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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  WOW - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Rick Stenlake - September 24 - 10:00 am

  This RR is head and shoulders above the previous modle. I had a 1994 LWB that I really loved. This one is far advanced from the modle after mine. I do take my RR off road and this on performs very well off road as well as on the road. It finally has good power to weight ratio and is fun to drive. My frind has a Lexus 470. I used to like to take his places, including off road. Now the RR is vastly superior to the Lexus so his is not much fun to take anymore. This is an impressive vehicle.

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  Best SUV - 2008 Land Rover LR3
  By fallout79 - September 20 - 2:21 pm

  I had always considered a Land Rover but been scared of the reliabilty. I finally went for a test drive and realized just how good this vehicle is. In terms of design, comfort, style, and capability there simply is not another vehicle that comes close. I bought an 08 with 70k on it and got an awesome deal. It had a full service history and was in mint condition. I drive it all day for business in the week and get around 18mpg. At the weekend I can load it up for weekend trips to the mountains and go on offroad trails that are extremely challenging. Othertimes I tow our 25 boat with ease. Im at 90k with no problems. I have it regularly serviced by the LR dealer who are great. Best SUV!

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  Great Truck - 2010 Land Rover LR4
  By mikee - September 19 - 6:33 pm

  I have now had my LR4 for 2 and half months now. I LOVE the Truck. It drives great. Much better than the previous model.Its smooth, its very comfortable and everything is laid out very well for the driver. It has great cargo room and seats 7. Visibility is great for driving and great for parking. Fuel is not the best, but this is a go anywhere vehicle. Beach driving is a breeze, snow is no big deal. If your looking for a 7 passenger and go anywhere vehicle and drive in luxury.This is the vehicle for you. I am very pleased.

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  Happy New LR3 Owner - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Inland Northwest Fun - September 10 - 3:00 am

  I recently purchased my LR3 and am really glad I did. About 2 weeks after I bought it, we got 23 inches of snow in three days. My LR3 handled the weather incredibly well, while other SUVs were stuck on the side of the road.

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  It is a Dream - 2010 Land Rover LR4
  By Dream Girl - September 4 - 1:20 pm

  I had 2 Pilots for a total of 7 years and just didnt like the way that they drove in the wet/snowy weather. I test drove every 3rd row crossover/SUV in existence. Someone mentioned the new LR4 and once I drove it I could never look back. It is an absolute dream to drive and to own. I finally feel so safe and secure driving during this brutal winter. I highly recommend this vehicle. I have done years of research.

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  Way Better Than Very High Expectations - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By MN Dave - September 1 - 10:00 am

  This is a very fine vehicle. I have owned it (new 2003 model) through at least part of all four seasons in MN. Winter performance was great, with the different safety automatic controls, could not get it to slip more than 6 inches on icy streets even when trying. Very pleased that my wife has it for winter commutes. Excellent Peromance on muddy hills. Fun to drive on road, quiet, nimble and powerful. Beautiful inside and out. No service or fit and finish [roblems at all. Do not understand what the complaints on the GPS are.

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  The best there is to offer - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By gregger - August 30 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle for all occations.

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  Incredible Automobile..... - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By uly48 - August 25 - 5:46 am

  Purchased the 2008 Limited Edition Sport and it is wonderful. Have over 12K miles already and have not had one (1) problem. It drives as well as any vehicle I have ever owned. SRT8,Audi RS6,Boxster. All were wonderful in their own right but there were really no comparisons.

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  Freelander Lover - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By JSD - August 18 - 2:00 am

  Just bought this great little SUV. We did lots of comparison shopping and found this to be a really great value - my husband was able to use his Ford X plan on this SUV. We are a family of 4 and thought we were sacrificing cargo space when we bought this vehicle. However, I was pleasantly surprised when we started filling up the back. There is a lot more room than you think. The cabin area is very roomy and comfortable. The ride is very smooth and, so far, it gets good gas mileage. Would highly recommend this SUV! The dealership we went through was a very pleasant experience too!

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  Sad to Go! - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By DCorey - August 17 - 2:53 am

  This RRS-SC has been an excellent car. Time to turn it in and will miss it. The performance and all around cool factor of this car compensates for the back seat comfort, quirky nav system and cumbersome tailgate. This is my wifes kid hauler, but I drive it every chance I get. No problems with anything other than a window lift in the first month. If you want to drive an SUV with SWAG this is the one.