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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  A Classy Vehicle never goes out of style - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By J.M.A. - February 1 - 10:36 pm

  I just purchased a 2003 Land Rover Discovery SE7, with 44.5k miles (vienna green). I love driving my Rovie thus far; classy, beautiful looks with refinements, all leather, and plush interior. I get alot of looks from other drivers, envious perhaps or maybe its not their cup of tea. Have not had any problems or issues, however I need to purchase the original oweners manual, since there was none at the time of purchase. I am going to baby my land rover or at least attempt to feather the gas pedal...I used to have a 1995 Chevrolet Silverado ex- cab...this rangie still gets better gas mileage than most SUVS. Check all vehicles before buying and perhaps purchase and extended warranty for used vehi

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  Fun little car - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By sr11 - January 31 - 2:00 am

  We wanted a little suv as a 2nd car to drive and commute with. With the sunroof and premium stereo, its a lot of fun to drive, no matter the weather. Definitely the best re handling/performance in its group. Gas still stinks but at least its regular. Usual British quirks but overall, we love it. Good news is if we need the extra trunk, we look for our 2001 discovery II.

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  Dont waste your money ! - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Karen - January 23 - 10:10 pm

  The 2008 Range Rover Sport is the biggest mistake I ever purchased.I had a BMW X5 4.4 before this and a Mercedes ML 450 and both were better than this horrible truck.If you wear glasses forget the heated front wind shield, the lines create a glare that will give you a headache. The horn is another nightmare , good luck finding it when you really need it.The design of the interior is idiotic as well.Where is the button for the rear hatch? Opening the rear hatch is a challenge in itself. There is nothing nice to say about this truck and the next 30 months of this lease are going to be painful !!!

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  Not a blessing!! - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By NOT A BLESSING!! - January 23 - 7:30 pm

  Anyone who says this car is reliable simply has not had it long enough. After 2 years we had to replace 3 sets of brakes (every 17000 miles) the heater core, the thermostat, the antifreeze bottle and cap, the rear window, the moonroof,and to top it all off the engine. Although it was all under warranty, we were treated as second class citizens by not only the service department of our dealer, but by the land rover north america corporate offices as well. We find ourselves just waiting for the next thing to break. A friend that works in the service dept. Confided that the freelander is a nightmare to most who own it. Getting a lexus rx300 tomarrow. Get out while you can.

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  Worst Car Company Ever - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Matt - January 23 - 6:00 am

  Worst car company ever. I too fell for the range rover dream. How do they keep selling these cars. Most people, like me were too consumed with how it would make them feel to ever read reviews.

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  Positive news - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Erwin - January 22 - 12:53 pm

  This is my 13th Land Rover since 1987 and I can only say that the experience is getting more rewarding now the engine is "loose" and it really works like a gem. Interior feels great and works well and the profile of the car is a great design. The car feels solid and it navigates the Southern California freeways with ease. It is a perfect size for the busy roads. We have a 2003 Discover II (no problems whatsoever) and a 2003 Range Rover HSE in the garage. Other then the first Range Rover I never had any problems with the other Land Rover products. They are incredable vehicles, on road and off. Look forward to the new 2007 Range Rover as well.

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  Peters Review - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By PETERH5307 - January 20 - 10:00 am

  THIS SUV HAS ALL OF THE QUALITY AND TECHNOLOGY OF A SEDAN, COUPE, CONVERTIBLE, CROSSOVER, PICK UP TRUCK, VAN, SUV, OR MINIVAN. ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS "THIS IS THE BEST AUTOMOBILE. BUY IT IF AFFORDABLE."

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  New Land Rover lover - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By sphengolly - January 14 - 2:00 am

  I like the ride both on and off road.It is a truck so it is not a smooth as my brothers Mercedes, but is nice. In rain it sticks on the road and gives you confidence you can control it. people complain about the difficulty of the differentfunctions,locks ,windows,air,ec t. but can learn and use easy enough with practice, as with the key into the ignition takes practice. There is some wind noise on the highway , but only noticable to me at 70mph or higher. It handels fine at those speeds never past 85mph. Rear air is a must and I recomend the SE (like I have)or higher se7 model.

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  A little glitch but still good - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Dwheels - January 13 - 1:00 am

  I bought my LR2 and took it home, unfortunately the fan module broke and the fan ran for an hour after I got home, I had to disconnect the battery and take it back in the morning. They patched it up and I was on my way. I work in Construction, and this car rocked out on the site, no problems in the sand or mud, it wa great! Got it a bit dirty, but handled great. I expect a few more glitches to come, but the service staff was great, so I didnt worry.

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  Dont buy - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By yeahstyle1 - January 10 - 9:46 pm

  Looks good, fun to drive, great in the snow, but the 2.5l is a lemon. The head gasket will need to be replaced. Because of a design flaw the engine will eventually need to be replaced and LandRover does not make them any more and they are hard to find. Stay away from the 2.5L v6 engine, it is a ticking time bomb.