Why New Range Rover Evoque Isn’t Designed for Trails

The car company got realistic about where and how most customers drive their vehicles.

Range Rover
Range Rover Evoque compact SUV front view on display at Brussels Expo on January 13, 2017 in Brussels, Belgium. (Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images)
Getty Images

As Jaguar Land Rover approaches the 1 million sold mark on Evoques, the company got real about where its customers are driving the luxury sport utility vehicle: the mall parking lot.

JLR kept it’s “civilized, civilian customers in mind,” as Wired put it, when it designed the 2020 Evoque and integrated a number of sumptuous features; like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 16-point seat adjustments, cabin “ionization” systems, larger leg and luggage space and partial electric power.

A new camera feature that shows the driver in a central touchscreen what the road would look like if the hood were transparent is one of the more innovative designs, now meant more for concrete than country.  The feature will “help the driver maintain visibility when negotiating extreme terrains as well as high city curbs,” according to a press release.

Don’t underestimate the little guy in Range Rover’s fleet, however. It’s optional 21-inch tires can handle two feet of water while side-view mirror, ultrasonic sensors monitor depth. Just in case.

The cost of the new model has not yet been announced but it’s likely to be north of the previous generation’s $41,800 base price.

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.