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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  Fantastic Car, but have a warranty - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By RC - August 15 - 12:46 pm

  I love the RR, will likely buy another. My advice is always have a warranty (factory) because they are expensive to fix. Ive had some routine problems that were very expensive to fix on this car (two examples are the alternator and starter).

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  Love the LR3 - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By LR3 Lover - August 11 - 1:26 pm

  Just to be honest, I am happy with my Fully Loaded LR3 HSE w/ brush bar. Here are some experiences I had with my LR3 right from the start to less than 3,500 miles that I would like to share with you (Listed below): 1) The driverÂ’s side door mirror wouldnÂ’t tilt up or down. 2) In Reverse, both side door mirrors will tilt but will not tilt back to normal positions as like before. 3) Loud noises from upper tailgate when going over any size bumps, and when making turns. 4) Sometimes, itÂ’ll take over a minute for the radio to come on, or after I turned off the radio then on again. 5) Suspension Fault. IÂ’ve never driven the LR3 off-road, or even off- curve (peopleÂ’s most off-road exp)

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  Mirror Image SUV - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By samatnyc - July 23 - 10:00 am

  I love the truck, but for its oddity. We traded in a BMW 528i for it because we have kids that desperately need space (note to SUV haters: stop legislating huge car seats and I wouldnt need an SUV). The truck is solid, handles very well except for a rear axle hop under sudden acceleration. The controls are unique in that many are reversed. For entertainment, go try out the window and audio controls and see English ergonomics in action! The brake and accelerator pedals are close together-- youll get used to that. I find it charming, you may not. No matter how you feel when you buy it, youll have a different opinion by the end of the week.

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  More good than bad - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Susan - July 18 - 2:43 am

  I have been overall happy with the performance of this car. It is slow to accelerate and the air conditioner is very loud. There are some annoying design flaws. The flimsy cup holder is in a place prime for constantly spilling. The steering wheel isnt perfectly centered and the back door opens into the curb instead of away from it. The seats should move electrically for a luxury line, but they are manual. The car could definitely use a sunroof. Overall, it drives tight to the curb. The brakes are for a car and dont last long.

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  Subaru, Jeep and Pathfinder combined - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Nakoosa - July 11 - 2:00 am

  98 SD. a small, antique dining set fit nicely in the back. After securing my antiques, I headed for some 4x4 fun. 4x4 ability, especially in mud and on steep hills, is amazing! On-road performance is Very surprising. At first, I felt high, narrow and top-heavy, but after 4- wheeling and some highway time, 85-90 mph felt absolutely solid, fun, and safe. In the past, I had balked at this vehicle because of its gas mileage; but when you dont want to compromise luxury and pure off-road ability, you just have to pay for the little deficits! Replaces 2001 Sub. outback wagon ltd, nissan pathfinder and jeep cj-5 with no compromises except gas mileage!

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  Baby Rover - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Chris Nordstrom - July 7 - 5:40 am

  It is sad to read the bad reviews by some owners. I have had many vehicles over the years (including other Land Rovers), but have to say this has been a great vehicle so far. I have owned the vehicle since April and to date have 12,000 miles on it with no problems. Ride, comfort and handling are all great. I average any where from 18-24 MPG depending my combined driving. Better fuel economy would be nice, but it seems to be on par with others in its class and engine size.

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  The best SUV on the road - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Catlover - July 4 - 10:00 am

  My 5th Range Rover in 6 years. The new 4.4 liter BMW engine makes all the difference and provides the performance the previous models were lacking. This car rides like a dream, handles like a dream and has the sporty performance of a BMW! I am not crazy about the lights but Rover has succeeded in maintaining the look. This is a much bigger car compared to the old one and an awesome vehicle all round.

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  Rodeo Drive meets the Rubicon - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By DaTB - July 4 - 2:26 am

  We traded in our 2001 Range Rover for a newer model & we found that certified pre-owned is THEE way to go: you have the vehicles service history to see if its a lemon, & we got roughly $35k off the original sticker price. HUGE comfotable seats, both front and back. The height of the driving position is captivating because you feel so in control of not only the vehicle, but all those around you as well. Integration of center console with the dash and the rest of the vehicle is beautiful. Super torquey engine that pins you to your seat but struggles at higher RPMs to haul this monster. This truck rides with more refinement than our previous 02 745i! Storage is ENORMOUS! Highly recommended!

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  Freelander rules! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Freebie - June 27 - 2:00 am

  The reason to buy an SUV is to be able to go offroad, not to have tons of space for passengers and not for fancy interior design. If you want the former buy a minivan. The Freelander rides the road like it has magnets for tires. When it is raining, it feels like the pavement is dry. The build quality is outstanding. Some people have been negative about the interior design. However, plain it may be, it will last and take a beating. The leather seats are amazing. The Freelander drives itself. The stearing wheel is the best feel I have ever ecountered. I am very pleased with our Land Rover and our dealer was excellent.

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  Many Issues Resolved - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By MacDoodles - May 10 - 2:00 am

  It was only a few days after purchase that a heat issue surfaced, then smoke started rising from the engine. The radiator and thermostat was replaced, all while I drove around in a Discovery. I also noted some problems with engine & transmission performance on the quality survey I received. Many issues I noted were on a list of recalls. All of the lacking components were addressed and ride/drive quality improved significantly. I am sure these have been fixed on many before delivery, being an "early adopter" has its draw backs. Over all, since my initial problems, I am satisfied with the car/truck.