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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  Lucky to Free myself from this trouble - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By j2thaw3 - September 11 - 12:33 am

  I bought my Freelander from Honda used vehicles with 1 previous owner, and all the maintenance records. I assumed it was a great deal at the time. WOW, after spending about what I owed on it to "attempt" to fix it, it still didnt work. The last shop I took it to said, "Get rid of it anyway you can, there are 7 major engine malfunctions." All this after spending the money to maintenance it regularly. I would up trading it in for half of what I owed on it. This vehicle was a nightmare that I dont wish upon anybody!

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  unsafe and undriveable - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By Christina Sibul - August 14 - 2:16 pm

  This has been a completely unreliable car. It has broken down on every long trip, and broken down in usual city driving. Our transmission has gone, the brakes, and assorted other devastating electrical and other problems. Its simply unsafe to drive.

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  Horrible Choice - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Ramez - August 4 - 8:23 pm

  This is a horrible SUV to own. Stay away from it unless you are a wife who wants revenge on a cheating husband. There are plenty of better choices out there. Bad quality, uncomfortable interior, low gas mileage, sluggish starts from full stop and lots and lots of leaks!!

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  problems from day one - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Bostic - April 25 - 10:00 am

  We traded my Yukon for our Land Rover thinking we were getting a good SUV . Mistake I have taken it to the dealer averaging every 3-4 weeks that I have had it to get something fixed on it.From the first time I washed it I have nothing but problems the side panel fell off, the knobs to control the seats, the leather seat messed up, the fuel injection, bolts falling off the exhaust, and I just took it last because the drivers door lock messed up. There has been many other little problems and you would think when you pay this much for a car you wouldnt have any problems.

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  Another nightmare... - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By GearJam - March 19 - 6:53 pm

  Oh, lets see.. Ive put 4500 miles on my Freelander since purchase, and have spent MORE in repair bills than I payed for the car. Transmission- Failed.Transfer Case-Failed. Engine- failing.A/c,Sunroof, Power Door locks, failed, failed, failed. 84K on the clock so far, and if I ever see my Rover again, shes getting traded for a Jeep Wrangler, No questions about it no more Land Rover Products are in my future.

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  Leaking Sunroof - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By Jake - February 25 - 6:13 am

  I have always loved the LR3 and have owned a Range Rover several years ago. I decided to trade my Mercedes for this 2006 LR3SE V8. I only wish I had my Mercedes back. This vehicle has been nothing but a headache. It has been in the shop multiple times for a leaking sunroof and STILL the problem persists. The last time they replace the entire sunroof but it still leaks inside the dome light, right and left posts beside the windshield. Water comes out of the "airbag" plug on the sides! It has been a nightmare and Land Rover will do nothing to make this right. I intend to pursue Lemon Law and hopefully get rid of this poor quality vehicle. I will never buy another.

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  Dont Buy!! - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By caroline shek - February 10 - 6:40 pm

  This is my second LR2--the first one (brand new) needed a transmission overhaul after 2 weeks. They gave me another one that has overheated twice. Just this past weekend, it overheated while I was driving and smoke began coming out of the hood. Stay away from this car! Its unsafe and unpredictable.

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  Oops I purchased a Freelandrover - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By steenberg - January 23 - 7:03 pm

  Having now read all the reviews, I no longer feel alone. Day 2, my Landy was back in the shop, transmission replacement parts, repair 1 week. Brakes and rotors at oil change frequency. Consistent electrical problems. Coolant leak in side the care under drivers door mat. Non stop transmission problems, vibration on acceleration. 2 months after the first coolant leak, the same problem. Battery died. Electrical window problems. I have extended warranty and am $100 out, sick of taking the car back to the dealer. Car is not reliable. Dealer has been excellent! This year I have driven a rental car more than my own car, is this a lemon?

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  Wouldnt buy one again - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Lee - December 29 - 5:00 pm

  Owned a 2003 R/R for just over 2 year. It spent over 6 months in and out of the workshop with over 44 different problems. Like a fool I bought a new one 3 months ago and this time I went for the top of the line 2006 Supercharged Wesminster Limited Edition, at almost $100,000. Numerous problems already and it is now in the workshop having a complete brand new ($12,000) engine installed. Crazy! It is less than 3 months old and done just 4000 miles. It has numerous other faults and defects including the paintwork which is covered in orange peal, dirt under the paint, too heavy clear coat etc. etc. The Range Rover MUST be avoided at all cost. Stay away from this SUV because you will regret it!

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  Money Pit - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By bethannsw - December 11 - 12:03 pm

  This car is a money pit. Bought it as the only car for our family of 4. Fabulous in snow, but bad for your wallet. $3000 to repair massive coolant leaks, new fuel pump, ball bearing (??) needs replaced amongst other things. Check engine light is on and vehicle is shaking and barely running. Ive only had it 2 yrs and it has 70K miles on it. There should be a large law suit filed against Land Rover for this vehicle as it seems to have the same problems and even the Land Rover dealerships tell you its a horrible car. Shame on you Land Rover!