If there's any nameplate whose image of sturdiness rivals that of Jeep, it's Land Rover. Land Rovers are frequently pictured as having the go-anywhere ability of a mountain goat and the durability of a draft horse. But there's another side, as well. On one hand, it coddles its passengers with wood trim, leather seats and premium stereo. But it also has an aluminum body, air suspension and four-wheel traction control, all designed to enable it to scamper over terrain so rugged it is hard to cover on foot.
Compromises are few.
The first Land Rover was conceived by Maurice Wilks as a vehicle to be used on the farms of postWar England. This rudimentary 4X4 was fashioned with a rigid steel frame and body panels of flat aluminum. Over the years, Land Rovers continued to evolve and in 1970 the Range Rover was created to combine the comfort of a car with the off-road capability of a Land Rover. It is important not to confuse the Range Rover with its smaller sibling, the Land Rover Discovery. The Discovery is a tall vehicle that looks as if it would be more at home on safari than at the mall.