Trim levels: HSE

MSRP: $71,200

Notes: The third generation of Land Rover arrived on American shores 33 years after its original namesake. It was a vast departure for the British marque. The design of the new Land Rover began with BMW's ownership of the Rover Group in the 1990s, when the Germans began codevelopment of the BMW X5 with a new Range Rover. BMW sold Range Rover to Ford in 2000 and brought the X5 to market; the Range Rover was still several years from the end of its gestation. Ford chose not to tamper extensively with the design, at least partially because of time-to-market pressures. Now for its innovations: the new Range Rover featured monococque construction and fully-independent suspension. Adjustable air springs could raise and lower vehicle height at will, and the wagon bristled with technological innovations. The engine, a 4.4L quadcam vee-eight, and the 5-speed manumatic transmission were both sourced from BMW. The driveline was a permanently-engaged all-wheel drive setup, with a standard 60/40 front/rear split, a shift-on-the-fly 2-speed transfer case for low-range gearing, a center locking differential, and hill-descent-/stability-/traction-control systems. As a top-flight luxury SUV, the Range Rover included all of the best amenities in a first-rate cabin: wood veneer, leather surfaces, aluminum gauges, with a heated steering wheel, a navigation system, and xenon headlamps.

Series: 2003-current

PERFORMANCE