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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  Discovery SE - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Orl Land Rover - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car brand new and have had a great time with it. I tow a boat and its brakes are amazing. The ride is extremely stable, even when cornering hard. Very fun to drive and not everyone has one!

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  AWESOME! - 2009 Land Rover LR2
  By AWESOME! - August 3 - 9:03 pm

  The LR2 is the best choice in its class period! The stylish and rugged look is what the land rover is about. The interior works for this vehicle and is easy to control. There is more then enough room in the back and excellent head room compared to any of the other vehicles that we looked at. Its a land rover, its unique and its should be on your list of SUVs.

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  lr 3 - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By edie - August 1 - 7:00 am

  i took my new landrover into the woods camping. it was a blast, easy to drive. the seats folds down and 2 people can sleep comfortably in the back. I really love this car....

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  so far, so great! - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By jsldds - July 25 - 7:33 am

  The LR3 has been perfect to date. Gas prices are hurting a bit but I live close to work. I have taken trips to Las Vegas and Mammoth from southern California. It drives like a champ on the highway and the snow. Very comfortable. I get 17+ mpg on long trips, 13 in the city. It feels like it was carved out of stone. Very comfortable. I have found the seats to be comfortable. Maybe my body type just fits. I see others have had trouble with the headrest position. I did not get the bluetooth, my only regret. I have the 5 seater and to date have not missed having the third row. Some say acceleration is slow. Ive found using sport mode helps. If you want a hotrod SUV, go to the Cherokee SRT.

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  Best of the Last - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By DevilDisco - July 22 - 3:13 pm

  I have had our Black on Black SE7 For almost 5 years, quickly approaching 110k miles. The vehicles performed flawlessly just before Christmas when the snow storm hit Virginia. Most vehicles were fighting for traction on I-95, locked the Diff and the only thing that slowed us down was traffic and caution. The snow came down so sudden the roads had not been plowed. My wife was even driving at that time. She hates driving in snow but in the Disco she was very comfortable, as were our two little ones. Get it for capability and never having to get stuck snow storms and foul weather. Love it for the looks, and fill your tank when she is thirsty. Do the preventative Maintenance its cheaper.

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  Land Rover - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Kama - July 11 - 2:00 am

  I love it, it is absolutely amazing, and super fun to drive.

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  I love my LR2 - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Jen in 5280 - July 5 - 12:20 pm

  Ive had my LR2 16 months now. I love it. It has never let me down. I have had a few minor problems that the dealer was happy to fix. They even fixed the minorist of complaints. I asked them to readjust my windshield wiper spray and my headlights. The car is excellent in the mountains, excellent in the snow and an excellent daily driver. I have great confidence in my Rover and wouldnt hesitate to drive it anywhere.

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  Very Happy I got this - 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport
  By BBN - July 5 - 2:25 am

  Got this car (a loaner with 700 miles on odometer) a little less than a month and drove under 1000 miles. So far, like the car very much. Got SE model with Climate package, Navigation and 11 speaker upgrade. Got the 19" inch alloy wheel (without extra cost). Things to like - Handling is excellent. All around visibility is very good. Side mirrors are the best I ever had. Seats feel firm and nice. Feels very spacious inside. Overall material quality has the luxury feel. I drive to work 16 miles each way - 8 miles highway and 8 miles local. Getting 30-34 MPG combined without A/C. 27-30 MPG average running a/c. 25-28 MPG with family of 4 and running a/c. So, much better than the 20-26 MPG listed. Engine is very smooth except when accelerating very suddenly. Radio / speakers are fantastic at higher volumes and with HD stations. Things not to like - The rear hatch feels flimsy. The panel below the glass squeaks a bit. No CD player. Radio is just OK at lower volumes. Rides a little truck-like. Other thoughts - Should suggest getting the higher trim level HSE to get many of the fancy features. SE does not get front fog lights. Wish it did.

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  Worthwile to wait - 2007 Land Rover LR3
  By gillz - June 25 - 6:00 am

  Waited for the 2007 model so that could get the benefit of a couple years worth of production issues getting resolved. LR also added the lumbar, seat movement without key in ignition and other improvements for 2007. Only 1000 miles on the vehicle, but already in snow and on hwy, both cases proved to be a flawless performance.

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  The Best - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Zach is Back - June 16 - 10:00 am

  One of the best cars I have had the pleasure of driving.