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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  the new series is simply the best - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By GR Webster - January 6 - 2:00 am

  this is the car BMW designed and it drives like one- simply beautiful. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the pre 2002 models - its not only wider, taller and longer, but has a monocoque body {no frame rails} and fully independent suspension - in fact the only part used from the earlier series is the rear tail gate Land Rover logo disk. All the attention to detail from the cup holders, to the ignition key placement are perfect. It is fast, too, the BMW 545 V-8 engine has the power to move this truck, and make some good BMW noise while doing it. I own two of these 2003 vehicles and they are the best. Trust me on this.

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  Good for what it is - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Mike - January 1 - 3:20 pm

  I purchased the SE3 for my wife about a year ago. So far we have not had any real problems. The front brakes had a dragging problem but the dealership corrected the problem. The detachable top is great, my wife loves stripping it down for the carolina summer. The traction control works GREAT in snow and ice, we go to the mountains on the weekends and the freelander goes through the snow as well as my truck (and that is saying something). The interior is easy to clean and works well with the jeep like feel. All in all a great car for the wife and a fun car to drive.

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  awesome!!!!!! - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By d. garcia - December 31 - 2:00 am

  the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be

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  Awesome truck - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By CMHaverford - December 30 - 10:30 am

  Ive had Land Rover Discoverys for over 10 years and have always loved them. The LR3 takes the experience one step closer to a Range Rover. It drives very smoothly, more like a car than a truck, its fast, and very comfortable. Love the feel and look of the truck!

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  So far so good - 2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By New RR Owner - December 24 - 5:23 am

  Finally broke down and bought an RR- SC. Great power, confort and ride. Nice features tho the nav system could be more intuitive but love the 3d look. My 5 year old nephew said it best "this car is freakin awesome!"

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  The Ultimate Rover - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Gary A. - December 20 - 9:20 am

  This vehicle performs incredibly on any road conditions.Very responsive both in steering, handling, and breaking. I traded in my LR-3 to get into this vehicle. Although the same engine, RR Sport handled better and felt lighter (though RR Sport is about 500 lbs. lighter).The interior is impecable and with the ease of control access in ergonomics and voice activation.I do miss some of the LR3 features such as the additional cup holders located at all side doors and center console.Additionally,the ashtray pullouts in the Sport are limited to only one which cannot accomodate coins.I really enjoy my RR Sport. Get this vehicle with the luxary and cold climate package.It looks cheap/dif without it.

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  Very Happy with this vehicle - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By roverette - December 9 - 5:43 am

  Wow. After much research, I decided to purchase the Land Rover LR2. Its been a great choice for me. Its large enough to haul around what I need, and it still fits in the garage. Gas mileage has been averaging 22 mpg - that is a mix of highway and city driving. Comfortable interior, great visibility, tons of room.

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  Just Awesome - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By goski - December 1 - 4:36 pm

  What powererful and smooth engine!! The ride is pure lux and the RR handles beautifully in the mountain environment and in the big city. Truly, the finest SUV on the planet!!

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  Drives like an S600 - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By destinfun - December 1 - 10:00 am

  I made a decision between buying a leased S600 sedan (11k miles) (Previously owned both a 1997 Range Rover which I still have & 2 new SL500 convertibles,among others) & the new 2003 Range Rover. After driving each for an extended period of time, I chose the 2003 Range Rover. It subjectively has ALL of the sophisticated electronic control & handling electronics & characteristics, as well as most all of the convenience & luxury features that are found in even the FINEST sedans the world has to offer. Add the off road features, the ability to carry loads effortlessly, the easy mobility thru traffic, the acceleration, & you have a NO BRAINER, imho. Believe it!

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  Number 1 fan !! - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By jaydav - December 1 - 1:50 am

  My perfect vehicle ... has performance, handling, capacity, styling and, so far, reliability. Have not as yet taken it off road, but good to know I could if needed. Im a long time Jaguar owner and this engine is as powerful and smooth as I expected...and as much fun to drive as my XK8 !!!