2012 Land Rover Evoque

What's New for 2012

The 2012 Land Rover Evoque is all-new.

Introduction

When the sleek-looking Land Rover LRX Concept was unveiled at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, it showed that Land Rover's stylists were interested in going beyond the brand's traditional boxy shapes. Since then, Land Rover has announced that it will make a production version of the LRX. The result will be the 2012 Evoque.

As with many new cars on the horizon, the 2012 Evoque will reflect the trend of smaller and more efficient packaging. This two-door model will be shorter and lower than Land Rover's LR2 and serve as a new entry-level model. For power, the Evoque will come with a turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter gasoline-fueled inline four-cylinder engine rated at 240 horsepower. Power will be sent to a light-duty four-wheel-drive system through a six-speed automatic transmission.

An available multi-terrain system will offer driver-selectable General Driving; Grass/Gravel/Snow; Mud and Ruts; and Sand modes. Presumably, this system tailors the behavior of the 4WD system along with the Range Rover Evoque's available adaptive magnetic dampers -- a first on a Land Rover product.

Inside the clean and modern-looking cabin will be an array of standard and optional features, including a central 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth (with audio streaming), a Meridian-branded sound system, a hard-drive-based navigation system, a panoramic sunroof, keyless start, adaptive headlights (with auto high-beam control) and heating for the windshield, seats and steering wheel. This is the first Land Rover that will park itself, and it can also be equipped with a 360-degree camera system.

We'll know more about the 2012 Land Rover Evoque and how it compares to models like the BMW X1 and Volkswagen Tiguan we get closer to the summer 2011 on-sale date. Check back later for complete buying advice and driving impressions.