3 Land Rover Defender 4-wheel drive cars on the side of the road with dry, grassy, hilly background

A Brief History of Land Rover

Maurice Wilks, engineering director at the Rover Company, designed the original Land Rover vehicle in 1948. He and his brother Spencer met on a beach in Red Wharf Bay the previous year, where Maurice sketched an outline of the original Land Rover in the sand. The Wilks family owned land on the Welsh island and Maurice wanted a versatile vehicle that could double as a light tractor and off-roader. His forward-thinking design was christened the 'Land Rover', the outline of which we now recognise as the Defender. Land Rover has formally been represented in South Africa since 1950, when at the time only five agents in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizebeth were officially responsible for distributing Series 1 vehicles. Today there are more than 30 Land Rover retailers in South Africa.

Buying a Land Rover

Land Rover models are designed in the UK and in South Africa are sold in partnership with Jaguar in dealerships across the country. These are the models you can purchase:

Evoque – SUV
Discovery – SUV
Discovery Sport – SUV
Range Rover – SUV
Range Rover Sport – SUV
Velar – SUV

Side view of a red Range Rover with high-rise building in the background

Best Selling Land Rover Models

The entry-level model is the Discovery Sport. An all new Discovery Sport is due in South Africa early in 2020 with improved features including an updated infotainment system, improved ergonomics and greater refinement. The seven-seat SUV with 5+2 seating provides 24 possible seat configurations, offering more flexibility for family adventures. In South Africa customers will have a choice of Ingenium diesel and petrol engines paired with updated nine-speed transmissions. The 2.0-litre diesel, badged D180, offers 132kW and 430Nm while returning an average fuel consumption of 5.8l/100km. The P250 petrol has outputs of 183kW and 365Nm with an average consumption of 8.0l/100km. An even more efficient P300e plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version is scheduled to join the range in South Africa in 2020. Interested in other South African vehicle manufacturers and models? Check out the Hippo.co.za car guide.

Back view of a red and black Range Rover parked on an empty road

Land Rover Safety and Insurance

Premium vehicles will usually be accompanied by costly insurance. However, as Land Rovers tend to have excellent safety features, this may result in a lower car insurance premium. The brand's increasing presence in South Africa ensures improved parts availability, which is another benefit that could lower monthly premiums. Use the hippo.co.za car insurance comparison tool to find an insurance package for your Land Rover that fits your budget.