Land Rover is finally fixing one of the Range Rover Evoque’s main flaws.
After the Range Rover Sport recently surpassed one million sales, Land Rover will introduce the all-new next-generation Range Rover later this year, which is expected to go on sale for the 2022 model year. The current-generation Range Rover Evoque, on the other hand, has been on sale since the 2019 model year so it’s too early for a redesign.
Instead, Land Rover is preparing to give the smallest Range Rover a mid-cycle facelift to keep the popular SUV looking fresh. Our spies have caught Land Rover testing a prototype of the refreshed Range Rover Evoque undergoing testing in the snow with a longer wheelbase than the current model, evident by the SUV’s longer rear doors.
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CarBuzz
For reference, the current Range Rover Evoque’s wheelbase is 105.6 inches long. With a longer wheelbase, this variant will offer a more spacious cabin with more legroom for rear passengers in the five-seat layout. Alternatively, the Range Rover Evoque LWB will likely be available with seven seats.
It’s not clear if the Evoque LWB will be sold worldwide or if it will be limited to markets such as China where long-wheelbase variants of existing models are often sold exclusively. We’re hoping it will launch in the US, however, because the current model’s rear legroom is very limited inside the otherwise spacious cabin.
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CarBuzz
Under the hood, engine options should carry over from the current Evoque including a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 246 hp and 269 lb-ft and a mild-hybrid variant rated at 296 hp and 295 lb-ft.
A plug-in hybrid variant was also introduced last year combining a 197-hp 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine with a 107-hp electric motor for a total output of 304 hp. The launch of the LWB variant is expected to coincide with the regular Range Rover Evoque facelift, which will sport a new grille, redesigned bumpers, and new headlight graphics. Land Rover hasn’t announced when the refreshed Range Rover Evoque or the new LWB variant will debut, but they are both expected to debut later this year.