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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  So far so good! - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
  By Ray DeLuca - March 6 - 8:19 am

  Bought the 2 door with 2200 miles. Ive had no issues or complaints, drives great, feels great, looks great and so far I love it. Brought it in for oil change and they did a s/w upgrade. No issues will keep you posted

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  Best 4x4 ever! - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Daniep - March 3 - 6:10 am

  Im a 16 year old high school student and I love my Disco. It has a good sound system, and it sits really high. The ladies love it. Lots of storage room and great on the snow and ice. The V8 has lots of power and pulls away from my friends 6 liter V8 gmc sierra. Great for off roading and camping.

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  So Far So Good! - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Cegibbs3 - March 1 - 9:03 pm

  I purchase this vehicle used from a dealership in Florida. So far so good! It has been very dependable and it doesnt seem to have any of the issues that some of the other reviews Ive read have had. Im 64" so the interior design is a bit tight but thats nothing new to me. I enjoy the heck out of driving this vehicle on and off road. Its my first full time 4-wheel drive and Im extremely impressed with the handling in rainy/bad conditions on the road. It feels like Im driving in ideal conditions even when they are less than. The stereo is the best Ive ever heard in a vehicle from the factory! Real high quality! The looks are unbeatable! Anyway, Im enjoying it! So far so good!

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  BEST SUV OUT THERE - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By JON DROGE - March 1 - 10:00 am

  I HAVE THIS SAME VEH AND LUV IT . IWOULD NOT TRADE IT FOR THE WORLD. THE ONLY THEING IS I THINK THIS VEH IS JUST A LITTLE OVER PRICED

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  Best SUV I have ever owned - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Alex - February 20 - 2:46 pm

  I am so happy I took a chance and purchased a used range rover for only $17,500. I bought it with 103,000 miles on it but looked and drove 10 times better then one of my newer SUVd. I cant tell you how amazing and smooth the ride has been. Everyone over exaggerates repair and reliability problems but with a little bit of homework you can have things fixed easily. My left air strut died which is expected after 100k miles but easily found a refurbished one online and a month later my right air strut died as well and once again found and replaced it with a refurbished one. All I have to say is there are no amount of repair bills that could ever add up to the original MSRP and I saved over 70K!

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  1,000 Mile Review - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By roverfanatic7 - February 20 - 5:49 am

  I just bought this car a few weeks ago. I wanted an SUV and was having trouble deciding. First, I looked at the FJ Cruiser. Love that car, reliable, safe, fun to drive and a great offroader. However, the visibility was horrible. Next, I looked at the Nissan Xterra. The price was very high considering the features. Then, I looked at the Acura RDX. I liked it, but found it small and didnt have a strong offroad capability. I also looked at the Jeep Liberty, but found the ride horrible despite the nice interior and features. So, I stumbled upon this LR2. I wanted to stay away from Land Rover because of the reliability. However, this car has it all. No problems yet! Look below at the features!

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  Happy So Far - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By BWB RRS HSE - February 14 - 10:40 pm

  I purchased a new 2010 Black RRS HSE last Nov. 201. It has the ivory leather on ebony carpet, the luxury package, leather package and 20" silver wheels. So far I am very happy. It is the first vehicle I have bought where I feel there are no compromises. On the Interstate, 80 mph feels like 50! The sound system is by far the best I have ever experienced. The heated steering wheel is sweet. Only two nit pics - wish I had about 2" more leg room and there is no remote start. I am getting about 18 mpg on the highway traveling at 69 mph and about 15 around town(semi-rural area). Could have saved $8K for a 09 leftover but felt the 10 was so much improved that it was worth the extra $.

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  Fun to Drive - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Dan - February 11 - 8:53 am

  I have really enjoyed the LR2. I have 1800 miles on it so far. I own 2 other SUVs and an Audi. This is the most fun to drive. Many positive comments from people of all ages. Smooth drive, great stereo (even without tech) and the headlights are super.

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  2006 Range Rover - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By two time owner - February 4 - 7:40 pm

  Excellent SUV, if you are looking for the best SUV on the road the Range Rover is it. This is my second Range Rover and it does not disappoint. Compared to the Lexus, and BMW it is the better vehicle and the dealership stands behind the service from delivery to service.

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  rover is the best suv yet - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Cargirl - February 4 - 10:00 am

  This is a gorgeous car inside and out. it is very comfortable as it has 14 settings for the drivers seat. i have a bad back so this is wonderful. i have had the bmw x5, the jeep cherokee,the toyota runner and nothing compares. this is real class with energy.