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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  Best Compact SUV! - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By patti - June 6 - 2:00 am

  I like this car - with the Great Trans and tight handling, its like a mini BMW! Outstanding dealer in Tysons Corner, VA - gave me a good deal and have a great service dept. No complaints. Dont buy the S, go at least for the SE - theres no comparison between the interiors and the overall feel from the inside between the two.

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  Adaptive Lighting - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Trooper - June 5 - 11:56 am

  Adaptive lighting failed whilst driving at night on the day I collected my new car. Dealership "upgraded" the software however, this did not rectify the problem. After several emails to Land Rover UK, the diagnosis is that one of the motors needs replacing as the light is not swiveling as far as it should. Identical issue as misswho. Will advise once motor replaced if this solves the problem. I currently (touch wood) have no issues with starting the engine!

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  The true King of SUV - 2002 Land Rover Range Rover
  By browrck - June 4 - 11:46 am

  I brought this vehile with 27,000 miles on it. I had a Jeep and a Envoy before this, they are a 5 with the Range Rover being a 10. Gas mileage is poor 14mpg around town and 20hwy, but it weighted almost 5000lbs, so what can you say. There Rover can go any where, if you need to go thru snow this the vehile. I looked at the Hummer H2, but it looked to cheat on the inside and just felt cheat. I also looked an the BMW X-5, but like the Rover seating much better. My wife like it a lot and she have a BMW X-5.

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  Looks good, runs bad! - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Nikki - June 3 - 11:26 pm

  I have owned the car for a little over 90 days now, and it has been at the dealership for repair for 35 of those days. Parts to fix the LR2 seem to be quite complicated to get, I have been waiting 2 weeks for a gasket on my new cylinder head. But then, who would think you have to replace a cylinder after 90 days? I also had problems with the car not starting/stalling out.

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  62000 mile report - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By mks - May 28 - 5:13 pm

  Still love it. All I have done is change the oil and tires. Average 21 mpg, comfortable and fun to drive. Best vehicle I have ever owned. Would buy another in a minute. Runs great, lots of great features and everthing is wo easy to use.

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  THE BEST 4 X 4 X FAR - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By NAABS - May 24 - 5:43 am

  IT IS THE BEST MACHINE IN THE WORLD. NOTHING COMES CLOSE TO IT. NOT ESCALADE, NOT HUMMER, NOT CAYENNE NOT NAVIGATOR AND CERTAINLY NOT THE EXPLORER. THERE IS NOTHING BETTER TO DRIVE THAN THIS.

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  Great SUV - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Lake - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Best out there. I have owned quite a few different SUVs. This one does it all.

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  If you drive it..you will buy it...!!! - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Gaven Smith - May 20 - 10:00 am

  After seeing one of these new Rover designs I quickly buzzed right over to the dealership. I fortunatly got a sales person that was in full knowledge of the new vs. the old. WOW...what a change. Being a past BMW owner it has all the fun things I loved, and many more. This is my 5th full size SUV. Most of which high end. This one takes top honors with me. I tow a 3000 pound boat each weekend, and she tows it like its not there. Breaking...is amazing. Without being in tow she cranks out some speed and handling. The down hill decent is nice feature. I have tried this SUV in as many akward positions as possible. NO Worries. It just wants more.

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  Range Rover 02 - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By KaplanNYC - May 20 - 10:00 am

  There is no other SUV like it - truly a pleasure to drive - wonderfully appointed and spacious.

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  The king of Suvs - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By EvelynPeraltas - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I always wanted a Range Rover and I am glad I waited for the new model. It is much more beautiful and modern and also i know that Land rover had many problems with the old Ranges but this time they really perfected those problems.