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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  The On;y SUV Worth Buying! - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By ptv8ed@aol.com - July 21 - 2:00 am

  A remarkable leap past the previous model. The ride is equal to a BMW 7 or Mercedes S Class. Cabin is sumptuous, functional and fun. The fit and finish are first class, as you would expect from a British car. It may be pricey but it is well worth it.

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  First 5000 miles - 2007 Land Rover LR3
  By Gillz - July 21 - 12:40 am

  Have gone offroad (snow/rock) as well as 1500mi mountain / freeway drive so put the new LR3 through the paces. Result is a very comfortable, pleased customer. No problems to speak of, just a rattle behind 2 speakers which the dealer fixed.

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  Freelander - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By LRF - July 20 - 10:00 am

  Just a great car

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  Its a real Land Rover - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Fatbob - July 15 - 1:43 pm

  This vehicle remains true to the Land Rover tradition of being capable off road. In addition the new model has increased the on road drivablilty by a large margin over the old model.

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  HERES WHAT I THINK... - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By VICKKY - July 15 - 2:00 am

  THIS IS A VERY VERSATILE VEHICLE. I TRADN A CADILLAC DTS AND HAVE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF DRIVING MY SUV! I HAVE ROOM TO HAUL ANYTHING FROM CERAMIC TILES TO GAS COOKTOPS...I AM IN THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS AND IT HAS REALLY HELPED ME OUT ALOT. PLAN TO KEEP IT A LONG TIME!

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  HSE - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By juan barrera - July 15 - 2:00 am

  excellent DESIGN (exterior/interior) performance output on any terrain is its nature. i highly recommend it to anyone that whats to have a great adventure where ever they travel.

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  Trouble free 2010 Range Rover HSE - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover
  By riversider - July 14 - 2:01 am

  Absolutely no problems with my 2010 HSE after owning it for about 10 months, none ! Yes the gas mileage is not good but I knew that going in. I have enjoyed the vehicle tremendously, and the admiring stares I get while driving it is an added plus. Brown/bronze color ( bourneville) with brown leather interior piped in cream has elicited many many compliments. If anything, the engine doesnt idle quietly and silently as some luxury vehicles do. I love the car, who knew driving a vehicle would make people turn their heads or turn around and look when they pass you ??

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  I really like my 04 Freelander - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By Randall Thomas - July 13 - 1:00 am

  We use the Freelander as a daily driver on pavement, with only a few off-road trips. It is comfortable on long trips, delivers gas mileage in the low 20s mpg, is fun to drive, and distictive. It is very confidence inspiring on wet and icy roads here in the mountains of Eastern KY, handles great, and is easy to park. We have had no reliability issues and the dealer experience has been outstanding--even organizing an off-road trip in West Virginia and a free restaurant meal! Im only sorry that Land Rover has (for now) discontinued the Freelander in the USA, giving me something of an orphan feel- -kinda like how I feel about my old MG.

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  I love this SUV - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By PlaneIce - July 12 - 12:23 am

  I have drove several SUVs BMW X5, Yukon/Tahoe , Lexus lx470 and 330, but to honest the LR3 was really the most comfortable and the most head turning, it full of all the gadgets you would expect and would like to have it this rang of SUVs, I just love it.

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  very disappointed - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By sad and mad - July 10 - 10:00 am

  this is my 2nd freelander, both 2002 models. 1st lasted 600 miles, computer malfunctioned. dealer had it over 25 days, could not fix it, even with help from mfr. after a hassle with maryland and getting a lawyer involved, i got a new replacement vehicle. no problems with it until it hit 15,000 miles. computer malfunctioned. same as before. dealer got it fixed this time in a week, after a lot of effort to locate a replacement computer on their part. picked it up and went immediately to trade it in on a different car. cannot count on its reliability. gave absolutely no warning before it malfunctioned. have complained to landrover. they have lost a