The complete guide to Land Rover models

Everything you need to know about Land Rover’s cars

TL;DR: What Land Rover models are there?

Land Rover's current range spans seven models split across three families with seven models on offer:

• Defender
• Discovery
• Discovery Sport
• Range Rover
• Range Rover Sport
• Range Rover Velar
• Range Rover Evoque

Below, we cover each one in detail — including which is best for families, which is best off-road, and which offers the most cost-effective way to lease.

The Land Rover range at a glance

Land Rover's current lineup is broader than many people realise.

Alongside its core Land Rover-badged models — the Defender and Discovery family — sits the Range Rover sub-range, which takes everything Land Rover does well and turns the luxury dial up significantly.

Same DNA, different audience.

In total, there are seven models currently in production, ranging from the compact Range Rover Evoque to the full-size Range Rover flagship.

Below, we've ranked them in order of global popularity; starting with the model that's become something of a phenomenon.

Land Rover Defender

Once overshadowed by its Range Rover siblings, the Defender has undergone one of the most remarkable comeback stories in modern automotive history.

The reinvented model arrived in 2020 to a mixed reception — purists weren't convinced — but the sales figures tell a very different story.

The Defender is now JLR's best-selling model globally, and demand shows no sign of slowing.

And it's not hard to see why.

Available in three body styles — the short-wheelbase 90, five-door 110, and long-body 130 — the Defender covers everything from weekend adventure to eight-seat family transport.

Engine options run from efficient mild-hybrid diesels through to a 626bhp twin-turbo V8 in the range-topping Octa, while the 110 also offers a plug-in hybrid for those with an eye on running costs.

Off-road ability remains class-leading, and the 2026 model year brought a larger 13.1-inch touchscreen, updated lighting, and adaptive off-road cruise control.

The Defender name carries real heritage, too.

It dates back to the original Land Rover 110 and 90 of the early 1980s, though the "Defender" name itself wasn't adopted until 1990 — with roots stretching back further still to the Series I, II, and III models of the late 1940s onwards.

It was reportedly the late Queen Elizabeth II's model of choice, with her first delivered shortly after her coronation in 1952. For those drawn to that original character, Land Rover Classic also offers the Defender Works V8.

This is a bespoke restoration programme where a hand-selected 2012–2016 donor vehicle is completely rebuilt with a new 5.0-litre V8 engine and a fully custom specification.

It's a specialist, premium route rather than a mainstream one, but it shows the original Defender's appeal hasn't gone anywhere.

Characterful, capable, and increasingly hard to argue with.

Browse our Land Rover Defender lease deals now

Range Rover Sport

The Range Rover Sport has always occupied a sweet spot in the lineup.

It’s more dynamic than the full-fat Range Rover, more refined than the Defender, and has enough badge cachet to hold its own in any company.

The third-generation model, launched in 2022, sharpened everything: Slicker styling, a genuinely impressive 13.1-inch infotainment system, and a ride quality that rivals struggle to match.

Engine choices cover most bases, from efficient mild-hybrid diesels to a 533bhp petrol, with plug-in hybrid variants offering over 70 miles of electric range (WLTP Comb).

Optional rear-wheel steering shrinks the turning circle to supermini territory, which is handy given the Sport's considerable footprint.

The interior is properly luxurious and it consistently ranks among the best large premium SUVs on sale. This is one very easy car to recommend.

Browse our Range Rover Sport lease deals now

Range Rover

The Range Rover needs little-to-no introduction.

For more than 50 years it has set the benchmark for luxury SUVs — combining genuine off-road ability with a cabin that can legitimately go toe-to-toe with Bentley and Rolls-Royce territory.

The fifth-generation model, launched in 2021, is the most refined and technologically advanced yet.

It's available in standard and long-wheelbase forms, with the latter offering optional seven-seat configuration — a first for the model.

Power comes from mild-hybrid diesels, plug-in hybrids with over 70 miles of electric range (WLTP Comb), and twin-turbo V8 petrols for those who want performance to match the price tag.

The cabin is extraordinary: Near every surface is leather, wood, or metal, and the optional 34-speaker Meridian Signature sound system is genuinely remarkable.

If budget allows, there is simply nothing else quite like it.

Browse our Range Rover lease deals now

Land Rover Discovery

The Discovery has been a cornerstone of the Land Rover range since 1989, and the current fifth-generation model remains one of the most capable and practical seven-seat SUVs you can buy.

It might not turn heads quite like the Range Rover Sport, but it offers something arguably more valuable — sheer usability, in every condition imaginable.

The entire engine lineup runs to mild-hybrid six-cylinders, either diesel or petrol, paired with an eight-speed automatic and permanent four-wheel drive as standard.

Air suspension and Land Rover's Terrain Response system come fitted to every car, meaning the Discovery is as capable picking its way across a muddy field as it is doing the school run.

Boot space with all seven seats in place is just 172-258 litres, but go to five seats? You’re left with a whopping 1,137 litres of space.

Plus, the interior strikes a good balance between premium feel and genuine robustness.

The Land Rover Discover is truly a quiet overachiever.

Browse our Land Rover Discovery lease deals now

Land Rover Discovery Sport

The Discovery Sport replaced the Freelander back in 2014 and has been quietly getting on with the job ever since.

It sits at the more accessible end of the Land Rover range, but don't mistake that for compromise. It still offers the brand's trademark off-road credentials, a genuinely practical 5+2 seating layout, and a cabin that has been steadily refined through several updates.

Engine options span mild-hybrid diesels and petrols, plus a plug-in hybrid P300e with up to 37 miles of electric range (WLTP Comb.

Ride quality is composed, refinement is a step above most rivals in the class, and the Terrain Response system means it'll comfortably out-perform comparable premium SUVs when the road runs out.

