Reveal any Land Rover’s Past by VIN in Seconds

Q: How do I find out the specs of my Land Rover?

Use our reliable Land Rover VIN spec check tool to verify basic specifications including, year, make, model, engine, transmission type, fuel type, gears, and more.

Use our Land Rover VIN decoder to learn about any Land Rover’s model, year, engine, trim, colour, dimensions, and many more details. Easily check for outstanding finance, write off, stolen records, MOT history, and more.

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What is a Land Rover VIN decoder?

A Land Rover VIN Decoder is a tool that helps provide vital details about a vehicle using its unique 17-character VIN. It reveals the full car’s specifications, factory-installed features, and information. It’s essential in verifying a used car history to avoid car scams and ensure you get what you’re paying for.

Land Rover VIN Numbers Explained

A Land Rover VIN is a 17-character code that identifies each vehicle. It contains information about the car’s make, model, year, engine, and place of manufacture. The VIN becomes important during registration, insurance, MOT, and when buying or selling a car, helping confirm the car’s identity and full details.

How to Decode a Land Rover VIN Number

When buying a new or used car, you must be able to decode the unique VIN accurately so you understand exactly what you’re getting. The Land Rover VIN number contains detailed information about the vehicle, including the manufacturer, year, model, assembly location, features and other key specifications.

In a VIN, the letters I, O, and Q are excluded as they can be misinterpreted for the numbers 1 and 0.

The Three Sections of a Land Rover VIN Number

The 17-digit VIN is divided into three key sections:

WMI (World Manufacturer Identifier) The first three characters represent the manufacturer and country where the vehicle was made.
VDS (Vehicle Descriptor Section) The next six characters describe the vehicle type, model, and features.
VIS (Vehicle Identifier Section): The last eight characters provide unique information about the vehicle, such as its year, plant, and serial number.

Understanding What Each Character Means

Each of the 17-digit characters provides specific information about the vehicle. Here’s what they represent:

1st - 3rd Characters: Country and Manufacturer

The first three characters represent the country and manufacturer. For Land Rovers, this is SAL. If your Land Rover is registered in the USA, the VIN details may differ slightly.

S represents Europe
A represents the United Kingdom
L represents the manufacturer (Land Rover)

4th and 5th Characters: Model Type

These indicate the model type and all begin with the letter L. Some of the characters include:

6th Character: Wheelbase

This represents the wheelbase, and it’s represented by a letter from A to V. Some of the characters include:

A - Series III 88", Defender 90" extra heavy duty, Range Rover Classic 100", Range Rover (38A) 108" and Freelander, Discovery II for Japan
B - Series III 88" Lightweight, Defender 110" extra heavy duty, Range Rover Classic LSE 108" and Freelander Commercial
C - Series III 109" and Defender 130" extra heavy duty, Range Rover 108”
D - Series III 109"

7th character: Body Style

This represents the body style and sometimes the engine or model type. The letters assigned include A, B, F, H, M, and R. Some of the characters include:

A - 90/110/130 soft top, pickup, hardtop and cab truck, two-door Range Rover Classic diesel, three-door Discovery diesel, three-door Freelander, four-door T5.
B - Four-door Series III 88" station wagon and three-door 90/110” including Range Rover, three-door Discovery, five-door Freelander and T5.
H - Series III 109” high-capacity pickup, 110/130” high-capacity pickup.
M - Series III five-door 109” station wagon, four-door Defender station wagon, four-door Range Rover, and Discovery station wagon.

8th Character: Engine

This denotes the engine, which is represented with a letter from A to Z or a number from 1 to 9. Some of the characters include:

A - Freelander K-series 1.8-litre, Range Rover 4.0-litre V8, 90/110/130 2.5-litre diesel, Range Rover 4.4-litre V8 EFI.
B - 90/110/130 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, Freelander 19J L-series 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel.
1 - Range Rover Classic 3.5-litre V8 EFI, Discovery II low compression 4.0-litre V8 EFI with automatic gearbox, Discovery III and Range Rover Sport 2.7-litre V6 diesel.
2 - Discovery II 4.0-litre V8, Range Rover 4.0-litre V8, Discovery III and Range Rover Sport 3.6-litre V8 diesel.

9th Character: Gear and Steering Wheel

This provides details about the gear and steering wheel. Some of the characters include:

In the US, for Land Rovers produced from 1987, the ninth digit codes for the weight of the car.

