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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  Awesome SUV!!! - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By David - September 11 - 4:30 pm

  This is a really fun truck to drive. We also own a Landcruiser and was actually looking to buy a smaller SUV like ML350 or X5, when we stumbled on this....Wonderful truck..This is now the truck of choice in my house.

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  U can tell that BMW helped Design SE3 - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By CJR - September 11 - 10:00 am

  Originally my wife and I wanted to get a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. But we test drove a SE3 and feel in love with handling and options that arent available on the Jeep. Our dealership even has a offroading event three times a year to put the SE3 to test. The European Handling and tight steering is is also a nice feature. You can tell that BMW had something to do with the design of this vehicle.

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  Just Perfect - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Jeff - September 9 - 5:13 am

  After three Mercedes MLs, it was time for a change. The MLs kept getting better (1998, 1999, 2001 models) but were nowhere near as good as the LR3. The LR3 is incredibly solid, with smooth acceleration and a great ride. Interior comfort is excellent and the kids love the third row, which offers easy access. Winter driving in New England was never better, with the LR3 handling snow and ice in a way that can only be described as awesome. Yeah, I like the LR3 a lot.

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  Get in the Mud - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By RoverFun - September 5 - 12:40 pm

  My family and I have put 25k miles on the truck this year and have more a problem not driving it. Third row seat is a pleasure, best tailgate design ever, and confort beyond exspectation. I understand that others have had trouble with a first model year, but that is typical and I was prepared for it (bought 100k bumper to bumper warrenty). I have been off road with groups and solo and never been stuck yet. The truck is truely more at home off road and my wife can still lean back an chat on the cell at the same time. I even squeezed a larger set of tires on it and they worked great in sand

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  My Freelander - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By Oscar Rios - September 5 - 2:00 am

  I love this vehicle bacause of the superiority on off road courses compare to a jeep or any medium SUV my freelander has all the tools to compete with the Range Rovers. Mc Pherson independent suspension, Downhill control,Sincro 5spd/Automatic transmision, ALL wheel drive and many others,,,one more thing NICE SOUND SYSTEM yeahhhhh

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  Couldnt Be Happier - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Brad S. - September 3 - 10:00 am

  This is a fantastic vehicle. Do not buy another small SUV without driving one! We drove the Liberty, Escape, Tribute, Xterra and nothing else came close for ride comfort, handling, fit and finish, among others. Weve put only 1100 miles on it so far, but they have been trouble-free and an absolute joy.

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  Great Car - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Donselya - September 2 - 12:40 pm

  Bought a Westminster edition last January. No problems so far. Very fun to drive and definitely a head turner. I also love the ride quality. Quite expensive though.

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  L# HSE - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By jpanti - August 28 - 10:30 am

  The L3 HSE that I bought I use it on and off road, and its great on both. Mine is a diesel engine, so the fuel economy is great. You exchange power for economy, which isnt that bad, since its still a powerful engine. The comfort makes you overlook the possible flaws it may have as far as the interior. Overall, a great buy!

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  2007 Range Rover HSE - 2007 Land Rover Range Rover
  By C. M. Oliver - August 22 - 8:56 pm

  The 2007 Range Rover is an outstanding vehicle with comfort and features befitting of a premium class vehicle. The ride is smooth yet agile and the all-aluminum 32-Valve Jaguar V8 is very responsive providing ample power in most situations. The Terrain Response System provides optimum performance in every driving condition, creating tremendous traction and handling regardless of road conditions. Thus far, the Range Rover has performed well without any problems. This is truly a unique and remarkable vehicle.

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  Glad to be in a LR3 - HSE** not X5 - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By David Cowan - August 11 - 7:46 pm

  We had the x5 BMW for the past 3 years and this beats everything about the x5. Great driving.