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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  The class act SUV - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Gaukel - October 27 - 10:00 am

  The Discovery should be driven by people who respect a true SUV and its off road capabilites. Those other soccoer moms can stick with the junk such as the Pilot.

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  magical - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By ossama - October 27 - 10:00 am

  Nice rich car , that everyone looks at you while driving , not much on the road.you feel like a cool person. Fun to drive , rich interior design , great visiblity, and heavy on the road.only disadvantage is the Gas , oh the Gas, but to enjoy and show off,there is a price for that .

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  In the shop within a month of purchase!! - 2012 Land Rover Range Rover
  By rngrvrregret - October 18 - 4:52 am

  Do not buy this car!! The reliability issues are huge. Within a month of my purchase the coolant light was on - then the Heating/AC wouldnt work - and finally it needed a major mechanical repair that required me to have it in the shop for over a week!! I previously had a Lexus for 5 years that never needed more than an oil change. Do yourself a favor and dont be seduced by the Prestige - its not worth the headache.

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  2004 Land Rover Freelander SE - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By clwoolner - October 17 - 11:10 pm

  A fun and sporty vehicle to drive. I have had no mechanical or structural problems with the Freelander. Its been safe and consistently reliable and handles well in all weather conditions (snow, sleet, rain). Gas mileage is average and is noticably worse when A/C is used. Overall, very pleased with my purchase!

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  We were one of the lucky ones - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By tjwat - October 13 - 1:58 am

  You read either glowing remarks or the worst. We were one of the lucky ones to get one of the best cars we have ever owned. My wife had owned every luxury car on the road, and the Range Rover has been one of her favorites. Car was originally returned under California Lemon Laws for a continuing computer error the dealer couldnt solve. Land Rover took it back, fixed the problems (whatever that was) and we ended up with it. Now, with nearly 80K miles, it still drives and rides wonderfully. Very comfortable. We are looking into getting our next Range Rover.

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  2003 Range Rover - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By tomh - October 4 - 11:20 pm

  Second owner of vehicle. Purchased at dealership. Fell in love with it from moment we drove it. Went to look at the LR3 and saw the new body style and knew of the partnering of BMW and Range Rover. It was all over after the test drive. The engine is the same as the one in the 7-series BMWs. Great pickup and when cruising feels like one is floating over the road. We purchased the extended warranty to be safe re any major repairs. Overall the mechanical issues have been minor. Had one incident with the drivetrain yet all covered under the warranty. Have had one "major" service and was pretty costly. Overall very pleased and would buy again. Definitely would encourage buy the extended warranty

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  Super all around vehicle, maybe built more for those who go off road... - 2011 Land Rover Range Rover
  By rd1059 - September 30 - 7:28 pm

  I bought this car after my wife had a 2010 RR Sport for a year, we both loved it. I needed something a bit larger, so opted for the HSE. I am a bit more used to some technological bells and whistles, but still love this car. First, i find it odd, there is no unlock in park, I later learned even the supercharged does not, just odd. the Nav systems screen is not the greatest, but compared to my 2012 Audi A-6, maybe nothing would. The driving of this car however is amazing, comfortable and powerful, I LOVE IT. However, i have no real off road use for this vehicle, it seems to me a lot of $$ you pay are for those features, and they seem to be plenty. It handles well in snow and ice

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  Dont buy into the disgruntled naysayers - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Freelander02 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I got one of the first Freelanders in the USA. The people who have had problems are very vocal, as is human nature... but there are TONS of these running around with no problems at all. If you want something to just drive and ignore, dont get one. If you plan to get something for ENJOYMENT youll love this thing. I routinely go off-road and in all the trips Ive done Ive run right around stuck Jeeps, Discoveries and made a Defender look silly trying to climb a hill behind me. Some of the info on Edmunds is wrong though- Do your homework to get more accurate info.

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  Discover - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By scs3100 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  A great car for all types of of land and ravel paths

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  Fun to drive in Texas Hill Country - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Troon - September 26 - 10:00 am

  The vehicle is safe and fun to drive. I live in the Texas hill Country and love to hunt. This is a great SVU for going into the hard to get to areas. The gas mileage could be better but over all its a small price to pay. My Irish Setter fits well into the cargo space. Overall I would purchase another Land Rover in a minute.