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:

• 

  Great Vehicle SHORT TERM.. NO longevity - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By jaison - June 4 - 10:46 pm

  Love the vehicle for the past 6 months+ few quirks that the dealer had to fix. Terrible gas mileage. I am not a stickler on gas though I am getting ONLY 10 miles to the gallon on average between city & hwy. It says that it should give you 14 city 18 hwy (B.S.) That is 60 percent less than expected! I have come from an Escalade and even that brougth me close to 15 mpg. Love staying with american products.

• 

  Car Saved My Life - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Nat Lee - May 16 - 9:23 pm

  I loved my freelander! I had my freelander for 6 months until somebody backended me on the highway going 85 mph., that being said this car saved me without a scratch. This car was definitly sturdy and very fun to drive. The only problem i had with the car was a big warranty issue- nobody wanted to warranty because the price of parts is high, that is what i have heard, however i never had any problems with parts or the way it ran.

• 

  Pleasantly supprised - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By dukesush - May 3 - 6:48 am

  Recently purchased a used Freelander and we are very pleased with it. Very sharp looking exterior. Very fun to drive, especially in sport mode. We perform all recomended maintenance on schedule, which I gather is vital with the Freelanders and it has given us no issues. The stock audio system is the best sounding Ive heard in a ten year old vehicle. We are getting good fuel milage too, about 23 MPG.

• 

  LR is the best 4x4xFAR - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By jahman - April 19 - 10:00 am

  The steering was very tight when new but is loosning as it passes 7k. The salesman and I did doughnuts in a dry parking lot... try that in any other truck. LR service is top notch. It is making some vibration in the rear when turning, dealer says it is traction control, but im not too sure when it happens at low speeds ie: pulling into a parking spot. Overall I love the little Rover. I cant wait to get a bigger one.

• 

  Shes a beast! - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By RoadRunnerTX - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Overall, I am very pleased with my 03 Disco SE. It adopted the 2002 Range Rovers silky 4.6L engine, and is as powerful as it sounds. Shifting is smooth and quality-sounding. Sharp- looking inside and out. With a skilled driver and without ACE, it still corners remarkably well. Surprisingly quick acceleration - very deceptive at stoplights. :) Plows through heavy rain, puddles and soft sand like a hot knife through butter. Will pull anything you can think of, yet is refined enough to shame the H2. Very easy to park. Looks like a box, but is as nimble as a sedan.

• 

  Good Ride - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Fast Eddie - April 17 - 9:50 am

  I own a new LR3 and enjoy the ride qualities of this SUV, very smooth and quiet. On the freeway it seems a bit sluggish but once up to speed it really holds its own and again the ride is very smooth. I have had some issues with the check engine light coming on and off, make sure you screw the gas cap on snuggly the MILS system is very sensitive and this will cause the engine light to come on. One thing to be leery of is the vehicle only takes super unleaded (91 octane) that is a huge chuck out of your wallet with the price of fuel, the dealer will not tell you this. Overall I do enjoy driving and owning the LR3.

• 

  Fun to Drive - - - When Not In the Shop - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Colt45 - April 14 - 3:46 pm

  My LR3 has spent more time on the road than on the road - - 3 weeks so far. (With 2 weeks parked while on vacation, and 2 weeks actual driving it.) - - There was paint peeling from the front bumper and the nav system isnt working properly. My local dealer has been excellent. Im hoping LR will figure out whats wrong. I enjoy driving the LR3 during those times Ive had it on the road. Sigh, maybe itll be out of the shop by next week - - Week 4.

• 

  2002 HSE Freelander - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By gallaghp2 - April 8 - 10:00 am

  Many reviews I have read have really been about the build quality and the service. Going along these lines, the one thing you have to remember is you pay a higher price for being exclusive. Added to that is the additional service cost every - 3K, 12K and 24K etc. This SUV is best for the room inside and the smallness on the outside.

• 

  recall on goodyear tires - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By steven y - April 8 - 10:00 am

  less than 10500 miles I had to go to dealer for repair of leaky windshield twice and I just learned there is recall from Goodyear tires due to cupping of the tires.Cupping means uneven tread wear causing one side of tire to swell.

• 

  LR3 - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Gary Alzona - April 5 - 4:43 pm

  This is a fantastic vehicle. Very smooth and solid especially when during harsh road condition. I have nothing but praise for this vehicle. Very enjoyable to drive every day.