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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  Dreams Can Come True!!! - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Barry - November 7 - 9:26 pm

  I purchased this very at a very high mileage and this is significant because it speaks directly to its reliability. Mine has a 73K (highway mileage)when purchased and people ask me if this was a 2010 model. It was customized by previous owner that some of its current features are incorporated in the 2010 models I saw for sale. Awesome SUV in and out. Great sound system, handling and lots of POWER. Quick stopping brakes. Needless to say its a head turner. If you gonna get one get supercharged, thats when you can feel the punch more. Previous owner had no major issues and vehicle is in excellent condition. One problem I have a couple of days ago is tire air sensor is bad. Good resale value.

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  My First Land Rover - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By Peter S. - November 7 - 10:00 am

  So far this vehicle is great to drive, especially around crowded NYC streets. Parallel parking is a breeze! On the highway, Freelander has decent acceleration for passing or merging into traffic. Interior space is adequate for this class of SUV. Lots of headroom and its rear legroom is bigger than Libertys and RAV4. For those who wants cargo space in their SUV, well, I think Freelander might not be what your are looking for.

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  New Rover Review - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By CDinDC - November 5 - 2:00 am

  This car is incredible, I dont think there is a single part that is from the previous model years. The interior is clean, comfortable, well thought out and very plush. The engine finally has some power and is much more fun to drive, it does get up and go without any hesitation as the previous years models did. The new xenon headlights are very bright and the interior lighting is extremely pleasing while driving at night. I recommend this vehicle to anyone who needs to have a truly well appointed car that performs. Driving a 2003 Range Rover is like driving a Mercedes S class in an SUV (Mercedes could surely take a few clues for their ML line).

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  Unique, stylish and fun to drive - 2013 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By rebelone - October 31 - 11:08 pm

  I have had my RR Evoque for over a month now, and get quite a few looks. A drastic improvement over the BMWs, Lexus, and Infinity round SUVs out there. A classy, fun to drive alternative. Handles great in the snow, getting 26mpg combined, and making going to work a pleasure.

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  Awesome - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover
  By BDUB - October 30 - 1:00 pm

  Just ended a 3 yr. lease of Lexus GX470. No comparison between that and the my new RR S/C. I was deciding between the RR and the Mercedes GL450. The Rover without question the best looking and driving SUV on the road. BTW, if you can spend the extra bucks, the bigger engine in the S/C is definitely worth the upgrade. Dont know about the legendary reliability issues yet, but Im willing to take my chances.

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Curt N. - October 24 - 7:20 am

  I just purchased a used 2008 LR2 HSE with 18K miles in October 2009 and have been extremely happy with the purchase. Had concerns about purchasing an LR based upon reports of mechanical and reliability issues, but after speaking to LR owners and mechanics, it appears the newer models have come a long way. Owner loyalty appears to be solid. Positives: handles great, comfortable to drive, great front seats, gas mileage (18- 24), Engine Power, Alpine Stereo, and Bluetooth Technology. Complaints: Need 1-3 feet of more rear cargo space to help with storage, and rear seating space to allow for rear seats to recline for passenger comfort. No roof racks and no mud flaps came with my HSE model.

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  They finally did it right. - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By sowell - October 20 - 10:00 am

  This is my third range rover and finally I got what I paid for. They did it right.

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  Fun Vehicle / Great Value - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Charles Green - October 16 - 9:36 am

  Purchased mid August 2007. 6500 miles currently. Only dislike is the heated windshield. Embedded wires cause glare at night and you can see them during the day. This is a fun vehicle to drive. Fast and stable. Plenty of interior room for driver/passengers. The only time you know youre driving a small vehicle is when you back up and realize there is still plenty of room to maneuver. RIM has a download for their Blackberry, Bluetooth now works great. First SUV Ive really felt comfortable driving. Many like the X5 feel too ponderous, you can feel every pound in the steering. Many other SUVs dont even pretend that they could go off road. Added roof rails and mudguards. Lots of compliments.

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  What a car! - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By knewton304 - October 13 - 10:00 am

  We have owned LRs in the past and this is by far the finest vehicle they have ever made. It is truly increadable. A little large for some, but extremely agile and quick. Extreme comfort and capabilities combined with a increadable design improvements!

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  2004 Dicosvery 2 trial w/155k miles - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By VampyreKing - October 11 - 10:00 am

  We just sold our 2001 discovery 2 with 200k miles and got this 04 with 155k miles last week. We love them and if you take good care of the car and do a little research on the web you can find all the parts that you need and a great mechanic will keep you within budget. The love and hate relationship is true but if you are looking for a vehicle that will keep you safe, goes anywhere and has great presence this is the car for you. I dont have allot of money but if you treat your rover well and have a mechanic you can trust you will be able to afford one. P.S. I got my 01 with 139k miles and spend about 5k during 4 years of ownership