2016 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: First Look

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

2016 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: First Look

Evoque_FirstLook

Competes with: BMW X3, Lexus RX, Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class

Looks like: The Evoque gets a revised front bumper design and more LEDs

Drivetrain: 240-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with nine-speed automatic transmission; four-wheel drive

Hits dealerships: Fall 2015

The smallest of Land Rover's Range Rover derivatives, the Range Rover Evoque gets a few updates for 2016. It will make its global debut at the Geneva International Motor Show in March and will hit Land Rover dealerships this fall.

The five-seat Evoque still comes in two- or four-door SUV body styles, though both cars are roughly the same size. Revised trim levels are now the SE, HSE, HSE Dynamic and Autobiography.

Exterior

Land Rover says the 2016 Range Rover Evoque is its first model to have full LED headlights. The effect makes for more-aggressive light pipes that wrap up into the Evoque's overlapping hood. The front and rear bumpers are also new, and the changes up front are easiest to notice as the bumper has much deeper outboard openings than before.

The Evoque's grille now has two-bar or hexagonal inserts. Upper trim levels of the four-door model get new hood vents, which were previously limited to the two-door Evoque, and the tail has a redesigned spoiler.

Like a few other SUVs, the Range Rover Evoque now offers a motion-activated power tailgate with a sensor underneath the bumper that detects movement from your foot, provided the key fob is in range.

Interior

Inside, the Evoque's doors have more stitched trim. Other changes for 2016 include new seats and an updated multimedia system with carryover 8-inch dimensions. The cabin otherwise retains the same cascading architecture.

Eight-way power front seats and leather upholstery are standard; massaging, 14-way power front seats are optional. Land Rover says its multimedia system now has "a more intuitive experience" with smartphone-style swiping capabilities and app integration. The system is standard on all trim levels.

Two navigation systems are available. Optional on the SE is navigation that uses an SD card, while upgraded, hard-drive navigation is standard on the HSE and up. Those models also get one of two Meridian premium audio systems and a rear-seat entertainment system with twin 8-inch screens.

Under the Hood

The Range Rover Evoque carries over its 240-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and nine-speed automatic transmission. The standard four-wheel-drive system now includes All-Terrain Progress Control — effectively low-speed cruise control in off-road situations that ensures driver-selectable speeds between 1 mph and 19 mph.

Safety

The Evoque gets two semi-autonomous safety features for 2016: a lane keeping feature with course-corrective steering and a forward collision warning system with automatic braking. Drowsy-driver detection is also new.