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:

• 

  A real off road vehicle - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By ThorsDad - August 31 - 2:00 am

  Like most SUV buyers we purchased this vehicle as a daily driver. That was until Land Rover invited us to a free off-road school. In case you didnt already know, buying a Land Rover makes you a member of their club. After a full day of driving the off road vehicle park in Hollister, CA we came to the conclusion that the Freelander is not a car nor a truck but a real 4x4 off road vehicle. Without any prior off road experience our group drove our stock Freelanders over black diamond trails with minimal coaching from our instructors. Even veteran off-roaders stopped and got out there cameras as we traversed some extreme terrain. Best quote of the day: "WOW!"

• 

  Very satisfied - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By jed - August 30 - 5:53 am

  Ive looked for a new car for over two years. I wanted an sport utility vehicle and looked and drove the Mercedes (too small and minivan looking), the BMW X5 (too generic), the Lexus LX (poor steering response and marginal quality of some of the interior items), and the Lexus GX (too small and common). Waiting for the 2005 Range Rover was definitely worth it. The style, build quality, and smooth ride are worth the wait. Power is good, particularly in the high end. The new navigation system and voice activated telephone (using Bluetooth) are excellent and intuitive with any technical background. The ride is the best thing about the new RR, smooth with stiff and responsive steering.

• 

  I like it a lot! - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By LaRhea - August 21 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love and have never owned such a great vehicle. Another great part about the Discovery is how easy they have made it to work on yourself. The back area is perfect for my Dog and he goes with me most everywhere. My last SUV was a GMC Jimmy. To say the very least, this Discovery does far more. The draw back is getting in and out of the backseat and gas milage is a bit less than the Jimmy, but not by much.

• 

  Freelander best of both worlds - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By mikerover - August 14 - 10:00 am

  The Freelander has been excellant both on and off road. Suprisingly comfortable it has not let me down on or off road. It out performs all the compact SUVs I have driven, including Honda and Toyota and I slam dunked a Chevy trail blazer off road. Its a great car.

• 

  Road Runner - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Racyldy - August 11 - 6:33 am

  This vehicle is like driving on a cloud. Its smooth, comfortable, wraps around the driver and seems to float. It corners well, shifts very smoothly and will turn around on a dime. The gas economy is not wonderful but a fair trade for the safe and secure feeling it provides. Ive had it on an off-road adventure and it really taught me what the vehicle would do. I would take it anywhere...in comfort!

• 

  AWESOME - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By LEON AND TRACY - August 8 - 2:00 am

  THIS IS A SMOOTH RIDING PLUSH PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCE. THIS MODEL HAS SURPASSED ALL OTHERS THAT I HAVE OWNED. THE DRIVING MANEUVERABILITY THE RELIABILITY AND THE SAFETY IS FELT IMMEDIATELY. I LOVE THIS CAR..

• 

  Great car - Fantastic value - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By LALSF - July 22 - 10:00 am

  Landrover is synonymous with quality, durablity, reliance and luxury but, up until the Freelander, Landrover was not associated with "value". Thats all changed. This car smokes my friends Honda CRVs, Nissan Xterras, and Toyota Rav4s. Its a TRUE Landrover and capable of handling real off-roading situations as well as leisurely pleasure rides about town. I would definately recommend the Freelander to anyone considering the purchase of a quality SUV.

• 

  Excellent medium SUV - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By JAY - July 20 - 9:26 pm

  I have had this vehicle for 3 months, driven it about 4,000 miles and so far has proven to be a great car. Perfect size for 4-5 people. The nav system is simple to operate. There is a lot of information available on the screen. Once you get familiar with it, it becomes easy to read on the fly. Off Road this car showed its Land Rover DNA. The sport mode makes it fun to drive. Great car overall. Very happy with my purchase.

• 

  So far so Good! - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By BluzVox - July 19 - 5:26 am

  Im 64", good head and leg room, comfortable seats, easy access to instruments, good acceleration/power, a lot of extras for the money, good on highway and surface streets, handles well and smooth ride over rougher surfaces - good suspension. Rides like a heavier SUV, drives like a sports car. Really enjoying it! Gas mileage is 19 - 23 highway so far

• 

  BMW X3 - Watch out! - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Sam Pack - July 17 - 10:40 pm

  We went from driving an 05 X5 to this beauty! Thought I would really miss the room but this is just fine for the two of us. The finishing is superb, the look is awesome and we get looks from a lot of people on the road, both young and older. Ours is Narvik Black with tan interior and all the options, GPS, adaptive headlights, upgraded stereo. This true luxury, not BMWs faux luxury and leather"ette". And what a great price difference! Its nice, also, to be different and not look like every other "curve" on 4 wheels out there.