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:

• 

  RRS replaced my X5 4.4i - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By upstate NY - October 2 - 5:53 pm

  Test drove number of the high end SUVs including the new X5. All to replace my 04 X5 4.4i with all the toys. Selected RRS S/C in Black/Ivory. Very impressed with it - dont miss the X5. Drove it recently in heavy snow - it was better than my X5 was. Its also firm and fast on the open road. Its not cheap on gas - but then there are other brands that cost alot less that have worse gas mileage. Doing about 5mpg less than the X5 was overall. Didnt find it slow to heat up, nor difficult to aviod the heated elements in windshield. Controls are all easily reached. Great SUV - dont hesitate any longer!

• 

  Nice Ride - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By JCP - September 30 - 2:00 am

  Have owned since december of 2002. Have had no issues with the vehicle and it rides better than I had expected. It is obvious that the design of the SUV is that of BMW. Fast, Quiet, comfortable, eye catcher and unique.

• 

  Freelander Rocks !!! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By W.Carlson - September 29 - 10:00 am

  My family and I are quite enamored with this car. It is the perfect size for our needs. We looked at other small SUVs and the Freelander was our favorite, HANDS DOWN ! It is great looking and a pleasure to drive. The ride is smooth and it handles superbly.( It is the perfect ski mobile). The sound system is of high quality. The car attracts a lot of attention. In summary, the Freelander is worth the money.

• 

  LR2 is solid - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By yeomancavalry - September 24 - 12:40 pm

  Excellent visibility, excellent ride, and very little wind noise. Standard luxury interior, standard features are simply remarkable for a vehicle within the $35,000 price range. For a small ute it has excellent leg space and headroom. The wide body gives a nice distance between driver and passenger. Dependable terrain response. Fully more off-road capable than initially expected despite not being a true 4x4. GPS is awesome! Well laid out. Very solid doors. Lots of safety standards like drivers knee airbag. Related to the Volvo S81, so you know its safe! Peppy motor and easy access maintenance. Awesome 7.1 channel Dolby, 14 speakers surround sound!

• 

  Love It - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Susan - September 21 - 5:30 pm

  This car is great. If you want a unique car that is fun to drive and has functionality, this is it. I searched for a 7 passenger vehicle for my family and was two seconds away from buying an Acura MDX when we stumbled on the Land Rover. I am so happy and love everything about it.

• 

  From Audi All Road to L R 2 - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Audiallrd to LR2 - September 17 - 5:26 am

  I must say that since I purchased 4 of 07 that the LR2 has been perfect in every aspect of driving pleasure, no problems or unexpected annoyances. This SUV is a great vehicle. Land Rover is great!

• 

  2011 LR4 - 2011 Land Rover LR4
  By discov4 - September 7 - 9:57 am

  Ive had the 2011 LR4 for just over a month and have nothing but good things to say. The ride and comfort levels are simple amazing. I compared the competitors in the class, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Lexus and ultimately went with the Land Rover. The styling, comfort and bang for the buck ultimately won me over. Im glad to say that after having made the purchase, I have nothing but good things to say. The ride and capability are great. The interior is extremely comfortable and level of finishes very high. I encourage you to take the leap!

• 

  Awesome Presence - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Chipawa - September 4 - 2:00 am

  Finally picked up the Disco! 03SE7- Zambezi/Alpaca. I agonized while considering and driving everything that may even be remote competetion. I believe this vehicle is the best in its class. It is also the lowest priced SUV that qualifies for SEC179 IRS tax code. Quality/fit/finish look great. Gas mileage is what I expected. I can write it off anyway. although due to great pricing you see more on the road, the Disco still has more presence and exclusivity than the others, I like to be different. Ill report periodically with updates

• 

  Peerless, in a class by itself - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By YoungTurk - August 24 - 10:00 am

  Excellent build quality, prestigious, Surprisingly peppy performance. Best sounding stereo Ive ever heard in an automobile. HVAC very powerful.

• 

  LR4 after 5000 miles - 2010 Land Rover LR4
  By SWFloridian - August 23 - 10:00 am

  Have the LR4 now for 3 months - driven in mountains, on poor road surfaces and highways. Its fun to drive, very quiet inside and comfortable. Like the air suspension very much - makes it easy to get in and out without extra steps. Wish it was offered with a Diesel engine, the V8 gas engine is thirsty (14.5 mpg) but has good pick-up. Off-road performance is second to none. The NAV unit is not top notch - missing many smaller streets away from Metro areas. Also one has to "agree" every time the NAV display is turned on - thats a pain. In summary: great multipurpose vehicle, comfortable and quiet, roomy inside and has all the creature comforts one needs.