Land Rover models

Land Rover started in 1948 with a single rugged, go-anywhere vehicle inspired by the wartime Jeep, built to work on British farms. That original Land Rover was so tough and useful that it ran in recognisable form for decades and turned the name into a global byword for serious off-road ability.

The brand's genius was taking that capability upmarket. The Range Rover, launched in 1970, invented the luxury SUV: a vehicle that could genuinely cross rough terrain yet carry its occupants in comfort and style. That blend of off-road credibility and luxury still defines the lineup, from the Defender to the Range Rover.

Now owned by India's Tata Motors as part of Jaguar Land Rover, the brand is a major force in the premium SUV market. For buyers, a Land Rover offers real or implied adventure wrapped in genuine luxury, with a distinctive, upright design no rival quite matches. The trade-off has historically been patchy reliability, the price of all that capability and complexity.