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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  Grey/Grey Westminster - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By TadM - October 29 - 2:00 am

  Even people that dont like cars covet the new Range Rover. It handles and rides like our old 1998 BMW 740iL. We looked at the no personality Lexus LX470. The RR is amazing in the rough stuff.

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  Love it so much I laugh @ myself - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By David - October 27 - 7:13 pm

  I didnt think I cared much about what car I drove. Then I drove this one. The on road ride is as good as any and off road, well, the only problem with driving this machine off road is it does it all itself. After dialing in the appropriate setting, the best thing (and only thing you need to do is give it a little gas and steer. It goes anywhere effortlessly. My wife calls the on road ride "like butter". As I drive around town I catch myself smiling. The acceleration and handling is just fun. Oh, the sound of the Jag motor is music to even this non- autophile country boy.

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  Great Truck, Cross Bar are Whistling - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By schwa75 - October 22 - 4:20 pm

  Just picked the truck up on Monday. Put 300 miles on it in two days. Rides great, turns heads. Had the dealer install cross bars for the roof rack. Wind noise is troublesome. Dealer recommended moving the crossbars further back on the roof. Still no improvement in wind noise. Finally pulled them off tonight and the noise is gone. Will keep you all posted.

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  "Land-Lover" - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Eric Scanlan - October 17 - 3:20 pm

  To put it simply, its just fun to drive. Its got all the smooth handling and comfort of a luxury car all wrapped up in a sporty and classy looking SUV.

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  Dollar value - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Dick Terry - October 15 - 2:00 am

  Value for your dollar questionable? Feels more like a $60,000 dollar vehicle.Overall very enjoyable much more fun to drive than previse landrovers. Needs little tweaks here and there hopefully Ford will listen to consumers suggestions? Ill see how I feel after a year of driving? P.S. dont turn off reverse sensor, Wife did $2,500 dollars damage its their for a reason!!!

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  My new SE3 - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By phocuschad - October 5 - 10:00 am

  When looking at a five door SUV, I think there are a few other places to look. The Freelander is excellent offroad, but if you arent going to take it there, it isnt really worth it. But since this is the only choice for someone who wants storage, wants offroading, wants comfort, and wants open air. The SE3 combines everything, and is worth every penny.

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  My favorite vehicle - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Derek - October 1 - 2:30 am

  I have had this truck for 3 1/2 years now and it has been nothing but fun. It is super quiet at freeway speeds, great performance when needed, the ride is very comfortable and in every seat. In the snow, our friends with other SUVs park their trucks and get in ours as they can always count on our truck getting through any kind of snow environment. It has great prestige with my clients. Yet its not loud and obnoxious like an Escalade, which is an expensive Suburban with fancy headlights anyway

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  Amazing, Nothing like the RRS 2010 - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By TN-Nashville - September 30 - 5:10 am

  You feel like you are in a cockpit, as you drive in complete luxury. The engine has a great sound and lots of pick up. It has the best of both worlds: sportiness and comfort.

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  status - 2001 Land Rover Range Rover
  By broncoyianni - September 23 - 10:25 pm

  this is one of the most comfortable vehicles on the road, you feel like you are in charge and own the highway, it has some quirks, but what car doesnt, i feel very safe and that is a big factor in driving on the roads today, it is a driving dream, feel as though i could drive it coast to coast non-stop, the biggest thing is keeping up on maintenance, preventive is always the best way, get a feel for your rover, its a status symbol that you will always enjoy, mine has a 102,000 miles, going real strong, if you do buy one make sure the air ride is in place, a little maintenance, but the ride is worth it.

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  So far so good - 2007 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Dot - September 20 - 1:16 pm

  Great car, but I really wish it had a remote tailgate. This is a heavy car and should have a rear hatch that opens and closes via remote. Also, Ive already been through 2 sets of brakes and tires. The dealership said this is normal. Ugh. A heavy car like the RR Sport really blows through the brake pads. I had them replaced less than a year ago and they are already squeaking. You can hear me braking from a mile away. Kind of embarrassing.