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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  Fun to drive - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Allan - July 31 - 10:03 am

  This is my first SUV and Im enjoying the experience immensely. The first 2000 miles have been a joy and the quality is amazing. This is definitely an excellent value. The comfort is better than the Mercedes CLK it replaced. The safety features are second to none. The upgraded 14 speaker sound system has a range that makes it a joy to listen to, especially the classical music, where the highs and lows are lost in most vehicles. The upgraded halogen headlights follow the steering wheel around corners and up and down hills. There is so much to recommend in this vehicle, I suggest you take it for a spin. This is my first Range Rover, but it wont be my last.

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  Excellent purchase - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By steve - July 24 - 9:23 am

  I felt I got A LOT for the price. I was very impressed by how it drove but the style of the vehicle is very impressive !!! I get stopped a lot by people telling me how sharp my car looks. I see a lot of LR2s around beautiful Santa Barbara. Kids love their own sunroof for the backseat !

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  excellent - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By chris - July 23 - 8:23 pm

  maybe some have had a bad experience but i have had nothing but a pleasure owning this truck, i have 53000 miles on it and have no problems whatsoever, regular maintenance and thats all. my 3rd rover and my brother has had 9 and currently owns 2, get a good garage people, the freelander is a great vehicle

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  Happy LR3 Owner x2 - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By texaslr3man - July 22 - 1:53 am

  I owned my first LR3 for 7 months (7,000 miles) before it was broadsided by a suburban. The car did so well in the crash that I couldnt get the drivers insurance company to total it. The side curtain airbags worked like a champ, and since it will take 3 months to repair it, and I dont want to drive a near totaled car, I bought a 2006 LR3 and plan to sell my old one when it comes back from the body shop. I took a client out last night (CEO of a company), and he couldnt believe how well made the car was. I am thinking of selling my wifes suburban and buying a third onefor her.

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  Great CUV with Offroad Capability - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By BAM - July 18 - 3:36 am

  This is a great crossover SUV, maintains offroad capability while still offering a very nice onroad experience. I spent quite a bit of time comparing to RDX and X3 and test driving each, and disagree with the Edmunds review about "workaday" interior with the LR2 compared to the X3. The seats are great and the interior is sharp too. Acceleration wont be winning any races, but its just fine for what it needs, I never feel like the engine is straining at any speed. Although the cargo space is listed as lower than the X3, it didnt really seem so after taking a look inside. I would definitely recommend this car to a friend.

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  Great SUV - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By happy - July 13 - 12:03 pm

  Traded in our Sleepy Lexus LS430. This car is in a word Great. Always wanted one now I am sorry we waited for so long! Drives great very smooth. Great amenities. Great Color combinations.

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  king of the hill - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By drgnbk - July 12 - 10:43 pm

  great handling for 3 tons of metal and aluminum. great ride quality and unsurpassed off road capability. I actually use mine for off roading and it doesnt get any easier than with this truck.

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  Peerless, in a class by itself - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By youngturk - July 12 - 10:00 am

  This is my 3rd Range Rover (95 County Classic, 98 4.6 HSE). I traded in my beloved Porsche Boxster because I needed a back seat. I looked at a 911 cab and a Cayenne, but was absolutely blown away by the Range Rover. Now I know why it has garnered such high praise and won so many accolades. The build quality is the best Ive ever seen. The performance is surprisingly good, and the cachet is undeniable. This is truly a world class car.

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  Great car all over - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Sultan - July 8 - 6:23 am

  I bought this car based on an SMS message from the dealership, stating they have a special year-end offer. I saw the car first at the begging of 06 and it caught my heart but the price was over my budget. But with the new offer I could not resist. The dealer didn’t have a test drive vehicle. So I bought the car anyway based on research done on the net,especially this site. I noticed a lot of reviewers complying of fuel consumption. To me its not a problem because I live in the middle east and gas is cheaper than tap water (you are more than welcome to move here ). I fill up a full tank for $20. I recommend this car to any one with class and at the same time has some coolness left in them

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  So Far So Good - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By rgosalvez - July 4 - 8:20 pm

  I have owned my LR2 for 3 weeks now. I am very impressed with the level of standard equipment on this vehicle for the price. Comparably equipped X3s and RX 350s are several thousand dollars more. After 3 weeks, I have had no problems at all. I have, however, had many people provide positive comments on the look of the vehicle. The ride is very comfortable and the fuel economy is about what I expected. Most of the interior build and quality seems good except for some creaking I have noticed in the door panels.