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 Sport 2016 - 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport
  By Lindy Friedman - December 22 - 5:37 pm

  I never envisioned myself in a Discovery Sport, until I drove one. Originally I went to Land Rover to test drive the Evoque. I spotted a white and black Discovery Sport and basically, it was over for the Evoque. I had previously read about all the "issues" with the Discovery and found not one complaint to be true. I had no trouble with acceleration or rough starts. All questions and concerns were answered and reviewed with the salesperson. One test drive, in the rain, was over 2 hours long. I wanted to drive the vehicle in bad weather. Incredible response to the road in the pouring rain. I could not be happier with my Discovery Sport.

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  Great Vehicle - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By spider348 - December 22 - 6:20 am

  This is my third Disco and I am very pleased. Much better then the 2002 I had. Tighter turn radius and more power are the most notable pluses. Everyone likes to bash the fuel mileage - I just averaged 18 mpg on my last tank mixed city and highway. The trick is, dont drive it like a sports car (just take it easy use a light foot - it will coast on its own momentum a lot of the time) and remember - it has a big 4.6L V8 and it is heavy ! As for reliability, learn what to look for in these vehicles and have the usual suspects addressed before you buy. 200k+ miles and I have never been stranded.

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  One year review - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By atownrox - December 20 - 7:56 am

  I wanted to wait a full year and put some miles (18k) on this vehicle before rating it. Id definitely buy the Rover again. Looked at the ML, Toureg, Cayenne, and Rover. The Porsche was excellent but priced itself out for me. The VW was a close second but was still $5K or so more than a similarly equipped Rover. Dealer service is fantastic and has a fleet of Disco loaners. Well see what happens but its all good now.

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  Best SUV on Market! - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By napcommprop - December 19 - 2:00 am

  my 6th rr and its the best one yet!

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  the queen drives one!!!! - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By drt - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Had a bmw x-5, so we like the underpinnings of the range rover. this vehicle is impressive in its looks and style. we were very impressed with the closed off road course capability. cant wait to hit the back roads. got the bonatti grey with charcoal, with a rear entertainment system. it is like sitting in a theater. has surround sound. wow! better than my house. actually will find myself watching a movie in the suv, (in the garage!) recommend the vehicle if the price doesnt scare you. the nav does suck however. my acura has the best nav ive seen yet. but who cares about that, unless you cant find your way out your own backyard.

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  Ignore what people THINK about reliabilty, and listen to what they KNOW - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By iloverrs - December 7 - 12:29 am

  I bought my Rover Sport HSE 2006 at around 40,000 miles, and now over 40,000 miles later, I can say this has been the most reliable car I have ever owned. I still havent changed the brakes (and theyve got a good amount of life left), transmission shifts very smoothly. Never had a check engine or any issues. Remember, dont go cheap on your gas quality, and use synthetic oil. change differential fluid every 75,000 miles. Something very important to me is the fact it is chain driven, so no timing belt change is needed! tough suspension for offroading means very little problems regardless how many potholes you go through (youll feel every bump, but its made tough). Gold

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  Awesome!!! - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Roverboy - December 5 - 2:00 am

  I couldnt be happier with this vehicle. Everything about it screams excellence and class. The ride and drive is far superior to the previous Range Rover models probably due to the BMW influence. Great leap ahead for Land Rover!

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  Good small SUV - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Leos - November 29 - 10:00 am

  For the price of Ford,Honda, or Toyota.

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  New From the Inside OUt - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Laureate2 - November 25 - 6:06 am

  I remember test driving the first Range Rover Sport, and leaving confused as to how they could name such a slow vehicle "sport." Finally the 2010 version earns the name. The 5 Liter engine provides plenty of punch which actually seems faster then the 7.2 0-60 listing. Even better, the interior finally looks and acts like a luxury vehicle. Big touch screen, leather & wood, keyless entry and the Ipod, USB docks. I just wish there was a little more differentiation between this one and its predecessor. Only a trained and peering eye picks up on the subtle styling cues. If youre on the fence about this car, have the salesperson take you on the off-road track. Youll be sold. Cheers

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  NO PROBLEMS - 2009 Land Rover LR2
  By Jerry - November 21 - 6:20 pm

  I have just bought this vehicle while away on vacation. I drove it home 525 miles and it was a joy. Gas mileage was 24.8 - 25 mpg while doing 75mph. Everything works as described. I purchased vehicle with the technology and the cold climate packages. I must have bought at the right time because I got $10,000 off the sticker which put the price right at $30,800.