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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  Surprisingly good! - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By capitollr - November 7 - 10:33 pm

  Unique design looks better than most SUVs today! Head-turning, good looks complemented by elegant, quality interior. Unbeatable combination of off-road prowess and every day practicality.

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  Third time a Charm - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By bb cruiser - November 3 - 8:00 pm

  After having bought a Mercedes ML55 2002, a BMW X5 4.6 2003, I moved to a 2004 Range Rover. A big improvement over previous model(owned a 2000 Range Rover) and the BMW design and running gear provide the performance for a high end SUV. Best is the comfort and ability to handle towing needs,and get up and go when required. Off road capabilities exceed most if not all needs of the average user. A very comfortable four passenger SUV/Sedan.

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  WHAT AN INCREDIBLE CAR!!!!!` - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Kelsie - October 31 - 10:00 am

  I am so very pleased I bought the Discovery! It is a pleasure to drive and I feel I can go anywhere. It has a beautifully destinct and spacious design. My Discovery has comfortable seats and I live for the TWO sunroofs! It is a dream to drive! It stands alone amongst its "competition".

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  The True Story - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By Hollingsworth - October 25 - 2:00 am

  We love it. Dont let the size fool you. I dont know what they have done, but there is so much room inside (Im 62" and I fit). I dont know what most are talking about, but this is a great ATV. We looked at other, but when it comes to ATVs buy the best.

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  Reliable Rover - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Dina B - October 24 - 10:13 am

  We had 2 previous RRs (2003 & 2005)and we had issues with both. This SUV is the most reliable we ever owned and we owned BMWs, Lexus and MBs. The new Jaguar engineers seemed to have addressed the reliability issues we had with our previous RRs. This SUV has been reliable and flawless. We kept up with the main. schedule and we have nothing but praise for this suv. Reading other reviews make you wonder about where some of these owners purchased their cars from? I cant relate to one thing written on some of these reviews even with the 2003 & 2005 we owned. The luxury, comfort and reliability of this suv is unmatched and we elected to hang on to this SUV and wont even dream about trading it in.

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  Best in class by far! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By dorknuts2002 - October 17 - 10:00 am

  Ive read Automobile Magazines review calling it best in class and Ive also read that cynical guys review from the New York Times knocking it to pieces. Ill tell you first hand that this is by far the best vehicle in its class! From the awesome Land Rover looks and status to its BMW like perfomance, for the money, you cant beat it. This guy from the New York Times must have mistaken it for a RAV 4 or something because this Mini-SUV rocks. And once you fall in love with it on road you then take it off road and you cant even compare it to anything else in its class because nothing else can do these things! You have to drive it to understand.

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  Swiss Army Knife of SUVs - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By ChrisC - October 15 - 9:30 pm

  I have had this truck for over a year already and it has never let me down on-road or off-road. True to its Land Rover heritage it coddles you in comfort and protects you from the elements while taking you through all types of road conditions and terrain with ease. The design of the truck also sets you apart from the bland styling that is out there today on so many SUVs. It is truly among the very few off the showroom do anything, go anywhere type of vehicle. A true Swiss Army Knife of SUVs.

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  Excellent - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Gregg - October 14 - 11:23 am

  Having owned a 99 and 02 discovery the difference is night and day, but the real measure is my last vehicle the 2003 range rover. I drove the range rover for two years and had zero problems and much admiration from my friends, this car(LR3) is so similar to it in the areas that matter. The differencs are few and far between little things that are mostly cosmetic and do not effect you on a daily basis. Off road driving is actually better, its quieter, nimbler etc.. I cant recomend this car enough, period!

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  Old & Reliable - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Ash - October 2 - 12:23 pm

  I have about 53,000 miles and its exactly 4 years in just a few weeks. We also owned a 2006 LS430 Lexus during the same period. Our RR outperformed the Lexus in reliability & comfort. We no longer needed 2 vehicles and we dumped the Ls 430 without a second thought. Kept up with the maint. and the car is running great. My only issue is the early wear and tear on the seats. You can thank our environmental wackos for that as the process for finishing(dyeing) the leather is not what it used to be because of some crazy environmental hazards. The new finishing process causes early wear and tear issues as explained by a number of upholsterers. We are enjoying every mile we drive this awesome vehicle.

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  Best Ever - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By EniwderAuto - October 1 - 5:50 pm

  Easy to get around in. Turn radius makes it easy in city and off road. Gas mileage good for 6000 lbs. Excellent interior space with smaller exterior foot print. Great for highway cruising as well. Much better gas mileage than a crew cab pickup.