2020 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Gets Familiar Look, Smarter Tech
On November 22, when Americans are collectively celebrating Thanksgiving and scouting for the best Black Friday deals, Land Rover will be introducing the all-new 2020 Range Rover Evoque at a private event held in London. The company is whetting Londoners’ appetites by placing wire sculptures of its next SUV in strategically selected upscale locations scattered across the city.
Land Rover explains the three wire sculptures are life-sized, so they provide an accurate preview of the next-generation Evoque’s size and proportions while hogging life-sized parking spots in one of the busiest, most crowded cities in the world.
It’s difficult to judge a car after seeing only a sculpture of it but, from what we can tell, the next Evoque doesn’t stray far from the formula that has made the original model a hit all around the world. It still looks like an Evoque thanks to styling cues like oversized wheel arches, a tall belt line, and a low roof line that slopes toward the rear end. The proportions are more evolutionary than revolutionary.
The shape of the lights on both ends suggests designers took the Evoque in the same direction as the bigger Range Rover Velar. We expect the similarities will continue inside; the Velar’s smart dual-screen infotainment system will likely trickle down to the Evoque. Upmarket variants will receive a digital instrument cluster as well as an impressive armada of electronic driving aids.
The sculptures all but confirm that Land Rover won’t release a two-door hardtop variant of the next Evoque. The original model was offered as a two-door when it made its debut in 2010, but production ended in 2017 due to a worldwide lack of demand. There’s no indication the body style will return. The two-door convertible variant will make a comeback a few years into the Evoque’s production run, however.
British magazine Autocar learned the Evoque will inaugurate a mild-hybrid powertrain made up of a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine, an electric motor, and a 48-volt electrical system. The gasoline-electric model will be the efficiency champ of the lineup. Buyers not interested in electrification will be able to select from a palette of four-cylinder engines, but more specific details won’t surface until the Evoque makes its official debut. Front-wheel drive will come standard, and all-wheel drive will be offered on select models.
The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque will go on sale shortly after it breaks cover in London. Deliveries will begin during 2019. Look for a pricing announcement in the coming days.
