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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  Like it, But.... - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By bsvenson1 - July 30 - 10:00 am

  I really like the vehicle , but there are some things that should be changed. Such as the doors should open further, in-dash cd changer should be standard, exhaust should be on opposite side of rear door handle, do away with plastic fender flares that fade in sunlight, it should have seat and mirror position memory, and the tilt steering wheel should tilt more. I dont have any major complaints, just litle things that could easily be changed to make the vehicle that much better.

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  fun little car - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By crcw - July 18 - 2:00 am

  I really enjoy this car. I have had a pathfinder and I love the automatic four wheel drive of the freelander. I also really like the size...it is not too large and yet it is small enough to easily park anywhere. Wind noise and the sunroof mechanism is a bit annoying. I have had the car in 3 times for the sunroof...either not closing or not moving at all. My engine makes a clicking sound...the dealer told me it was low oil...I dont know if trust them. Dealer otherwise has been A+.

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  Gr8 Ride! - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By TheSugarsRover - July 18 - 2:00 am

  We just purchased our new Land Rover SE from the guys in Fort Worth. Great Dealership and we love our new ride! The ride is smooth and powerful for such a heavy vehicle. It is such a unique experience driving this vehicle.

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  Brakes,rough shift, poor low speed drive - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By n. butler - July 3 - 1:10 pm

  From day 1, the brakes have groaned, squealed and gushed. A soft pedal feel. The car lurches into gear at low speeds and the feel is that of sliding into gear with a jerk. I am always concious of it. The dealership says it is the feel of this car. It gives me cause for concern and is not a comfortable drive. I am very unhappy with these conditions.

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  A Car with a Feel Good Factor - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By GuyC - June 24 - 4:03 am

  On a whim went for a test drive & I have to say the ride surprised me. I came away wanting to buy the car but needed to do some ‘web’ research. I found so many negative reviews, the fuel economy & bad reliability that I rang the dealer & declined the deal we had discussed. A couple of days later I felt the pain of ‘non buyers remorse’ I dug deeper & found the fuel economy is really no different to any other SUV of this size and capability. I went back, got the car, The fuel economy on commute is ~16mpg. When I drive, it feels like I should take a picnic to a polo game. This is without a doubt a car that makes you feel good and well worth the time to investigate properly.

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  A Michigan Freelander - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By Philip Dingle - June 22 - 1:00 am

  My Freelander is 4 years old now, and I am generally pleased with the ownership experience. There was an early-life electrical problem which required the car to be towed into the dealership, but with that fixed, there have been no other problems. Performance is quite adequate, ride and handling are good, comfort is reasonable, and it has handled the dirt roads in Michigan very well. Interior noise level is higher than I would like.

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  Getting your dream SUV - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By natosanj - June 21 - 1:36 am

  I have a fully loaded LR3 HSE 2006. Great SUV. Dream come true. Sluggish at the starting line. Breaks make noise when try to stop at low spped. For a 60K car I am little dissapointed. Besides the breaks I can not wait to go off road and see its capability. Drove it on an icy road with TR on Wet and slippery. The SUV drove like a champ. Not a single slip at any urban speed.

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  Excellent to drive if not for twrrible problems - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover
  By bns2013 - June 18 - 8:16 pm

  Bought the 2008 supercharged with 8000kms and have been using it for 1 year now....Done just 25000km as of now. Excellent car to drive but with problems of transmission. Gear change was knocking at low speeds. Took the car twice to the agents but came back saying nothing is wrong wasting my time. Third time, I had to insist them to do a proper check and they found that there were residue in the transmission oil. They changed the full transmission (at least this is what they said) and released the vehicle after keeping it for 10 days. Was driving good for 3 months and then came the problem again. Took it to the agent and they have to replace transmission again..8 days and still with agent...

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  The King of SUVS - Diesel Power!! - 2017 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Niten - June 18 - 11:11 am

  Well let me start off by saying - I love the RR HSE TD6. Its a great vehicle, like the driving position very much. The interior is sheer class and the ambience in the cabin is first rate. Fuel economy is great given its size and its competition. The Merridien sound system is a must, as is the black pack. I also got the 707 wheels in 22"s and they make the car! JLR have some great new colors - I chose Carpathien Grey and did not look back. Great car! My only wish is that the diesel had a little more HP. 350 would have been ideal.

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  Quirky, but loved anyway - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Red Rover - June 12 - 2:00 am

  Test-drove it and had to buy it. Instead of a labored acceleration from stop, the Disco accelerates with ease and relative quiet. The turning radius is more than acceptable. Braking is excellent. For such a tall SUV, body lean during cornering (even without the touted ACE option) is minimal. As stable and sure-footed as a billy goat off-road, but refined enough to serve as a daily-use vehicle. Road noise is minimal, and the suspension is neither too stiff OR too soft. Drives like a wet dream in the rain on city roads, so dont let anyone ever tell you that its useless in town. Whether towing, mudding or hauling, what a capable vehicle.