10th Character: Model Year

The tenth character indicates the build or model year and alternates between numbers and letters.

Here’s a table that can help you quickly identify any car’s model year:

Code/Year

A 1980
B 1981
C 1982
D 1983
E 1984
F 1985
G 1986
H 1987
J 1988
K 1989

Code/Year

L 1990
M 1991
N 1992
P 1993
R 1994
S 1995
T 1996
V 1997
W 1998
X 1999

Code/Year

Y 2000
1 2001
2 2002
3 2003
4 2004
5 2005
6 2006
7 2007
8 2008
9 2009

Code/Year

A 2010
B 2011
C 2012
D 2013
E 2014
F 2015
G 2016
H 2017
J 2018
K 2019

Code/Year

L 2020
M 2021
N 2022
P 2023
R 2024
S 2025
T 2026
V 2027
W 2028
X 2029

Code/Year

A 1980
B 1981
C 1982
D 1983
E 1984
F 1985
G 1986
H 1987
J 1988
K 1989
L 1990
M 1991
N 1992
P 1993
R 1994
S 1995
T 1996
V 1997
W 1998
X 1999
Y 2000
1 2001
2 2002
3 2003
4 2004

Code/Year

5 2005
6 2006
7 2007
8 2008
9 2009
A 2010
B 2011
C 2012
D 2013
E 2014
F 2015
G 2016
H 2017
J 2018
K 2019
L 2020
M 2021
N 2022
P 2023
R 2024
S 2025
T 2026
V 2027
W 2028
X 2029

11th Character: Manufacturing Plant

The eleventh character shows the manufacturing plant. Although the second character denotes the UK as the manufacturer’s country, some characters represent Land Rover or Range Rover assembled in other regions:

12th to 17th Characters: Serial Number

These characters make up the unique sequential number (serial number) of the Land Rover. This number doesn’t mean anything special other than the production number when the car was rolled out of the factory.

We recommend using our reliable Land Rover VIN decoder to get accurate information as quickly as possible. The manual decoding can be very tedious and is not a reliable way of looking up a Land Rover VIN number.

How Do I Get a Land Rover Specification Check?

Follow these steps to decode and look up any Land Rover VIN number:

Step 1: Enter the VIN

Find and enter the 17-digit VIN into the form above

Step 2: Click “Check Vehicle”

After filling the form, click the “Check Vehicle” button to begin the process.

Step 3: Get Detailed Vehicle Specifications

Our tool will provide you with the vehicle specifications for free. It will show the year, make, model, colour, engine specs, and the car’s MOT and tax status.

If you’re buying a used Land Rover, consider getting the full vehicle history report to verify important records such as MOT history, mileage discrepancies, outstanding finance, write off records, and more.

Land Rover VIN Number Location: Where You Should Check

The Land Rover VIN number can be found in several key locations. Here are some common Land Rover VIN number locations:

Dashboard: Spot the VIN through the windshield on the lower-left corner of the dashboard.
Driver’s Side Door Jamb: Check the sticker or plate on the inside edge of the driver’s door.
Title and Registration: The VIN is often printed on the vehicle’s registration (V5C logbook) or title documents.
Service History: The VIN can also be found in the vehicle’s service history book, where regular maintenance and services done are recorded.

The Importance of Running a Land Rover VIN Check?

A Land Rover VIN check helps protect you from such risks and scams associated with buying a used car, and here’s why it’s important:

Verify Vehicle Specifications

Be sure the car matches its original factory specs, helping buyers confirm authenticity before purchasing. This prevents scams where sellers lie about engine size or trim level to charge more money. A Land Rover spec check by VIN helps avoid overpaying for features the car doesn't actually have inside.

Confirms Vehicle Performance

Performance can reveal if a car suits your needs, whether for speed, towing, or fuel efficiency. Land Rovers are built differently, so checking performance ensures you get the right one. A vehicle made for off-road adventures won't work well if you mainly need something for daily city commuting.

Shows Complete MOT History and Records

Full MOT history helps predict future repair needs and shows long-term car maintenance. You can see if the same problems keep appearing which might mean expensive repairs are coming soon ahead. A clean MOT record usually means the previous owner took good care of the Land Rover properly.

