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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  An Automobile with a Custom Fit - 2011 Land Rover LR4
  By bjlondon - March 26 - 8:32 pm

  This is the fifth Land Rover we have purchased. The previous four Land Rovers were purchased with my husband as the intended primary driver, and then subsequently passed on to me as we replaced them with newer models. This is the first LR purchased primarily for me--a petite woman. I feel as if this vehicle was custom-designed for me. It is absolutely the most comfortable auto Ive ever driven. Everything w/in the cockpit is at my fingertips. The body is compact and easy to maneuver and control. Despite having the controls close at hand, this is an extremely roomy automobile. You would be hard-pressed to find a more comfortable or luxurious ride in a more expensive luxury car.

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  Discovering Excellence - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Disco Dave - March 26 - 5:16 am

  I love driving the 03 Discovery! I got an HSE, and its amazing! Even though all the gadgets are in strange places, it is definitely a luxury vehicle! It handles all sorts of weather wonderfully, and it drives very smoothly! The 2003 Land Rover Discovery HSE is overall a great vehicle!

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  Made the switch and love it! - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By sanswooper - March 25 - 6:36 am

  After 10 years and 2 Toyota Landcruisers I was looking for something a little smaller, but with all the bells and whistles. The 2010 RRS has it all! Extended leather opt gives it as good a fit and finish as any MB, Caddy, or Lexus. Ride quality is definitely sporty and European, but not at the expense of luxury, and the exhaust note is aggressive but subtle. Surround camera system is a bit hokey until you need to parallel park in a tight spot. After a year and a couple dozen test drives the 2010 RRS beat the competition. Ive had it for a month and still tell people I like better the more I drive it.

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  Works for me - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By not grumpy - March 23 - 10:56 am

  I bought because of the label, have not been disappointed so far. Used even! Wanted something safe on the road for wife and new baby. hadnt read all the bad things about the vehicle. So far (2+years) nothing bad to report! I like it, drives good, sunroof is making noise looks and I still got lots of time and miles on my extended warranty.

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  Far and away better than the competition - 2011 Land Rover LR4
  By safari_tested - March 19 - 10:27 pm

  I have owned seven Hondas, a BMW, a Ford a Chevy and three Olds before I tried Land Rovers and Jags. Despite the scare tactics which seem to abound even on reputable review sites I have nothing but praise for my Land Rovers (Dicsovery2, LR3 and now a LR4) along with my Jaguars (an XJL and my current XJ VDP). Where does EPA get these MPG figures? My Hondas NEVER got the predicted MPGS always falling a few miles below the hopeful predictions, yet my LR4 (and LR3) get a full 2 MPG higher than those on the EPA sticker! Reliability in the first weeks through 2,600 miles has been perfect, not a single flaw. My previous new cars from other manufacturers never accomplished that.

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  Check Vehicle Carefully - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Off Roader - March 18 - 12:00 am

  On the plus side, the LR3 provides the off road features of the Range Rover for a lot less. Do not pay premium for HSE, SE with added options a much better bargain. Do a thorough check of the vehicle for manufacturer defects and quality. My car had a tear in the rear seat leather and numerous internal scratches consistent with dropped tools during manufacturing. Rear parking assist didnt work upon delivery. Remember, you are buying a British made vehicle, not German or Japanese, so dont expect the same quality of workmanship. Having said that, as a true off road type SUV it is the best on the market for the cost. I also like the third row seating - much better than comparable SUVs.

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  LR3 vs LR4 - 2011 Land Rover LR4
  By billybatts - March 17 - 9:51 am

  Turned in an 06 LR3 for an 11 LR4. On the outside, the initial look is the usual Jedi mind trick of changing the tail/head lights and a few other cosmetic alterations. However... the first word that comes to mind is smoooooooth. LR3, rough transition from a light, very jerky. LR4, smooth as silk. Improved suspension and ride in the LR4, sharper interior. More power!!! 375 hp.

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  Better than they say it will be... - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Brocktoon - March 15 - 2:00 am

  This is a unique, solid and great handling car. Auto press complains about lack of rear disc brakes. Who cares, it stops shorter than a liberty, rav4 ect.I have driven 500 miles on ice and snow covered secondary higways and the full time all wheel drive with traction control is a real bonus. I had a Jeep Grand Chrerokee previously, and they are nowhere near as good in changable/mixed conditions, where you need the safety of all wheel drive. Also prees complains about lack of power. Seems to me that the accelerator in this car has a pretty long travel, so it requires more "boot" than might be expected. Figure that out and the pace picks up considerably.

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  Defective seat - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By mimi1956 - March 12 - 9:14 am

  Our driver side seat craked a couple of years ago on our 2003 Discovery. The same seat keeps blowing the adjustment fuse. We have been getting burnt a little when we turn the heated seat on. My husband just noticed that it is black like a fire was starting, checked my coat and it is burned where I sit. Called the dealer said its not their problem, called Lard Rover od America and was told the same thing. I sort of think this is a manufacturer defect. This is probably why the seat cracked and the fuse keeps blowing. Should we get a lawyer?

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  Velar looks good, feels great - 2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar
  By Glenn H - March 12 - 1:49 am

  We were looking for a medium-size SUV with sharp exterior styling and luxurious interior, so settled on the new Velar as the best intersection of those qualities with reasonable cost. It seats five adults fairly comfortably and has enough cargo room for trips. We found a few other purchase options that were somewhat similar, but weighed at least 500 pounds more and cost at least $10K more. Only one option, the Porsche Macan, had a sportier look and drive feel, but it was compromised in terms of rear seat room and cargo space. We also like the bigger Range Rover Sport, but its interior, while luxurious, is dated compared to the extremely modern, clean layout of the Velars. We were reluctant to buy any four-cylinder car, but the surprising torque of the 247-hp Velar 250 won us over in the end. Its no hotrod, but we just complete our first long trip in it and never felt it was underpowered. We live in a moderate climate, so didnt care about the Velars cold weather features (four heated seats, heated steering wheel, remote start/warmup) , but they worked very well when we traveled to a colder area. The electronics may be the best thing about the Velar. The standard sound system is OK and the navigation is good for an automotive system. (No built-in automobile nav is in in the same league as Google Maps on a cell phone.) But the three-section display of the Velar is as good as it gets. Big touchscreens and very configurable. The net result is a non-geek driver can set up the controls so they can actually be used, without reading the manual every time you want to do something. Most modern cars have more electronic features than any driver can use, but the Velars seem intuitive enough that someone can use the important ones. So far, we are getting a little over 21 miles to the gallon of premium gas. That seems subjectively a bit low, but for a 4200 pound car is acceptable.