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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  if you hit new range rover 2013 you may be waiting for over month to get it repaired - No parts - 2013 Land Rover Range Rover
  By zlatopolsky - October 14 - 1:27 am

  Driving I feel strange like I swing in a crib . it is not solid like previous model. After driving my car for 1 week I was unlucky to be hit from behind by Honda into bumper. My car immediately lost control, sled from right lane to the left through entire highway changing direction . As a result of this crash I had back and front bumpers damaged. I do not understand why hit from behind made me crossing highway like a billiard ball It was very unsecure and scary. When I had to pick up a body shop I was told that only one certified BS in town to repair such cars. I do not like this low option equal to 1. In addition to it I have to wait 4 weeks for parts to be delivered.

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  A real stinker - 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By luckyhit - October 10 - 11:53 pm

  This car is one to avoid. New or used avoid buying this one. I know it looks great but dont be fooled. It will not last. In 23 months of ownership the car was in the shop 10 times for repairs. The last repair was replacing the fuel pump and the dealership telling us there were no parts available. Our car sat for almost a week before they could locate the parts. Not only that the dealership advised us is was okay to keep driving it with the check engine light illuminated....can I say daah! Believe us do not buy this car.

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  Renamed ****lander - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Dawson - October 10 - 12:50 pm

  Wow, What a huge mistake this Small SUV is. All I can say is thank god We purchased an extended warranty. We paid $14,000 for this car and have had close to $20,000 in repairs in 2 years! We blew the original motor at 80,000 km and that was replaced. Within 10,000 km that replacement motor blew. Covered under land rover warranty. Not really sure that a "new" motor was ever put in. what a pile of garbage.

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  BEWARE OF THIS CAR! - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By mtd130 - October 10 - 7:16 am

  I bought this car and have had nothing but major saftey issue. It just died on me while I was driving before I had driven it 2000 miles. It got towed to the dealership and they had a software update for it. I then took it back and then less then a week, it died again. The tech at Land rover told me it was a "docking of the key" problem and it loses communicaton with the fuel line! No fix out there for this computer- key problem and yes there are getting more complaints about this issue. As of right now, I am not getting into this car.

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  Used 03 - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By ZooLoB - October 9 - 10:00 am

  Overall ,this is a good vehicle but could use some work in the comfort category. I love to drive this vehicle but the seats are not good for long trips nor is the gas mileage. I do think that this vehicle is a steal at the prices, this is by far the best value discovery and best value in the SUV arena right now.

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  Beats the competition, hands down! - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Dave W - October 7 - 11:03 pm

  When I first saw the RRS I knew this was the one. I remain impressed with the AWD technology as well as the verifiable reputation that Land Rover has for "getting you there and back" This is one of those cars that after you lock it and walk away, you look over you shoulder to check it out.

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  Mixed Emotions - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By St. Louis Owner - October 2 - 2:00 am

  I have a love/hate relationship with my Freelander. The quality isnt what I would expect from LR. Two main issues I have had is watering spraying out of the AC after 10 minutes of driving and problems with my locks. I have had it in the shop at least 7 times to have the AC fixed but they couldnt figure it out and their answer was That is how the car was designed. I am VERY DISAPPOINTED with the customer service group at Land Rover. I hope you do not have to deal with them for any complaints. Very rude people. Dont get me wrong, I still love my freelander but I now second guess if I over paid for something I had higher expectations for.

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  Fun to Drive only - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By locoant - October 2 - 2:00 am

  This car is not to be taken anywhere that debris may hit it. IT WILL BREAK!!! Underside real susceptable to damage. Dealership suspects customer for all damage and they check it accordingly. Also dealer will treat you like your second class because you bought the CHEAP model. This car sucks 2002 Lemon lawed due to main seals in the engine. 2003 had a main seal go at about 2500 miles.

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  My second Freelander - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By Brocktoon - September 26 - 10:06 pm

  I traded my 2003 Freelander in on a new 2005 last month. Going with the Freelanders is the best decision I ever made when it comes to cars. Why are there so many freelander complainers? Who knows, but its the best selling truck in Europe, and they cant be all wrong. The 2005 is a definite improvement over the 03 in terms of looks and comfort. Dont listen to people who say this is not a capable car, I had the 03 in mud up to the doorhandles and we made it out fine. Try that in any other SUV for the price. If you are considering purchase, yes they do require some "care and feeding", but check out some web enthusiast sites first and get the real story.

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  Nightmare. Dont Fall for the Looks! - 2007 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By OrthoDr - September 25 - 6:36 pm

  Despite my better judgment, advice of knowledgeable friends and my own happy history with German cars (Porsche, BMW) I went with the RR. In the shop about 50% of the time: suspension, brakes, engine light etc, etc. I now know that any real car enthusiast snickers when they see some moron (like myself) driving a Range Rover down the street, knowing they succumbed to great looks, marketing and desire to exhibit ones W-2 in vehicle form. Please dont, unless your RR technician is a starving family member. Buy a BMW X-5 or Cayenne instead. And yes, I told you so.