Verify Complete Mileage Record

A full mileage history helps spot gaps or tampering attempts, improving trust in the car's condition. Dishonest sellers often roll back odometers to make old tired cars seem newer and more valuable than reality. Catching mileage fraud early saves you from paying too much for a vehicle that's actually worn out.

Check for Outstanding Finance

Make sure there's no outstanding finance that could result in repossession. If the previous owner didn't finish paying their loan the finance company can legally take the car away. You'll lose both your money and the Land Rover even though you didn't do anything wrong yourself.

Estimates Running Costs

Gives average fuel, tax, and maintenance costs to help budget before purchase. Land Rovers can be expensive to run so knowing costs ahead prevents nasty financial surprises later on. This information helps you decide if you can actually afford to keep and drive the vehicle long-term.

Free Land Rover VIN Decoding Vs. Full VIN Check Report

You can choose between using our free Land Rover VIN decoder and paid Land Rover VIN check service. Whether you’re verifying car details or buying a used car, our tools ensure you get what best suits your needs.

Free Land Rover VIN Decoding

Our Land Rover VIN decoder helps verify key car specifications like model, year, engine type, trim, and more for free. See below for what our free car check provides:

Year

Body style

Colour

Gears

Make

Trim level

Engine size

Fuel type

Model

Transmission

Engine cylinders

Displacement

Vehicle type

Vehicle class

Engine specs

Emission standard

Number of doors

Number of seats

Displacement

Emissions

Full Land Rover VIN Check Service

View a clear picture of any used Land Rover’s history, including MOT records, write-offs, theft, finance status, and more. Here’s what you should expect with a full car history check:

High-risk records

Written-off check

Stolen records

Outstanding finance

Mileage history

Scrapped records

Auction history

Plate change history

MOT history

Ownership records

Logbook checks

Colour change history

Tax Status

Imported checks

Exported checks

Vehicle Registration

Interesting Facts About Land Rover Vehicles

Land Rover vehicles, especially Range Rovers, face high theft risks, with nearly 1 in 100 stolen annually.
Their tall design increases rollover risks in severe crashes, though strong safety features help mitigate injuries.
Despite theft concerns, Land Rover maintains strong UK sales, especially among luxury SUV buyers. However, insurance costs and theft issues have reduced resale values for Range Rovers in urban areas.
Range Rovers remain popular in affluent areas like Chelsea, London and Virginia Water, Surrey, reflecting their status and off-road capabilities.

Find More Smart Car Check Tools

At Smart Car Check, we offer more than just UK VIN decoding! Our platform features a range of specialised tools to give you the best car check experience. Here’s an overview of the additional tools available:

Registration Number Check

Retrieve vehicle details using the registration number.

MOT History Check

Access past MOT records to evaluate the car’s condition.

Insurance Write-Off Check

Identify vehicles previously classified as total losses.

Tax Check

Confirm tax status and compliance.

Stolen Car Check

Verify if the car is flagged as stolen in databases.

MPG Check

Determine the fuel efficiency and performance of the car.

Motorcycle VIN Check

Get specific data and history for motorcycles.

Car Value Check

Estimate the current market value of the vehicle.

Car Outstanding Finance Check

Verify if a car has an outstanding finance or loans.

Lookup VIN Number for Other Brands

Beyond Land Rover, we decode VIN numbers for countless other vehicle brands. Select your manufacturer below to get started.

Get our Smart Car Check Mobile App

Are you looking for the best car history check UK? Make a smart decision with Smart Car Check App. Perform a Reg. number check in the UK to uncover any past problems and hidden history that the seller will not tell you.

FAQ About Land Rover VIN Decoder

How do I decode my Land Rover VIN?

To decode Land Rover VIN numbers, simply use our Land Rover VIN decoder to verify important information like the year, make, model, engine, transmission, and more. When buying a used car, get a full Land Rover VIN check to access records, including outstanding finance, mileage discrepancies, MOT history, writeoff records, tax details, and more.

How do I find out the specs of my Land Rover?

Use our reliable Land Rover VIN spec check tool to verify basic specifications including, year, make, model, engine, transmission type, fuel type, gears, and more.

How do I check the history of my Land Rover?

To check the history of your Land Rover, simply enter the VIN into our reliable Land Rover VIN check tool to check hidden records including theft, write-off, outstanding finance, mileage discrepancies, scrapped records, high risk records, and more.