Land Rover vs. Range Rover: What's the Difference?

Are the terms “Land Rover” and “Range Rover” interchangeable? Not exactly! Here’s what you should know about the difference between Land Rover and Range Rover:

• Land Rover is the brand name, and Range Rover is a specific Land Rover model. “Range Rover” is also the name for a family of vehicles that constitutes roughly half of the brand’s current lineup.
• If you’re talking about the individual, flagship SUV, then the name “Range Rover” is shorthand. The model’s full name is “Land Rover Range Rover”. (In the same way that the Beetle’s full name is “Volkswagen Beetle”.)
• In addition to the flagship Land Rover Range Rover, the Range Rover family includes the Range Rover Evoque, the Range Rover Sport, and the Range Rover Velar.
• Every Range Rover is a Land Rover, but not every Land Rover is a Range Rover. There are three additional Land Rover SUVs: the Land Rover Discovery, the Land Rover Discovery Sport, and the Land Rover Defender.

So, what’s the difference between Land Rover and Range Rover SUVs in practice? It all depends on the model that you’ve selected, but in general, Range Rover SUVs are classier, while Land Rover SUVs are more rugged.

The Range Rover Models

There are four different Range Rover models in the current Land Rover lineup. These models include:

• Range Rover – The original Range Rover model, this SUV started the advancement in power and off-roading abilities. It’s even offered with a wheelbase extension that you can’t find on other models in the lineup, and in its current iteration, it can be had with either four, five, or seven seats.
• Range Rover Sport – The Range Rover Sport is smaller than the flagship Range Rover, and after its most recent redesign, it offers seating for up to five. Like the flagship Range Rover, it’s now offered with an optional plug-in hybrid powertrain.
• Range Rover Evoque – The new Evoque is one of the most accessible SUVs in our lineup, but it still comes equipped with many of the luxuries you’d expect from a model with Range Rover in its name. It seats up to five, and although it’s most at home on the pavement, it can break free from the beaten path, too.
• Range Rover Velar – The Range Rover Velar is the brand’s ‘avant-garde’ SUV, and in the years since it’s been released, we can see how its design features have informed the changes made to other models in the brand’s lineup. Choose the Velar if you’re looking for a luxurious and well-balanced SUV with unique finishing touches.

The Land Rover Models

While there are four Land Rover models that have the Range Rover name, there are some Land Rover models without it. These include:

• Land Rover Discovery – The Discovery is built for strength and advanced safety whether taking the highway or the path less traveled. With seating for up to seven passengers, it’s a great choice for the family that wants to spend more time on the road together.
• Land Rover Discovery Sport – The Land Rover Discovery Sport is smaller and more affordable than the Land Rover Discovery, but like the latter model, it offers 5+2 seating and can easily accommodate carpools.
• Land Rover Defender – The Land Rover Defender is ready for anything that the world can put in your way. If you’re looking for an off-road luxury SUV, you’ll be glad to learn that the Discovery is offered in two-door, four-door, and extended four-door configurations.

Land Rover vs. Range Rover: Which Is Right for You?

A name isn’t the only thing that separates the Range Rover family from the rest of the Land Rover lineup. It’s impossible to understand the difference between Land Rover and Range Rover SUVs without a few words on the sense of style that characterizes each lineup:

• Range Rover SUVs tend to be classier, more upscale, and more urbane. Although the flagship Range Rover has always stood out, models like the Range Rover Velar and the Range Rover Evoque look more like crossovers than classic SUVs.
• Land Rover SUVs tend to be a bit more on the rugged side, and even if models like the Discovery Sport also feel a bit like crossovers, most would agree that the models in this lineup make good use of classic SUV styling. That’s especially true in the case of the rugged new Defender.

Who Makes Land Rover & Range Rover SUVs?

You’ve come this far, so you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that the questions, “Who makes Range Rover?” and “Who makes Land Rover?” can be answered in exactly the same way. Land Rover (the brand) is one-half of Jaguar Land Rover; both of these companies are currently owned by Tata Motors.

The company that would eventually become Land Rover started out as The Rover Company, all the way back in 1885. The Series I Land Rover—the first model to bear the name—would debut in 1947. The first-ever Range Rover was built in 1970, but it would not enter the U.S. market until 1987. Still, anyone exploring the difference between Land Rover and Range Rover should understand that these two sub-brands have always been part of the same company.

Learn More at Land Rover Paramus

The best way to fully experience our Land Rover and Range Rover models would be to take your favorite for a test drive. If you have any questions in the meantime about features like Land Rover InControl® or you want to know how Range Rover vs. Jeep models compare, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Land Rover Paramus, your local Land Rover dealer.