Welcome to Brand Breakdown, a series of comprehensive yet easy-to-digest guides to your favorite companies, with insights and information you won’t find on the average About page.
Land Rover History
Land Rover is a British automaker that produces luxury four-wheel-drive vehicles. The brand technically began in 1948 when the Rover Company launched the Land Rover Series of off-road vehicles. British Leyland took the brand upmarket with the Range Rover in 1970 and branched off Land Rover into a distinct brand from now-defunct Rover in 1978. Land Rover was later owned by BMW and Ford. Current owner Tata Motors bought Land Rover from Ford in 2008, merging it with Jaguar to form Jaguar Land Rover.
Land Rover has gone full-on luxury these days, but the brand maintains its reputation for off-road capability. Land Rover does not give its vehicles "Trail Rated" badges like Jeep; it's presumed — since they carry the name Land Rover — that they are able to do that (yes, even the Evoque). The flipside is Land Rover's not especially stellar reputation for reliability.
In 2021, Jaguar Land Rover embarked on a new product strategy called "Reimagine." The Land Rover lineup will shift dramatically toward electrification. Land Rover plans to launch its first EV in 2024 and six within the next five years. By 2030, Land Rover expects every model to have an EV option and EVs to make up 60% of Land Rover sales.
Wait isn't Land Rover a "House of Brands" now?
Sort of. Jaguar Land Rover rebranded itself as JLR. And the company announced a new "House of Brands" strategy that will see it become four brands (Range Rover, Defender, Discovery, Jaguar) instead of Jaguar and Land Rover. What does this mean for Land Rover? Not a lot really.
Buyers won't notice anything different. Range Rover, Defender and Discovery vehicles will still carry Land Rover badging. And you will still visit a Land Rover dealer to buy them. What this does is diminish Jaguar — set to become a more low-volume, high-end EV brand — within the portfolio in favor of the more popular Land Rover wing.
Land Rover Terminology
HSE: Stands for “High Specification Equipment.” This is a higher-than-standard trim level offered on most Land Rover models.
SVO and SVR: SVO stands for “Special Vehicles Operations,” the brand’s high-performance wing. The highest-performance vehicles under the SVO wing replace the O with an R, which stands for “racing.” SVO and SVR trims aren’t available across the board, but vehicles that sport the trim level are, in scientific terms, “fun as hell.”
Autobiography: This is a Range Rover trim offered on the Range Rover, the Range Rover Sport and the Evoque. This trim is fancy. It will have luxury finishes, an array of standard features and come at a significantly higher price point.
Dynamic: This is a term affixed to Range Rover trims. These cars are more aggressive and dynamic than non-dynamic trims. That can mean styling. It can also mean a more powerful engine.
Range Rover: Land Rover has equity in “Range Rover” as a luxury brand. Thus, four of the seven vehicles are “Range Rovers.” These cars tend to be referred to as just “Range Rovers” because “Land Rover Range Rover X” is a mouthful.
Sport: Smaller version. The Range Rover Sport is smaller than the Range Rover. The Discovery Sport is smaller than the Discovery.
Land Rover Buying Guide
Range Rover
The Range Rover is Land Rover's flagship, full-size luxury SUV. The first model was one of the most influential cars ever built. The current fifth-generation model is all-new for 2022. And with the new House of Brands strategy you can, officially, just call it a Range Rover and avoid the Land Rover Range Rover mouthful.
The Range Rover comes in standard or long-wheelbase versions with the option for a third row of seats. Currently, you can order a Range Rover with either inline-six or V8 powertrains. A six-cylinder PHEV version entered the lineup for the 2023 model year. Four-wheel steering is now standard across the lineup. The price tag now starts above $100,000.
Body Style: SUV
Seating: 5 or 7
SWB Models:
- Range Rover SE
- Range Rover Autobiography
- Range Rover SV
LWB Models:
- Range Rover Autobiography
- Range Rover SV
LWB 7-Seat Models:
- Range Rover SE
- Autobiography
Engines:
- Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six (395 hp)
- Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six plug-in hybrid (542 hp)
- Turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 (606 hp)
Base MSRP: $107,400
Range Rover Sport
The Range Rover Sport is a midsize SUV. It's smaller, cheaper and — as the name suggests — can be a bit sportier than its flagship sibling. The third-generation is all-new for the 2023 model year. There are currently four engines available: two turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six variants, a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six PHEV and a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8.