A practical, premium choice that does almost everything well.

Browse our Land Rover Discovery Sport lease deals now

Range Rover Evoque

The Evoque was the car that redefined what a compact luxury SUV could look like when it arrived in 2011, and the second-generation model has kept that momentum going.

It's the smallest Range Rover in the current lineup, but it carries all the hallmarks of the family: Strong off-road ability via Terrain Response 2, a refined and well-appointed cabin, and styling that still draws attention more than a decade on from the original's launch.

Power comes from mild-hybrid petrols and diesels, or a plug-in hybrid P270e with up to 38 miles of electric range (WLTP Comb).

It won't win any awards for rear-seat space — the sloping roofline sees to that — but up front it's genuinely comfortable, and the Pivi Pro infotainment system is one of the better setups in this class.

For those who want the Range Rover experience in a more manageable size, the Evoque remains the obvious answer.

Browse our Range Rover Evoque lease deals now

Range Rover Velar

The Velar occupies a distinctive space in the Range Rover lineup — more stylish and coupé-like than the Evoque, more focused than the Sport, and unlike anything else in the class for sheer visual impact.

Designed by Gerry McGovern, the man behind the modern Defender and Range Rover, it arrived in 2017 looking more like a concept car than a production vehicle. And in 2023, a facelift kept it firmly up to date.

Engine options include mild-hybrid diesels and petrols, plus a plug-in hybrid P400e with around 38 miles of electric range (WLTP Comb).

The cabin is a step towards the minimalism trend — physical controls have been stripped back in favour of a clean 11.4-inch Pivi Pro touchscreen.

It looks exceptional, but does require some adjustment if you're used to more conventional layouts.

It's best suited to four occupants rather than five, but for those it does carry, the Velar is a supremely relaxing and refined place to spend time.

You’ll have to act fast if you want the Velar in its current form. It’s in the final stages of its lifecycle, with an all-new, all-electric successor on the way.

Browse our Range Rover Velar lease deals now

What’s on the horizon for Land Rover?

With the 2030 ban looming, Land Rover have some exciting plans coming.

Range Rover Electric

The Range Rover Electric is the brand's first all-electric model, and it's been years in the making.

Over 64,000 people are already on the waiting list, with customer deliveries planned for the final quarter of 2026.

Two motors deliver a combined 542bhp and 850Nm of torque, with an 800-volt, 118kWh battery said to offer "over 300 miles" of range.

It's built on the same platform as the petrol and plug-in hybrid Range Rover rather than a dedicated electric architecture, but early testing (on-road, off-road, and in extreme cold) suggests it drives, rides, and off-roads like any other Range Rover, just in near silence.

It's not yet available to lease, but well worth watching for once it lands.

Range Rover GT

Land Rover's electrified plans don't stop with the standard Range Rover Electric.

A new addition, the Range Rover GT, has also been confirmed — and it's unlike anything to wear the badge before.

Described as a "grand tourer", the GT trades the brand's usual boxy SUV proportions for a lower, sleeker silhouette that blends coupe, estate and SUV styling.

It's initially arriving as an all-electric model, built on Range Rover's own Electrified Modular Architecture platform (separate from the incoming Range Rover Electric and Range Rover Sport Electric, and from Jaguar's related Type 01).

A full hybrid version is expected to follow later.

Power, battery size and range are yet to be confirmed, though the GT is expected to prioritise long-distance comfort and effortless performance over outright off-road ability, alongside Range Rover's usual all-terrain capability.

The cabin continues Land Rover's move towards minimalism, with a single central touchscreen, a compact driver display, and a design brief built around reducing visual and acoustic noise.

The Range Rover GT is expected to arrive in spring 2027, with full details still to follow.

Range Rover Velar

The Range Rover Velar is also heading for a major change.

The current petrol and plug-in hybrid model is currently being phased out, with an all-electric second generation expected in 2027.

Reports suggest it'll move away from the current SUV proportions towards a lower, sleeker profile — a bigger shift than most model updates. For now though, the current Velar remains available to lease.

What discontinued Land Rover models are there?

Land Rover wouldn't be where it is today without some important, but now discontinued models.

The Land Rover Series I, II, and III (1948–1985) were the original utilitarian off-roaders that founded the brand, direct predecessors to the Defender that followed.

The Land Rover Freelander (1997–2015) was the brand's original entry-level compact SUV. It was eventually replaced by the Discovery Sport, which took on the same "smaller, more accessible Land Rover" role.

The Range Rover Classic (1970–1996) was the first generation of the Range Rover — the car that started the shift from utilitarian off-roader to luxury SUV, and effectively created the segment Land Rover still leads today.

None of these can be leased new through Carparison, though if you're after something with more heritage character you can still get them on the used car market.

It's also worth noting that some individual model variants have come and gone even where the nameplate lives on.

The original Land Rover Defender (1983–2016) was succeeded by a completely redesigned model in 2020; the Range Rover Evoque was briefly available as a 3-door Coupe (2011–2018) and Convertible (2017–2018), both since dropped in favour of the standard 5-door; and the Land Rover Discovery has been through several generations (Discovery 1 to 4) before arriving at today's fifth-generation model.

So, which is the best Land Rover model to drive?

With seven models covering everything from compact city driving to full-size luxury, there's no single "best". It depends on your priorities and preferences.

For sheer capability and heritage, the Defender leads the way.

If you want the full luxury experience, the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport are the standouts.

For families needing space and practicality, the Discovery is hard to beat.

And if you're after Range Rover styling in a smaller, more manageable package, the Evoque or Velar both make a strong case.

Whichever model you're drawn to, leasing remains one of the most cost-effective ways to get behind the wheel of a Land Rover.