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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  Rocky Mt Rover - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By Rocky Mts - August 24 - 10:00 am

  I moved to Colorado from Louisiana this summer and decided to trade in my little sports car for a more snow-worthy vehicle. For me, a single guy with no kids, the Freelander SE3 was perfect: inexpensive but unique, fun to drive, agile on road and off, practical, and (best of all) providing an open air driving experience. I am very happy so far with the SE3.

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  Bring out Disco Anniversary Edition! - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By JAF - August 22 - 5:56 am

  Love my 04 disco but know when looking into getting one you are also purchasing an on-going expense to maintain. The ride is great, the power is great and looks by far is the best thing about this truck! My hopes are that Land Rover comes to its senses and creates the Disco Anniversary addition...same body style with some of the great features of the LR3 / LR4. Will never get rid of my current Disco though...LOVE IT!

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  1st car bought outside the "big" 3 - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By ccaparelli - August 18 - 11:33 am

  Having owned 2 Jeep Grand Cherokees and a Ford Explorer, this was the first SUV Ive owned outside of the "Big" 3. Needless to say, I have been extremely pleased with my LR2 so far. Ive put just under 7,000 miles on it and have averaged 18 mpg city and 23/24 mpg highway, using standard fuel (87 oct) with no noticeable pinging/knocking. The interior may not be as pretty as a BMW, but it is very practically designed. Vision from the drivers seat is fantastic,very few blind spots. The nav system is very interactive and works great, and the sound system, although a little light on bass, is very good. Acceleration is a bit sluggish, but its an SUV with good fuel economy, not a corvette

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  Great handling but shoddy parts - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By Michael - August 14 - 2:30 pm

  In spite of problems with acceleration and poor component parts, the car drives very well and I completely trust it in bad weather. It is comfortable and the engine/drive train have been reliable.

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  LR3 Not Reliable and in the Shop - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Rob - August 8 - 8:10 am

  I must say the truck is fun to drive. Im not sure how it won SUV of the year. As much fun as it is, its in the shop. You may want your own personal mechanic when you buy this truck. Good luck and maybe the 2006 model will be better, oh yeah, lose the Jaguar engine. Lots of power, no where to go but the shop.

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  Land Rover Discovery 2004 - 2004 Land Rover Discovery
  By Zyaei - July 17 - 10:00 am

  Great car, very glad I bought it. I wish they would improve the fuel economy and acceleration however. Will buy another one after this one.

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  Fabulous Machine - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By polo2928 - July 14 - 2:00 am

  It is a fun to drive vehicle with a lot of torque, feels strong and safe, off road capabilities are incredible, you get a panoramic view from wherever you may be seating . . Yes there are improvements that are needed (gas comspt., turning radio, and the key entry to start the vehicle) However, one may get this picky because it is such a great and beautiful car that one wishes for it to be perfect. I drove the X5 and it is not even close to a Discovery. You wont regret it.

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  Great family suv/ real off road vehicle - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By J. Linz - July 13 - 3:43 am

  Great vehicle! Has been well worth every penny I spent! Powerful and good handling. Only service has been oil changes and a few minor interior window rubbers - had some sun fade. A great family vehicle.

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  Freelander - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By dhranitzky - July 12 - 10:00 am

  A joy to drive, handles like a dream, accelerates very well in spite of the V6, and it always turns heads. The only complaint I have with the car is that it gets surprisingly poor mileage for a V6.

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  LR3...Yipee! - 2005 Land Rover LR3
  By Funk Master - July 5 - 5:16 pm

  Bought my LR3 in Oct. of 2004 and have been happy with the ride comfort (because of air suspension). Also happy with the Programmable entry feature on key fob. I am not so happy with the frequent trips to the pump. In KC Missouri gas is $2.98/gal. CRAZY for a car like this that gets 14 mpg. (my average)