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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  It is okay - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By roverlover - May 18 - 8:06 pm

  It took some getting use to driving the Land Rover after owning a MB for 5-6 years. The LR Discovery is a very capable car, built reasonably well, have a few good options/features but it is no MB. I am still glad that I made the purchase. The LR Discovery performs really well during the snowy NE winter, which is the main reason why I purchase the car. I have had a few quality problems with my Discovery but the dealer fixed them under the warranty as expected. Some of the fixes took multiple trips to the dealer before they were fixed but the service dept didnt make it any more painful than it has to be. Thumbs up for the service dept!

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  My 2008 Range Rover a Supercharged Lemon - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover
  By rover73 - May 12 - 4:23 pm

  This is a $96,000 LEMON! I bought it new in January 2008 and from day one it has had many issues. The first week we discovered it had a cracked exhaust system that need to be replaced. The drivers ventilated heated/cooled seat was not working and after many attempts it had to be completely replaced. The rear brake light had filled with water after it rained so that had to be replaced. The adaptive head-lights that are supposed to turn as you go around a corner they ended up being "cross eyed" so they replaced the entire passenger side head-light assembly. The memory functions for the seats, radio and steering wheel have never worked properly. Search user rover73 on you tube for my video.

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  New Gas Hog - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Eric - May 11 - 11:33 am

  I recently move from the world of Infiniti Sports Coupe to a Land Rover LR3. While they are two very differnt car they both provide a great driving experience. I have really enjoyed my LR3 for the 2 weeks that I have had it. I look forward to taking it into the Cascades and testing it out a bit more. I do think that where it is great for style and offroad it is lacking in luxury assets. My Infiniti ($10K) less was much nicer inside and had a lot of standard features that the LR3 does not have. Come on Land Rover, step it up in the standards. Finally, GAS, are you kidding 12-13 mpg if I am lucky.

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  LOVE IT - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By MONTY - May 11 - 10:00 am

  iT S LIKE DRIVING AROUND ON YOUR SOFA. THERE IS NOTHING AS COMFORABLE TO DRIVE AND THE ABILITY TO SEE EVERYTHING AROUND YOU IS FANTASTIC. I WILL FOREVER HAVE A RANGE ROVER IN MY GARAGE

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  Simply the best - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By nutty123 - May 10 - 12:08 am

  This is my 5th Range Rover and by far the best. I still get that buzz every time I climb into the drivers seat. Comfort is absolutely outstanding, in fact there isnt a seat in the house that is as comfortable. The smooth gear change, build quality, and the envious looks you get from other drivers says it all. Those little extras like heated steering wheel, parking sensors front and rear, and TV make it special. I have the LPG conversion which means that in real terms I get the equivalent of about 40 mpg which is amazing for a car of this size and quality. Quite simply the best 4 x 4 in the world.

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  My second 06 rover - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By e owen - May 9 - 8:10 pm

  I have owned two of these cars in the last 10 years, about 3-4 years each and both experiences were wonderful! The first had a failed suspension at about 95k mile and that was the worst thing to happen to either. Finding an independent mechanic that understands these cars is key to maintaining them economically ... I purchased the first off a three year lease with about 25k miles and drove it to 100k. I paid 34,000 and sold it four years later for 19k. The second had 60k miles, paid 21,000 and it currently has 130k miles. If I sell it for 8000.00, and add all the maintenance cost and depreciation, my total cost of ownership not including fuel and insurance will be under 430.00 per month or .26 per mile. I think these are great numbers for any car let alone a high end lux mobile... My daughters Prius has not done as well ( but way better on gas). If I "just got lucky", I got lucky twice since my first 06 had similar numbers even with the suspension fix. I also averaged just over 20 mpg on the highway! I love these cars... Ive also owned a 1990, 95 Range Rover (really bad) a 2001 disco and a 2005 sport (both bought new) and I can say that the 06 range rover is by far the best of the lot from my experience, and one of the best vehicles Ive owned (136 and counting).

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  Vastly improved, but needs more work - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By BostonMa - May 9 - 10:00 am

  Great looks and interior. And the ride is at last worthy of the price. Engine needs more power and better mpg. Needs auto-on lights, auto wipers, passenger memory seat, compact key, modern nav system. Would have been nice to have 3rd row of seats. Very noisy over 80 mph. With 3k mls I have 3 weeks at the shop for unacceptable stuff like fixing the nav voice, replacing the door mirrors, replacing the correct color inside trim etc. I also noticed small rattles and squeaks disturbing the interior.

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  you get what you pay for - 2007 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By sprsnic - May 7 - 3:16 am

  Yes this SUV is one of the most expensive in its class, but you get what you pay for. Great looks, good power, comfortable, and a killer stereo. This Land Rover does not disappoint.

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  2002 freelander landrover - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By rokit777 - May 6 - 5:40 pm

  Hello I purchased my landrover at 45,000 mi,I felt so lucky to have such a beautiful SUV. The problems began as I drove my car out of the dealership. It was at the dealership for the first month of owner ship , I had fuel line problems, coolant leak, heater core replaced, coolant system replaced, transmission replaced, brakes replaced very often, needless to say the car has been great when it runs... I love it.... but too many mechanical problems,and pricey to fix. I am now at 100,000 mi and once again when I turn the heater on there is a burning smell, and the smell of coolant . I cannot afford anymore work, I cannot afford a new engine or head gasket. I took a loss and traded it in...

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  Glad I bought one! - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By mac6115cd - May 5 - 10:00 am

  When shopping for an off-road vehicle, I wanted one that was actually built for off-road use and would hold onto its value. The Land Rover Freelander has met all of my expectations and the dealer has been superb. I could use a bit more head room (Im 6 3"), but other than that, Im very pleased.