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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  Design Flaw - 2008 Land Rover LR3
  By Vincent - June 25 - 11:00 am

  Love it! Contrary to some reviews, I like the lumbering feeling in the LR3. Very roomy, very safe. My wife drives my 2 kids around and about, and I am at ease knowing they are in such a solid and safe vehicle. Here is the flaw. After a severe fall rain storm, my wife opened the door of our LR3 and water poured out of the front passenger seat. The dealer told me that leaves clog the soffet for the moon roof drainage system. The H20 has no where to go, so it falls inside the car. She said it is a design flaw for all 3 models. She knew exactly what it was when I called it in. If you garage your LR3, then dont sweat it. If you have a garage that is too low for the LR3. Heads up!

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  Very fun to drive - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By Andrew Gates - June 22 - 6:23 pm

  It has been almost 2 years driving this car and I really like it. A few months ago Ive notice that the fuel consumption was higher than normal. I took it to the Lad Rover Dealer and they said it was the fuel pump. For my surprise, I did not have to pay for anything, since it was a recall. If you drive a 2004 Freelander, take it to the dealer to get the fuel pump replaced. I also noticed that after the fix, the gear changes are more smooth.

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  Drivetrain / Transimission Breakdown - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By mjhanold - June 20 - 2:00 am

  I spend three hours per day (90 minutes each way to work) in the vehicle, and have really been pleased with the expereince, performance, design, and to my surprise, the fuel economy (16.5 mpg). However, my disappointment comes after losing the transmission and drivetrain through basic highway driving, and of course Im 4,000 miles over my warranty for this 1 year old car. Ive placed tremendous miles on vehicles, but Ive never had one with such dramatic breakdowns so quickly, and worst yet, Ive never spent so much on a vehicle!

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  Everything you want ++++ - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Richard - June 17 - 6:23 pm

  I have the 2006, Jag engine - I was a little suspicious at first but the 6 gears are smooth and give plenty of power when needed. I had my 2000 RR til this one and I am pleased to say "you still feel like you are driving a RR, but now it is refined and all the old frustrations and niggly designs have been corrected".

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  NO LIMITS - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By beltran - June 13 - 10:00 am

  The Discovery 2003 does have some inconvenient characteristics like the gas consumption and the turning radiusÂ….end; Maybe a range rover is too expensive, and maybe a hummer is a bit too big for driving in the cityÂ…Â…You want to drive a luxurious and practical car for a nice price and feel UNLIMITED!!!!Â….Discovery is what you are looking for.

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  Loving my decision - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Charlotte Fan - June 12 - 9:20 pm

  I traded in a 2005 Cadillac Escalade for my 2005 LR3 and could not be more pleased. While the Cadillac may have more "bells and whistles", the LR3 has many more functional benefits. The ride is great and I love the feeling of knowing that road and weather conditions will never impede my ability to travel. A great looking luxury vehicle that has the ability to go "blue collar" when necessary.

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  The Greatest Small SUV on the Planet - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Rovaman - June 12 - 11:50 am

  The moment I steped into this SUV I could feel its quality. The test drive impressed me even more with the cars handling and steering beating all of its competetors. A MUST SEE.

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  Range Rover Supercharged - 2007 Land Rover Range Rover
  By MB - June 11 - 11:50 pm

  This car can go anywhere in style. Whether its a meeting in the city with clients or an off road excursion to the Outerbanks of NC with our two great danes. This is our second Range Rover.

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  Look Forward to Driving - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By ss68 - June 8 - 6:30 pm

  This is our 1st luxury SUV. We sat in a number of them at the Chicago Auto show and had made up our minds before driving it. The dealer let us use one for the weekend and it sealed the deal. Also had a auto show discount going on. So far we have put on about 2000 miles and have not had any issues. The stereo is amazing.

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  better postioned than the Freelander - 2009 Land Rover LR2
  By Bill - June 7 - 2:43 pm

  Having previously owned an Lr3 and Freelander, the Lr2 sits comfortably as the entry Land Rover. Off road/Snow capabilities are very strong, and extended driving stretches of 8 plus hours with a family of four are certainly comfortable. Great driver visibility all around. Sun roof in front/moon roof in back make the cabin feel airy and spacious. Armrests are comfortable enough, but lack the plushness of the Lr3. Adequate storage space in back, good sound system, great warranty. Would recommend for those looking for a compact SUV with better than average snow/off road capabilities.