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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  I LOVE MY NEW RR - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Nautictalk - January 7 - 1:26 pm

  I had some terrific cars in the past. I originally bought a MB convertible. But when my son got a RR, I had to have one too. It is so refined in everyway, and is lightyears from a 1996 model I once owned. Its fun and comfortable. I had one minor squeak which was fixed in 5min at the dealership. I really baby this car. When BMW made this car, they knew what they were doing. I hope Ford doesnt screw it up. In my opinion, and for panache, the RR is more impressive than the Lexus and more fun to drive. Drives surprisingly smooth. They could do a bit better with the rear storage. Buy it and you wont be sorry.

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  Best of the Best - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Faisal Farooq - January 5 - 10:40 pm

  I traded in my Escalade ESV for this RR Sport. I just love it. Better Ergonomics, much better quality and handling.

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  Bullet proof - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Jim D - January 2 - 9:16 am

  I bought two for my business. Both have had zero issues. Handling not as sharp as my old FX35 but the car feels a lot more expensive.

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  Hands Down Best Luxury SUV - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By RoverEnthusiasts - January 1 - 7:10 am

  The ride is superb and very, very comfortable. Air suspension further enhances the feeling. No problems since the purchase date, and still rolling problem free. Off-road, the Range Rover performs as if it were a military jeep, effortlessly crossing downed trees and mud ruts. The gorgeous interior and jazzy exterior and mountain-goat like off roading abilities is worth the admission price of $70,000+(new)

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  Outstanding - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Peter - December 29 - 12:13 am

  Wonderful ownership experience thus far. Was skeptical about purchasing because of historical reliability ratings. I have been very pleased with the performance and quality of this vehicle. No problems at all thus far. On of the best handling SUVs out there and acceleration/stopping power is superb. Great off road (put some Nokians on for winter and off road use). For a perfect blend of performance, styling and off road capability, this is the best offering available, in my humble opinion.

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  AMAZING - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By tmoney - December 23 - 10:00 am

  this is the most amazing, not to mention best looking suv i have ever owned. I had a jeep grand cherokee for many years but when the lease ran out and i saw the range i knew i had to have it, and i will never regret that decision.

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  beyond great - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By vanessa - December 22 - 12:03 am

  i have owned range rovers for about 15 years, and finally got real and bought a bmw. i had had enough. i read the review of the new vehicle in robb report, went down to the dealer the next day and drove home with my new range rover. and it IS new. a totally different car which has never disappointed me at all, unlike the former ones. this one is great looking and great performing. i love it! worth every penny!

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  Awesome! - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Jeff - December 18 - 2:50 pm

  What a well-conceived vehicle! Perfect for our 3 kids and car-pooling to sports and school. Rugged in the Minnesota winter, safe to drive with kids, fabulous third row seating, awesome light with the alpine windows in second and third row, and fantastic storage when second and third row seats are flattened. Best SUV with third row seat by far!

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  Love It! - 2008 Land Rover LR3
  By Andrew - December 2 - 9:56 am

  This is a great vehicle! My wife is the daily driver and I am thankful that she is able to have such a safe and competent vehicle for her and our family. This is our second LR3 and the interior seats are very similar to the Range Rover Sport leather.

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  A truck for all seasons! - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By NavalEagle - November 17 - 9:10 pm

  I have taken this truck to the Holister offroad park, and this beast performed fantastically. I have enjoyed every day in this truck, and could never part with it. This thing gets down and dirty, and cleans up very nicely. Those who have never owned a Land Rover, will never quite understand the true charm of these modern day road warriors.