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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  05 LR3 SE Bonnetti Gray w/ Charcoal - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Vic in Arlington - November 28 - 2:23 am

  Love to drive this truck. I wish that I had purchased the HSE to get the options. Ive had numerous issues with the truck but the dealership strives to make them right.

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  Emphasize Sport in SUV - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By J.D. Giovinazzo - November 27 - 4:40 am

  This is a great SUV thats fun to drive. This heavy vehicle is a bit thirsty for fuel, about 16.5 avg. It is a very quality built machine that moves well in sport mode, and even better in the well positioned manual mode. Ive driven several vehicles in manual mode and this vehicle is the easiest and ergo thoughtful of all of them, less vehicles with paddle shifters. The interior is classy and with the real wood trim, looks great. With the weight of this vehicle, be prepared to replace brakes every 30k or so, depending on driving habits. The brakes will run about $1,400 at the dealership. Only issue is the rear tailgate struts went out, otherwise, great Sport UV. JG

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  Get your wallet ready - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By READY, SET, STOPPPP! - November 25 - 8:50 am

  I have owned this truck for 2.5 yrs and yr 1 was great, not in the shop at all. But year 2 all hell broke, air shocks 1300 each, transmission 7500, radiator overflow 200, the navigation system is almost useless. I would be willing to pay more money for this truck if it were reliable but it isnÂ’t! The dealership that I take it to keeps it for 2 to 3 months when in for service. Truck looks great and drives like a dream when working and repairs are very expensive for everything, I have seen the revues on this truck and I would bet money that every person on here that has had this truck over a year has many horror stories to tell so if you gotta have one get the warranty!

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  Best ever - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By MAX - November 16 - 10:00 am

  Great suv,but Ford needs to get act together, on memory seat software since remote will not activate seat settings.Also what happend to the phone hook up?Steering wheel willnot raise or lower and touch up paint is not available

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  NEWBIETO THE LANDROVER FAMILY - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By JSEA - November 16 - 10:00 am

  PICKED UP MY NEW DISCO ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO.MIXED REVIEWS TO DATE. OVERALL, IT IS A PLEASURE TO DRIVE. ENGINE SEEMS STRONG, AND TOWING A 5K BOAT IS A BREEZE. SOLID RIDE,WITH A GREAT FINISH. SOME ITEMS SEEM CHEAPLY MADE. LIKE THE FUEL DOOR CLASP. BROKE OFF IN A WEEK. THE PROS FAR OUTWEIGHT THE CONS SO FAR. WILL REPORT AGAIN IN A YEAR.

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  You get what you pay for. - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By M.M. - November 9 - 10:50 am

  This is my 2nd Discovery and I have gotten what I paid for with both, a very capable on and off road vehicle, with great benefits in the fact that it is weighty and stable. I got out of a Dodge 2500HD diesel 4x4 crew cab into this and was looking for something substantial, and found it in the Discovery. I have had no major service issues. The "command position" seating is great because you can see almost everything. I feel very safe hauling around my precious cargo in the Discovery and would buy another. Dont get it if you are looking for good gas mileage, that isnt what these were built for.

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  1 year and going strong - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Rick - October 27 - 7:13 pm

  I have had my Tambora Flame LR2 for just over 1 year now. I have had no problems with my vehicle at all. I still get lots of positive comments about its looks. The only time my vehicle has been in the shop has been for scheduled maintenance and 1 moonroof recall. I am still impressed with all the standard equipment for the price and still very impressed with the ride and comfort for a compact SUV.

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  One Big Problem - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By amf - October 25 - 4:10 am

  Big Problem : This is our familys third Land Rover. A Discovery in 1994, another Discovery in 1998. We loved them both and loved our Service Manager. We needed more power to pull a trailer, so in December we took delivery of a fabulous LR3, V8, HSE. Fabulous except for one thing that makes driving, especially long distance driving, really miserable: the driver (and front passenger) headrest is slanted forward at a really uncomfortable angle. No matter where the seat itself is positioned, the headrest is tilted so that the drivers neck is bent forward; it is impossible to sit up straight and have your back, neck, and head rest comfortably. Check this out before you buy or lease !!!

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  Best truck I have owned - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By TN - October 24 - 2:46 pm

  changed from a lexus GX to LR3 and its been great. Rides a lot better than the lexus, handles well, tows my boat over anything where the lexus always felt strained. Advanced drive systems do work well in the truck off road. Alot of room and a great load carrier. If you need a real SUV and not just a road machine then this Landrover is the one to go for. It can be thirsty and so far i have only had one fault which was fixed by the dealer while i waited.

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  Fantastic First Car - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Harvard AMG - October 18 - 11:10 pm

  I love this vehicle. I truly adore it. The engine is sometimes hard to control, especially for a teen driver, but I still believe that using it for everyday use is not only feasible, but encouraged. There are a few issues with reliability, such as an issue with the gearbox. But, I love to drive it around town. Fuel economy is a little dismal, but the Supercharged engine is worth it. I recommend buying it used. My parents purchased the car for me with 2,000 miles on it. My other choices were the GL450 (the front grille of the 550 irritated me), The X6 M, or the E63 AMG Wagon. Given that Range Rover had the most prestige, luxury, and the most advanced technology.