squeaking, cant change to preset from the steering wheel.

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  Fun Car with Some Issues - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By egullsfan - June 29 - 8:26 pm

  Ive had this Freelander almost a year and I love it. It is fun to drive, great in snow and mud, and doesnt look like every other small SUV. It is not as reliable as say a CRV (my wifes car) though. We have had no problems with the brakes so far (I put 10K since buying it used). The parts replaced so far though (under warranty at no cost) have been the rear window switch, drivers door lock, thermostat, coolant reservoir. Without a warranty that is $1200 worth of work. I like the fact that this SUV is faster and more fun than our CRV, but the gas mileage pales in comparison (I get 18-20). When the extended warranty runs out, Ill sell this car. Until then, Ill continue to enjoy.

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  So Far So Very Good - 2007 Land Rover LR3
  By VincentET - June 28 - 4:30 am

  People and magazines have said LRs arent reliable, but so far not a single problem. I like this SUV better than any of my past vehicles- Jeep Grand Cherokee, MB ML320, Cadillac SRX, Infiniti QX4. All those trucks had numerous service issues(except Infiniti).

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  Great vehicle ? tires - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By wood - June 13 - 5:06 pm

  Land Rover did a great job on the design. Still a little square . Good performance. Road noise from the tires not good. Goodyear has replaced one and still noisey.