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 2005 - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By BRickard - December 18 - 11:43 pm

  As a second time buyer of a Land Rover Range Rover, that being 2003 and 2005 I must say that I am extremely satisfied with my vehicle; the only thing I would like to change is the gas mileage. Well, most SUVs have that problem. This vehicle is very reliable and very safe. As a fun vehicle for children. I would like to put back the "James Bond" feature which allowed you to use audio tapes by pushing a button to turn back the navigation screen which hid the tape dec. I have audio books for my children which do not come in CD form.

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  Quality - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Range owner - December 15 - 4:56 am

  Purchased new 2005 Range Rover in 12 2004. Differential broke at 45k miles. Broke again out of warrant at 65k miles. At 70k miles suspension shot. Differential cost 3k. Suspension 2k, but will not fix, just add springs and not use vehicle suspension. Service out of warranty is awful.

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  ultimate SUV - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By jerrico - December 14 - 10:00 am

  great car to own. The reliability is awsome. Feel like you are in a different world driving one. Have test driven porsche and bmw SUVs and they dont compare.

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  LR3 owner review - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By SF Dude - December 12 - 8:00 pm

  This is a great SE V6 LR3. My wife and I got rid of two cars and are sharing this truck. She wanted to be high up, I like camping, we both wanted safety. This is our pleasure cruiser and grocery getter. What a wonderful truck. We are so happy every time we step out in it. Yes, its a pig at the pump but I have been offroading twice in it and its better than I could have imagined. I love the Jag v6 engine, the Volvo safety items and am glad Ford owns it. This car comes with a 4 yr 50k warranty and free scheduled maint. This beat out the Cayenne, Touareg, A3 Wagon, Jeep Unlimited, Subaru WRX wagon & more.

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  Highly Recommend - Superb features, unbeatable value! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By offroadfanatic - December 12 - 5:52 am

  I bought this car a few years back, primarily on the fact that I could afford it and it basically met my needs. I had to put a little work into it, but nothing more than you would expect out of a car with 100k miles on it. Minor things have stopped working like the cruise control but nothing thats worth bothering fixing. This CUV has acceptable clearance and can accept tires 4 inches taller than whats stock (my estimate) and give it a lot more capability off road regarding clearance. Now, the best part of this car is the amazing capabilities. Aside from the luxury accessories - heated seats and windshield, etc. The performance of this little guy is absolutely amazing - on & off road!

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  Purchased 05 in 10 (LR3SE) - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By landroverjack - December 8 - 2:25 pm

  I absolutely love this vehicle. Ive owned two 4-Runners, a Land Cruiser, an Audi and two BMWs. This LR3 is far and away my favorite vehicle. I will never own any other type of transportation. Ease of use and its generous driving proportions are a delight to the hands and feet. I purposely sought one that did not have the navigation as they just a pain overall. Especially when my iPhone can take me anywhere.... anyhow. This vehicle has the cold weather package which I recommend if you live in the north. Ive been out in the boonies with this man-car a few times and have driven it cross country twice. Did its duty and worked like a manly man car should. I dig it.

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  Still Wondering - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By still wondering - December 8 - 10:00 am

  Well, I sure do like the looks, feel and design. It drives well, it feels rock solid, but... It has 9000 miles, its on its third sunroof, it has a leak when it rains down by the gas pedal, two a/c vents have fallen apart in my hand as I adjusted them and the adjustable lumbar support in the drivers seat simply snapped and broke while I was driving along (Im not a big guy). The dealers been great about fixing the problems, but -- call me crazy -- I dont believe it should have these problems.

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  Dont use a shotgun to kill flies. - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Mountainman - December 5 - 9:33 pm

  First and foremost, this is a luxury OFFROAD vehicle. Its onroad performance is on par with the best, but when ice hits the mountains or it rains buckets, I remember why I bought the RRS. Ive been places on my property in it, that Id only been able to hike into before. The interior is ergonomically sound and beautifully executed. The subsystems work quite well and most of the complaints Ive heard come from folks who, seemingly, didnt bother to read the manual (s). Also, I dont mind the "bling" factor, but dont use the 20" wheels offroad, or youll run the risk of pinching a rim. Overall, the RRS is head and shoulders above the rest. If you want a luxury car, buy one, an SUV,the RRS

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  LR3 First In Its Class - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Sontob - November 30 - 2:40 am

  Great overall vehicle. Offers everything one would need in an SUV; practical design, great modern looks, utilitarian interior, and incredible off road ability. Driving experience is very smooth and quiet. Everything that the vehicle offers from the tailgate and navigation to stadium seating and terrian response provides an easy and useful experience. I have driven it in snow, mud, and over rocks with no problems. My wife enjoys locally driving to the market or to work from time to time and I enjoy using it for off roading, snow trips and camping.

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  Agree with the class action suit - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Barb Pentz - November 29 - 3:30 am

  Had my car for 2 yrs, has 83000 miles on the car. The fuel pump went, upper air intake needed replaced and it too leaked coolant into the oil causing me to need a new engine. All in a 7 month period. The Land Rover dealer told me these cars are unreliable and they have this problem at least once a month. He told me to get rid of it because I will only have more problems. What does that tell you when the dealer thinks it is a piece of junk!!!