The Land Rover brand is most often mentioned in conjunction with exploration of the Amazon Basin, Tibetan mountain ranges, and the African interior, but those who would prefer their Rover to offer a pleasant commute to the office or jaunt to a favorite vacation spot might want to check out the 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. This 5-passenger compact crossover looks rugged enough to impress the neighbors, comes in both 3-door (Evoque Coupe) and 5-door configurations, and offers enough bells and whistles to satisfy your creature-comfort cravings.
For the upcoming model year, Land Rover has made a few adjustments to the Evoque’s trim nomenclature. According to the folks at Land Rover, the 2016 lineup will start with the entry-level Pure and segue into the up-featured SE, the sporty SE Dynamic, the plush HSE, the even more luxurious HSE Dynamic, and the top-shelf Autobiography. Of course, each Range Rover Evoque variation will return toting what Rover calls a 4-wheel drivetrain (4WD), but which many in the media label a semi-off-road-capable intelligent all-wheel-drive (iAWD) setup.
Some styling tweaks for the 2016 Range Rover Evoque include a new front bumper with larger intakes and reworked LED fog lights, a pair of new grille choices, 3 new wheel designs, and a newly re-styled rear spoiler boasting a wider cyclops light.
Also among the more noteworthy changes for the upcoming model year’s variant of this downsized crossover is the debut of the once-British-and-now-Indian automaker’s InControl Touch infotainment system, which the folks at Land Rover claim will offer a less frustrating user experience, better smartphone apps, and improved processing speed. Furthermore a new All-Terrain Progress Control system is touted to automatically adjust throttle control over rugged terrain with its set-speed mode, allowing drivers to focus on steering around potential trouble spots without worrying about gas-pedal manipulation. Oh, and a couple of new interior color schemes, Lunar Ice and Vintage Tan, are also on tap to debut for 2016.
Look, meanwhile, for the tried-and-true 2.0-liter turbocharged inline 4-cylinder (I4) powerplant to return in the 2016 Evoque trim lineup, as it again mates with the superlative 9-speed shiftable automatic transmission, sporting standard hill-start assist and descent control, in putting out 240 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. Rover claims to have improved the already impressive fuel efficiency of this heady I4, thus expect at least a marginal improvement to the current iteration’s 21 mpg city/30 highway/24 combined. Towing, meantime, is expected to remain maxed out at 3,500 pounds with the proper equipment.
There has been no official word, by the way, regarding the return of the potent Autobiography Dynamic sub-trim with an upgraded version of this turbocharged I4. Should this screamer be reprised for 2016, expect it to again boast 285 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque when combined with the sport-tuned variant of the 9-speed shiftable automatic. This track- and backwoods-tested sub-trim will doubtless also continue to also carry a sport-tuned suspension and upgraded brakes. Land Rover’s new All Terrain Progress Control feature, furthermore, is slated to be complemented by the returning Terrain Response system, boasting selectable settings for diverse conditions along the road or trail.
Interestingly, a new 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine, along with a choice of transmissions, will debut aboard European versions of this pint-size Rover, but don’t look for these new powertrains here in the U.S. for at least another year. Additionally, there are hints of a convertible version of this Rover crossover that will be introduced for the 2017 model year.
Meanwhile, look for the 2016 Range Rover Evoque to sport, depending on the trim selected, the above-noted new rear spoiler, 17-, 18-, or 19-inch alloy wheels, now in a trio of new styles, those new adaptable LED headlights, and a returning fixed glass sunroof. Higher trims, meanwhile, are again scheduled to return sporting a standard power liftgate.
Cabin-wise, expect all 2016 Evoque iterations to tote leather upholstery, full power accessories, cruise control, and telescoping tilt-wheel steering, along with a rear-view camera, front and rear parking sensors, dual-zone automatic climate control, and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. Higher-echelon trims, meantime, are expected to again add such niceties as a remote garage door opener, memory for driver's settings, heated front seats, and premium leather upholstery to all of the above.
Standard techno-bling, which stars the new Bluetooth-interfaced InControl Touch infotainment technology, is further bolstered by the returning 8-inch touchscreen and, again depending on the selected trim, either a 380-watt, 11-speaker Meridian audio system or an upgraded 825-watt Meridian stereo featuring 17 Surround Sound speakers. Both systems are expected to return packing a single-CD player and auxiliary audio input. And again expected standard aboard the HSE, HSE Dynamic, and the Autobiography for the 2016 model year is a much-ballyhooed GPS navigation system.
Trim-specific options for 2016 include the popular Black Design package, with gloss-black-trimmed 20-inch alloy wheels and gloss-black exterior trim pieces. Additionally, stuff like roof rails and upgraded and upsized wheels and interior improvements, ventilated and massaging front seats, along with rear-seat DVD entertainment are also expected to be optional for the upcoming year.
Again for 2016, standard safety features aboard all Range Rover Evoque iterations are slated to include 4-wheel antilock brakes (ABS), traction and stability control, front side-mounted airbags, front and rear head airbags, the newly reworked LED front fog/driving lights, trailer sway control, a post-collision safety system, and a remote antitheft alarm. The SE Premium and higher trims additionally sport a standard surround-view camera and blind-spot monitoring, along with adaptive high-intensity-discharge (HID) LED headlights. Optional safety stuff offered on higher trims as late-availability safety equipment, meantime, is scheduled to include adaptive cruise control, a forward collision alert, upgraded GPS navigation, a parallel-parking-assistance feature, and a new-for-2016 rear cross-traffic warning system. Curiously, there are no safety ratings available from either the government or the insurance industry for the current Range Rover Evoque lineup.
Look for the 2016 Range Rover Evoque to again compete with Audi’s roomier and diesel-optional Q3, Lexus’ NX 200t, BMW’s agile and potent X3, Mercedes-Benz’s competent GLA-Class, and Porsche’s pricy but performance-oriented Macan when it goes on sale in the fall of 2015.
