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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  awesome - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By konj - December 25 - 2:00 am

  excellent car.

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  Movin On Up - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Movin On Up - December 23 - 7:03 pm

  Traded my 2008 Range Rover in for the 2010 model for the much needed improvements. Better handling, horsepower and luxury features that should have been included in a car at this price point. My 2008 was a pleasure to drive, the 2010 is great to drive. For anyone who drives long distances or spends as much time in their car as I do, this is a great vehicle to bide the time away. The improved technology features are a much needed improvement over the outgoing model, as is the greater horsepower. The virtual display screen that shows the odometer and rpm is nicer than the old gauges but a little cartoonish. Ride could be a little quieter and fewer trips to the gas station would be nice...

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  It Wows! - 2007 Land Rover LR3
  By Stephen - December 19 - 11:43 am

  This is one smart, hot, sleek, functional, stylish and rugged baby. That is a disparate set of qualities and as a loyal Land rover driver, I didnt ever expect to have all these attributes in my vehicle. Past Land Rover Discoveries inspired a grudging loyalty among devoted fans. The LR3, well thats altogether different... Unreserved and undiluted satisfaction. I just love it.

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  Fun in a Range Rover - 2000 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Michaelj - December 16 - 9:03 am

  This SUV is a blast to drive...on or off road. Took it out the weekend I got it and made it clawl through 2 feet of mug and forest (snow too) it never even flinched. drove it back on the highway at 130km per hour, like driving a regular car. city gas milage will shock even the non-enviromentalist, but highway is good for a truck this size. 22.8 mpg

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  Nice Car - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By B wilmot - December 10 - 10:00 am

  Nice Car. I have two small children and I find it difficult to get them into the back by lifting them into their car seats. I would have liked the option of 3rd row seats which are not available. The cargo area is big but with kids I could use even a larger space.

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  Unique SUV Makes a Good Pick 4 me - 2013 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By scoutmallard - December 9 - 12:49 pm

  I liked this SUV because it was different than the competition in style (e.g. A5, X3, etc.). Also, I need a vehicle that does operate off road in a serious manner, and all the reviews says this one can while the others cannot. I really like how this drives and handles. Was excellent in recent snow storm, and gets looks from other drivers because its pretty cool on the outside.

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  Nice truck - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Steve - December 6 - 6:20 pm

  Combine style and an unbeatable off- road machine and you get the Discovery.

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  Turning Heads - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Aman Sabharwal - November 28 - 8:00 pm

  I am very happy with my new RRS. It is sturdy, and the build quality is superb. It is fun to drive and fun to drive over things. Nice turining radius and the air suspension is nice. I applaud LR for using the Denso Navi system (like lexus). Unlike porsche and other makes, there is no cheap plastic inside.

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  Lovin it - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By jndcav - November 27 - 4:40 am

  Love the ride and comfort. Fuel mileage is better than I expected ( as high as 21 but overall average 16.5). Very quite interior with just the right amount of engine noise under hard acceleration. Navigation system has worked perfectly every time. Exterior design is very eye catching. This vehicle does one thing most other import luxury SUV cant it is rated to tow 7700 pounds. No real problems in almost 3000 miles, only a check engine light that went off on its own ( I think it was the gas cap not on correctly) and a rear speaker cover that keeps falling off.

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  Slow electronica - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Eric - November 25 - 12:24 am

  My second Range Rover. Absolutely loved my 2012 sport. The 2015 full size electronics are so poor that it ruins the otherwise great car. Range Rover provides little to no support for this.