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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  Four years later - 2002 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Christophe - July 7 - 2:43 am

  Have proudly owned 2002 for four years, 42-k miles, and had one problem with valve on suspension. Drives like no other, and best is last of true british design. Not the BMW/Ford redo. Original design stands for no nonsense, a true Rover owner.

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  Fun little rover! - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Roverdude - July 4 - 2:00 am

  This is my second rover and Im loving it. Handling, handling, handling! Im continually amazed at how fast I can whip this rover around the corners. The steptronic tranny helps to get the most power out of the V6 as well. Interior is a nice combo of rugged yet comfortable, and very practical overall. I recommend it to anyone pondering entering the land rover stable.

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  Freelander Rules! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Kent Cys - July 2 - 10:00 am

  And the rules are: 1. Step up to the SE or HSE, especially the HSE for the sumptuous leather if you have the $$. 2. Make sure your SE comes with a Sunroof, Harmon Kardon stereo upgrade, and Heated Seats (All standard on HSE). 3. Dip your head and slide legs first across the front seats if you are taller than 58" -- Freelander has LRs standard Command Seating position. 4. Enjoy! Liberty and Escape V6 owners may dust you in a race. But bumps that make their vehicles shake like Strom Thurmond covered in fire ants will hardly affect Freelander.

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  Be Prepared - 2001 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Tiffany - June 29 - 11:43 pm

  I really like the uniqueness of the Range Rover--the style is superb if you like to stand out. But BE PREPARED for the maintenance costs-- they will kill your pocket--average visit to the dealership is about $2000- -and believe me this truck can go frequently of it wants to--the annual checkups range from about $1300-$1100 and are done every 15000 miles and there is always something extra to be done while in the shop. Remember to get spare keys--all keys are made in England and may take from days to months to get here.

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  Great car & look, needs better mileage - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Eunice - June 29 - 10:40 pm

  Ive had this vehicle for 5 months now and I havent had any problem with it. I am impressed with how smoothly it drives and the turns are fantastic. It is very quiet and the seats are extremely comfortable. The car looks small but there is plenty of leg room.

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  World Class - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By MDT111 - June 27 - 2:00 am

  I have owned, over the past couple of years, a 2002 Mercedes G500 and a 2003 Cadillac Escalade. This vehicle puts them both to shame. Looks, fit, ride, performance...all superior.

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  Solid Well Built Trouble Free - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By D. Brink - June 26 - 10:00 am

  Attention to detail. Under the hood of the Fords and chevys we looked at before buying the Freelander, I found that most of the electrical connectors had wires that were at almost 90 degrees to the conntection;as if the wire was too short. I also found some rather cheap feeling plastic interior molding. The Ford did not achor the back carpet firmly to the body either. The freelander had none of these types of short commings. Besides that the Roll down back window, heater windshield and side mirrors were just a couple of features for which I did not mind paying.

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  The standard in 7 seater luxury SUVs - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By hidlebac - June 25 - 2:03 am

  It is solid, heavy, and safe. I feel comfortable when wife is driving it with our daughter. It is a solid car, with a slick, ergonomic cockpit. Lots of buttons but they are very thoughtfully placed. The Nav is great. I would recommend a nav update DVD from Navteq for people who still have the original software. It makes things alot better.

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  Do not buy this unreliable piece of junk - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By House - June 21 - 4:13 am

  Ive had this vehicle for 1 1/2 years and Im counting down the days to turn it in. Thank god I only got a 2 year lease. I had to put all new tires at 16,000 miles. Every time it rains my wife gets soaked with water pouring in from the overhead lamps. Its been in the shop about 6 times in the last 18 months for various flaws. One day we were on a family trip in the winter and the LR3 simply shut down in the middle of the road.

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  British is still best - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By hotscot - June 17 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle excels in every department, and is the benchmark of excellence!