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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  Top range - 2007 Land Rover Range Rover
  By donte - March 30 - 12:20 pm

  I have always wanted a Range Rover since I was a child. When I test drove it I knew it was the one for me. My personal opinion about this car is outstanding, I cant find the right words to explain this car. The handling is wonderful, as well as the exterior and interior. I highly recommend you buy this car if you like to enjoy the finer things in life

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  My Gasaholic - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By DJF4x4 - March 28 - 10:00 am

  The vehicle is an incredible SUV. I love everything about it with the exception of the gas mileage and the fact it only runs on premium.

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  I love mine! - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Broskay - March 14 - 8:00 am

  Got mine in Nov 2009. Waited this long to write a review because I truly want to experience the car. It is a joy to own and drive. It turns heads everywhere I go. I have not seen a lot of it on the road yet. After taking a 500 mile trip, I did not experience any body aches or soreness. I just wanted to keep driving for the sheer joy of driving this automobile. I have not experienced any of these difficulties that some of the reviewers have described. Mine is a stornoway gray with almond interior and luxury package. The sound system is great. Actually better than the Bose I have had in my other luxury SUV. I wish they would use more wood grain on the interior and get rid of the refrigerator.

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  I LOVE my freelander - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By cross-country - March 8 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Freelander in May of 2003 and have driven from the East coast to the West coast and back again, stuffed full of possessions and a very drooly dog. I found that it had everything I needed to deal with the mountains, the desert, and the cross- country trip. I also find it to be quite efficient around town. It is lythe enough to handle Los Angeles traffic at rush hour, while being sturdy enough to deal with big rigs on the interstate.

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  Great Rover! - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Paul - March 5 - 12:06 pm

  Smooth engine and more power than expected. Sound system is awesome! Great turning ratio.

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  Pleasant Surprise - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Particular - February 24 - 5:13 pm

  I have been amazed by the quality and comfort of this SUV since the day I took delivery a year ago. LR has out done themselves with the Sport. It is the most nimble SUV on the road and the best I have ever owned - and I have owned many SUVs. The style and craftmanship are unsurpassed. It blows my old BMW built SUV away on all counts. Pricey, you say. Hogwash, I say. Its worth every penney! A year on the road and it still turns heads. Handles like a sports car, climbs like a billy goat with power to spare. The air ride suspension is amazing.

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  Power to spare - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By coldbt - February 14 - 10:00 am

  Rugged and powerful... Makes my 93 Wrangler look like a toy. Truly an off raoad vehicle with tremendous towing capacity. Installed cat-back "real" dual exhaust with K&N intake... 20% performance increase plus and honest 20 MPG an trips

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  Great SUV - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Skarfy - February 14 - 10:00 am

  The 2004 Disco, redesigned in 2003, is gorgeous. Make no mistake though, it is a serious SUV...If you want a "car" that also has 4WD, this may not be for you. I love it, but it is not as smooth as, for instance, our 2004 Envoy. However, the V8 blows away the Envoy, and the offroad ability is in a different league altogether. The interior is wonderful - love the wood trim and the interior light. The front is roomy, and extremely comfortable. Was thinking about waiting for the LR3, but the Disco is uniquely Rover, the LR3 looks a little "ford-like" to me. Plus a new Disco is an incredible deal now that the model is ended. Much less body roll than you think in such a high vehicle!!

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  Best SUV for many reasons - 2007 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Gordon - February 9 - 11:36 pm

  A car or SUV can always say it does something better than some other vehicle. Its a collection of hits or misses that makes a car great though, and the Range Rover Sport Supercharged has more Hits than misses. This SUV is unbelievable to drive along winding mountain roads. Power is there whenever you need it and brakes are better than almost every other car our there This thing stops faster than my friends Mazda 3 compact car! I

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  So far, So good - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By jon d. - February 6 - 8:50 am

  fun to drive, has a few gremlins but nothing thats out of the ordinary.