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:

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  Better Buy Two - 2002 Land Rover Range Rover
  By rockman - November 24 - 8:20 am

  Looking back, I should have bought 2 of these so I would always have one to drive while the other was in the shop getting repaired. Its great off road and reasonably comfortable on the highway. If I were to ever buy one again, not likely, I would sell it the day the warranty expired. Since the warranty expired about 3 years ago, I have averaged $3000/yr in repairs and I have all the receipts to show for it. Lastly, my RR leaks like a sieve when it rains and the dealer cant seem to find out from where. I actually drilled a hole in the spare tire well to let the water drain out on its own so I wouldnt have to suck it out with a hose after every rain.

• 

  I bought a lemon - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By JABEL - November 17 - 3:56 pm

  Although I thouroughly enjoy my LR3 when its not in the shop, I almost to the point where Ill have to take a hit and sell it. Many times the onboard computer has affected the ability to drive, to raise and lower the vehicle, to operate the radio, and most importantly to shift. I should have known that the electronics would live up (or down) to their reputation.

• 

  Looks Good but a real Brit Junker - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By swamp - November 17 - 7:16 am

  I purchased my Diccovery in 2006. It had 20k miles on it. I had to replace all of the rotors and pads at the same time around 50k miles and they are not cheap cause you cant just replace the pads, must replace pads AND rotors. It overheated in Atlanta (it has 80K miles now) dealer tells me I have to replace head gaskets ($2800), Mass airflow sensors ($600), Thermostat ($470) .. and my window wont roll down anymore so i need a window regulator ($435) DO NOT BUY ONE OF THESE CARS YOU WILL REGRET IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. YES THEY LOOK GREAT BUT THEY ARE GARBAGE ON THE INSIDE.

• 

  Watch out when they reach high miles - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Dan_Keeney - November 6 - 11:33 am

  I had very good luck with the Freelander until I approached 75,000 miles. I had always followed the textbook in terms of maintenance, but faced a major problem requiring a replacement of the head gaskets, which would have cost $4,500. The vehicle wasnt worth that much on trade, so I got rid of it. The service tech told me that the 02 Freelander engine was over-engineered because they wanted more power for the American market than provided by the 4-cylinder version that had been used successfully for years in Europe. I also had constant problems with the sunroof as well, but otherwise it was a great vehicle until the engine went. Just get a complete diagnostic before buying at high miles.

• 

  headrests - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By shawn moore - October 20 - 7:30 pm

  This is my second Land Rover, they are just not the same anymore. The headrests are so poorly positioned that I am spending a fortune on neck pain!!! Land Rover North America is not doing anything for me!! Tires, had to be replaced at 13,000 miles. LR3 broke down for no reason and they still dont know why. It is not a safe or comfortable vehicle. Buy a toyota, at least they hold some value!

• 

  Discovery-atic - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By abombard - September 7 - 11:01 am

  Well, I have owned three Discoveries now; a 98, 2000, and 2003. I have had problems with every one I have owned, in fact, the one I currently own is being repaired - the tail light spontaneously caught on fire. The crazy thing is, I would buy another one; although I would like my next LR to be a Defender. I love the way they feel on and off road - particullarly off road.

• 

  DISCO x 2 - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By dblake - August 27 - 4:18 am

  had a 04, HSE destroyed in Katrina, Bought an 03 right after. Typical issue as everyone elses. But one thing you have to realize is if you want town this type of vehicle be prepared to spend the maintenance cash. Yes its expensive to maintain & i have found parts via ebay OE sellers, in addition i happen to have my own personal mechanic with 30+yrs of experience & a 65$ an hr labor rate, so maybe not to shabby for me. For sure if i had to pay the dealer for all the work done so far it may have been sold long ago. I am @ 127k, replaced the Head gasket which is now leaking again 3yrs later. & just routine work. Its long paid off now & i invested so much in repairs ill run in 4ever