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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  Do not waste your money on a Freelander! - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Jennifer - January 10 - 5:50 pm

  I am the owner of a 2002 s Freelander. I have had nothing but problems. We had to have the windshield replaced, the passenger window fixed and just recently needed the transmission replaced. We are lucky for the fact that we purchased the extended warranty. Our dealership has also been terrible to deal with. If you do purchase a freelander, please buy the extended warranty, trust me you will need it.

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  Awesome - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By ahmed - January 9 - 10:00 am

  It is a good car

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  LR3 Best of the Best - 2008 Land Rover LR3
  By David - January 8 - 1:06 pm

  Incredible vehicle, with brand exclusiveness and Ford reliability. Solid and quiet from vault like construction. Handling is precise with insulated road feedback and excelleent pot-hole dampening. The LR3 is underrated and is a great value for the money. This is our second vehicle and enjoy the comfort it provides in all driving conditions. Our last LR3 was involved in a highway accident and the truck provided adequate safety and protection for the family while absorbing some tremendous forces.

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  Overpriced Never Ending Nightmare - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By cdjudd - January 8 - 4:06 am

  I had always been a fan of Range Rovers since I was young, and who wouldnt be. I figured surely after all the rumors of the quality control issue they had surely lined that out with the new models. That is just not the case. If anything they have become worse. They run the "certified pre- owned" crap making you think they will stand behind it. Thats non-sense. From the minute I drove it off the lot it was nothing but a nightmare. Electrical issues became a daily routine. Lights flickering on and off. Then transmission issues of all things. All these things in which they try to fix but when not successful they then throw it back in your face and offer no more help.

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  Spend wisely and buy a Trail Blazer - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By AAOct2002 - January 7 - 2:00 am

  First off, my truck was in the shop SEVEN times since it was deliverd to me in 09/02. Repair visits 1-3 involved the same steering and seating electrical problem. Repair visits 4-7 involved the navigation system, which was STILL FAULTY after I sold the truck. The Nav voice system would NEVER work. Of course I took this matter up with Land Rover USA and the Dealership and neither did a thing except apologize, schedule another repair visit and give me an Enterprise rent-a-car for the seventh time. As a matter of fact, that is when I drove the Trail Blazer and WOW!!!! What a truck!

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  My LR2 - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By rovergal - January 5 - 2:36 pm

  Ive had my car for over a year now and still havent found anything to complain about. Im getting over 25 mpg, it is extremely comfortable to drive, has lots of power when I need it, can traverse muddy, rutty roads with ease, and is just a great car!

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  Love my LR2 - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Nick Soo - January 1 - 4:40 pm

  I got my LR2 as a winter car last October. I was well aware of Land Rovers past reliability problems. I have to say that I love my LR2. Some claim it has poor performance for a luxury SUV, but I think it does fine. I have a G35 coupe as well, and I dont think the LR2 is slow for an SUV, and I dont expect it to be a race car. Overall, its a great ride for someone who wants a very comfortable plush smaller SUV with eye-catching style and lots of technological bells and whistles without paying a fortune. If you want a full-size SUV, itll disappoint. If you want a car-like SUV, probably not for you. But if you want an SUV for winter driving and occasional trips, the LR2 rocks

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  Most Fun Vehicle for the Money - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By baeverly - January 1 - 10:00 am

  After owning 4 big SUVs the wife wanted something smaller. Went looking at 4dooor model and bought the SE3 three days later. This car is FUN. Handles like a sportscar, has 4wd, and a covertible roof. Where else can you get a European Car that is 4wd and has a convertible top for the money?

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  Great SUV, but gas mileage is bad! - 2007 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By njacks12 - December 31 - 11:50 pm

  The Range Rover Sport Supercharged is a great SUV. It is everything you would wish for, except the gas mileage. First you have to use premum. Then the engine is a v-8 so it burns a lot of gas which I dont like about my Range Rover. Everthing else is excellent!

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  Almost perfect... - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By D-man - December 29 - 8:03 am

  Had the Disco Ser II before this, wow what an improvement! They really got it right. The tight turning radius alone is worth the price, especially in tiny Los Angeles parking lots. Everything that was wrong with the Discovery was made right with the LR3. Fast, comfortable, fewer blind spots, fold- flat seats, impressive handling, spacious cup holders, really great stuff. The one-touch ride-height adjustment is great for those lower- clearance parking garages, and the stereo can deliver the goods when youre ready to rock out. Too many nice touches to mention in this review. We leased the car and will probably buy it when the lease is up. Just an outstanding SUV if you can afford the gas...