Body Style: SUV
Seating: 5 or 7
Models:
- Range Rover Sport
- Range Rover Sport Dynamic
- Range Rover Sport Autobiography
- Range Rover Sport SV
Engines:
- Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six (355 hp)
- Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six (395 hp)
- Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six plug-in hybrid (542 hp)
- Turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 (626 hp)
Base MSRP: $83,600
Range Rover Velar
The Range Rover Velar is Land Rover's more premium luxury compact crossover. Land Rover calls it "the Avant-Garde Range Rover." It debuted as an all-new model in 2017. The Range Rover Velar is more road-going and style-oriented than other Land Rover vehicles with sleek lines and recessed door handles. It can be fitted with either a four or six-cylinder gas engine.
Body Style: Crossover SUV
Seating: 5
Models:
- Range Rover Velar S
- Range Rover Velar Dynamic SE
- Range Rover Velar Dynamic HSE HSE
Engines:
- Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four (247 hp)
- Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six (395 hp)
Base MSRP: $61,500
Range Rover Evoque
The Range Rover Evoque is a subcompact luxury crossover. It's Land Rover's smallest and cheapest model that still carries Range Rover branding, with a price tag still technically under $50,000. The current second-generation model debuted in 2018. R-Dynamic versions offer a bolder, sportier style. All versions use a 246 hp 2.0-liter inline-four engine.
Body Style: Crossover SUV
Seating: 5
Models:
- Range Rover Evoque S
- Range Rover Evoque Dynamic SE
Engines:
- Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four (246 hp)
Base MSRP: $49,900
Land Rover Discovery
The Land Rover Discovery is Land Rover's less premium (but still quite premium) midsize SUV. It is less luxurious and more family-oriented than the Range Rover Sport. The current third generation (or fifth iteration) Discovery debuted for 2017. The Disco is one of the best SUVs for towing, with a truck-like 8,201 lb rating. A seven-seat, three-row version is standard. Though a two-row version is optional.
Body Style: SUV
Seating: 5 or 7
Models:
- Land Rover Discovery S
- Land Rover Discovery Dynamic SE
- Land Rover Discovery Metropolitan Edition
Engines:
- Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four (296 hp)
- Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six (355 hp)
Base MSRP: $59,900
Land Rover Discovery Sport
The Land Rover Discovery Sport is a compact SUV. It is the entry-level Land Rover with a base price starting at $44,600. The current generation debuted in 2014 as a replacement for Land Rover's smaller LR2. The Discovery Sport can (somehow) be fitted with a small third row of seating.
Body Style: SUV
Seating: 5 or 7
Models:
- Land Rover Discovery Sport S
- Land Rover Discovery Sport Dynamic SE
Engines:
- Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four (246 hp)
Base MSRP: $48,900
Land Rover Defender
The Land Rover Defender is Land Rover's original overland vehicle, the British equivalent of the Jeep Wrangler. Before 1983, it was just known as the "Land Rover." Land Rover produced a brief run of "NAS" Defenders sold in North America from 1993 to 1997. JLR discontinued the body-on-frame Defender's continuous production run in 2016. Land Rover revived the Defender nameplate in 2020 with a new unibody SUV. It won the World Car Design of the Year award for 2021.
The Defender now comes in three body styles: a two-door Defender 90, a four-door Defender 110 and a three-row Defender 130. The numerical designations no longer track precisely with the Defender wheelbase. It comes with inline-four, inline-six or now a supercharged V8 powertrain.
Body Style: SUV
Seating: 5 or 7
D90 Models:
- Defender 90
- Defender X-Dynamic
- Defender V8
- Defender V8 Carpathian Edition
D110 Models:
- Defender 110
- Defender X-Dynamic
- Defender X
- Defender V8
- Defender V8 Carpathian Edition
D130 Models:
- Defender
- Defender X-Dynamic
- Defender X
- Defender 130 V8
- Defender 130 Outbound
Engines:
- Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four (296 hp)
- Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six (395 hp)
- Supercharged 5.0-liter V8 (518 hp)
Base MSRP: $56,400
