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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  Lovin It! - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By shebby69 - April 2 - 2:00 am

  Well, after I totalled my Toyota Echo I wanted something that could safely handle changing weather conditions. I test drove everything from Mazda Tributes to Ford Escapes to Isuzu Rodeos to Toyota Rav4s and this was by far my favorite! I dont really understand why many people say the car is not fast, or doesnt shift well. If you manually shift in the "sport" mode the Rover is actually very fast! I love it and cant wait to test it out in warm weather!!!

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  Better than ever expected. - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By Razor - March 31 - 9:46 pm

  I had previously owned an LR Discovery and wasnt too thrilled with the design or performance. I thought Id never own another LR until I saw the Sport. I had to see it. Then had to drive it. Then had to own it. The car is incredible. Most nimble SUV on the planet and with classy style to boot. Plenty of power, interior space, and creature comfort features.

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  Love the LR4 - 2011 Land Rover LR4
  By buckybadger1 - March 31 - 9:29 am

  we have had ourt LR4 now for one year. it has been a wonderful truck so far and has exceeded our expectations. we are very happy we went with the Land Rover over the competition - and plan on having a Range Rover next.

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  What was I thinking? - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Ana - March 30 - 7:36 pm

  Thought Landrover and Range Rover were reliable vehicles until purchasing my Freelander.What a mistake! After the 5th month of driving it I was left stranded. The thing just completely shut down! Come to find out it was the fuel system. The thing sat at the mechanics for two months, until the part came in from the Dealer in Albuquerque. The fuel pump cost $595! The recall for the fuel system came in August so off to the Dealership we went! & they said the timing belts need replacing (cost: $1800 - it has three). The oil changes we do ourselves for $65 everytime! Or $100 if you can find a decent place thatll do it. DO NOT PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE! Unless you like to throw away your money!

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  vroom vroom - 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  By oohmali - March 30 - 3:16 pm

  Awesome ride! Superior handling on city streets. Had somewhat of a slight inconvenience occur while out shopping. Had to FOLLOW the culprits. They were driving a Chevy Impala (Pursuit Package). I was driving my RRS. This baby gets UP!!! I was highly impressed with the performance of this sweet SUV. Only problems have been the reverse tilt-mirror feature activates on its own on some occasions. The suspension warning light occasionally activates and will not allow me to change the height of the vehicle without turning the vehicle off and then restarting it.

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  Special car - 2010 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Tom d - March 30 - 2:00 am

  This is my second RR and the 2010 model is a big step up in power and ride. Trips to distant hockey rinks are a joy. When you exit this car after a long trip you feel great because th ride is extraordinary. The power is simply amazing. Yes expect a few gremlins. We have had the back up camera replaced twice and I do think the bluetooth is relatively weak. This car is special. People who can afford this car can buy any SUV, don t think they drive RR just for prestige. It is truly unlike any other!

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  Exceeds Expectations - 2008 Land Rover Range Rover
  By C.J. - March 28 - 7:40 am

  Gambled and bought a Rover - and glad I did. Buying experience fantastic. Car is rock-solid - like driving a vault, very BMW-esque. It feels heavy (and makes my larger GMC Yukon seem flimsy in comparison). Thought at first that it was underpowered, but at about 500 miles it loosened up - and the mileage got better too. Suspension sporty but not too rough. Build quality appears to be excellent. Things that at first seemed not to work correctly were actually just a lack of knowledge on my part. Its a complicated machine and it takes some time and effort to understand (but some controls are just bizarre and unintuitive, i.e. radio tuning). Owners manual worth studying closely!

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  You will get noticed! Great 4X4 - 2000 Land Rover Range Rover
  By Rover owner - March 27 - 4:16 am

  I have loved owning my Range Rover. I can tow our boat behind, put a canoe on top, and drive in comfort down the highway. My kids and I love to take it off road. It really can go anywhere the tires can get traction. I have not had any breakdowns with it, however I do maintain my Range Rover religiously. If you are thinking of buying one of these make sure you get a certified Land Rover preowned with a complete warranty. They are very expensive to repair and maintain. My Range Rover is well worth the money- it is the most fun I have had with any vehicle, it can carry all my recreational toys with ease, go anywhere up mountains and through rivers, the kids love it, and it looks great too!

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  Think twice - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By Randy - March 26 - 8:10 pm

  I purchased this car in 2003 because I wanted a sporty, fun and upscale SUV. Since then, I have had numerous problems with this vehicle. These problems include the engine not shutting off while no key in the ignition, severe alignment issues that could not be fixed by Land Rover and an A/C system that shoots ice out of the vents on hot days. I am very diappointed in this vehicle.

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  Very disappointing - 2003 Land Rover Freelander
  By My headache is gone! - March 23 - 7:30 pm

  LR had a poorly build entry level SUV. Hard to attract current owners to move up to high end models. It eats up brake quickly. Cost almost $600 to change brake pads and rotars every 10K miles. V6 engine is weak and doesnt have any pick up power. Coolant leak even after the dealership fixed twice. Extremely high maintenance cost for a SUV/car that costs only mid $20K. When we purchased the Freelander, dealer was rude since it was the cheapest model out of all the LR models. The value depreciates quickly. After having it for 4 years, I finally sold it.