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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  Range Rover - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By jrollofson - August 19 - 2:00 am

  The Range Rover is for the driver who has previously always had to have two vehicles to match all their driving needs. This car delivers the luxury and comfort of a Mercedes or BMW while performing in the snow better than any other SUV. You can feel great about going to the Opera, shopping, or skiing in this vehicle!

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  Extremely quiet and smooth riding - 2010 Land Rover LR4
  By Crewcabrob - August 18 - 1:40 pm

  This has to be the quietest vehicle I have ever been in. My wife has a new Lexus sedan, and this truck rides better and is quieter inside by a large margin. We just finished two family vacations with our 3 teenagers. You know this truck is quiet when both of my daughters comment out of the blue how quiet it is. Power is available all the time and passing long strings of cars is not a problem. My interstate mileage has been awesome. The best has been 19.4 mpg at 75 mph for almost 200 miles. There is more than enough space for our family and everyone gets to spread out. Nobody feels slighted if they sit in the third row. I love the fact that the suspension self leveles for any load.

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  Great SUV - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By salamander - August 9 - 10:00 am

  I like the looks, the way it handles. It really turns heads as it zips thru traffic. BTW is the heated windsheild a standard option on the SE.?

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  There is nothing like THE Range Rova! - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By NHroverlover - August 1 - 6:43 pm

  I bought my RR as a Cert Land Rover, and purchsed the extend warr. I absolutely love this truck. The " Snob factor" , everyone looks and stares at you when your in this SUV. Dealership service has been perfect, and they have even picked me up at the airport at 11 pm to get my baby back from being in for a schd service.

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  Very Solid Vehicle - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By mazerac - July 20 - 10:00 am

  This is a well built vehicle and the quality of it is evident the first time you get in. It is comfortable and has excellent road manners. It is at its best when navigating roads during bad weather. The 4WD and high drivers position make driving during stormy weather.

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  Loved my LR2, Really Love my LR4! - 2010 Land Rover LR4
  By Kelly - July 18 - 10:00 am

  I had my eye on a used Range Rover Sport when I decided to test drive an LR4. The LR4 was more refined and less bread truck looking than the LR3 so I decided to take it for a spin and what a spin it was! I was hooked on the first curve. The LR4 is spacious with an improved engine giving it plenty of torque to both hug and pull the road towards you. The grill is downright sexy. I love all the windows and height inside the cabin. There are sensors for both the front and back of the vehicle. There are so many places to store things like my sweater for when I go into a restaurant or my gym shoes for walks in the woods or the golf range. There are two ample glove compartments up front.

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  A Rose among the Lemons? - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By Karen C - July 15 - 11:20 pm

  I bought my Freelander even after reading the less than stellar reviews I found on the internet. Now I wonder if people were trying to hide something - I LOVE THIS CAR! The handling is superb, the leather interior, heated mirrors and seats, and awesome stereo system (6 cd changer) make it a dream to drive. Im getting ~22 miles to a gallon - way more than posted by others. My only beef (and its a small one) is that I wish it had a little better pickup when pulling out. But at highway speeds it cant be topped, and Ive easily avoided several dicey situations with its fast, accurate response. Buy one!

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  im smitten! - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By sherry heverly - July 13 - 12:46 pm

  I just bought my lr2 last week and love it! it is my 2nd LR. it looks great, handles great, and i feel very safe in it. im sure there will be some quirks.................it is a landrover, but the dealership is wonderful and really takes care of the cars and their customers. im smitten!

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  Great So Far! - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Billbo - June 27 - 10:00 am

  Great to drive, youve got "vehicle" around you. Can see the whole road around and in front, others want to get around to know what is actually going on in front of us. Fuel economy lacking, but if thats what you want, its simple... Look Elsewhere! Customer service at my dealer is outstanding, "Pampered yet Professional". So far Ive gotten what Ive paid for. Will see this winter and following my first Land Rover Dealer Sponsored "Wheels event" where they help you to fully understand and appreciate the abilities of this true off-road vehicle.

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  LR4 Rocks - 2010 Land Rover LR4
  By skanlon - June 18 - 10:00 pm

  This is my second LR. Owned an 08 LR3 which was bullet proof, pretty much brought it in for scheduled services and changed the tires. Current LR4 is at 21K, and the only 2 trips to dealer were for the first service and for an insp. sticker. Vehicle is refined and holds up well. 17.9 mpg. on avg. I have two friends that have Range and they are looking into picking up a LR4.