Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

The Land Rover Range Rover Evoque can be thought of as the smaller and more affordable choice in the Range Rover lineup. It's fresh off a complete redesign in 2020 and gets several technology features and updates for 2021. The most significant change is the new Pivi Pro infotainment system. Land Rover says it's easier to use and has quicker responses than the previous system. It also features over-the-air updates to keep your system, vehicle services and apps up-to-date.

For 2021, the Evoque's lineup is streamlined. There's now just a single powertrain, for example; gone is the optional engine that made nearly 300 horsepower in last year's model. But one helpful addition is a new surround-view camera system to take any guesswork out of parking in tight spaces and a new rear cross-traffic collision monitor to ensure you don't back into an approaching vehicle.

Overall, the 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque maintains the model's curious appeal as an adorable luxury town runner with a quiet side of legitimate off-road ability. That's always been the Range Rover promise, of course, but the Evoque represents a bite-size way into the historic English brand. But this little Land Rover also suffers from a lack of space and comfort. If those qualities are priorities, you might be happier with an Acura RDX, BMW X3 or Volvo XC60.

Which Range Rover Evoque does MatoCar recommend?

Picking an Evoque largely comes down to which features you want. Get the midrange SE if you're looking for the best value. It's pretty well equipped as-is, though the Driver Assist package is a worthy add-on because it adds traffic-adaptive cruise control.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque is a subcompact luxury SUV available in five trim levels: S, SE, R-Dynamic S, R-Dynamic SE and R-Dynamic HSE. All come with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (246 horsepower, 269 lb-ft of torque) paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

S Comes with a well-rounded set of features including:

18-inch wheels
Power-folding heated mirrors
Auto-dimming driver's side mirror
LED headlights
Privacy glass
Push-button start

Interior and technology highlights include:

Leather upholstery
Power-adjustable front seats
40/20/40-split folding rear seat
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
10-inch touchscreen display
Navigation system
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
Six-speaker sound system

The Evoque also comes standard with driver aids such as:

Lane keeping assist (steers the Evoque back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
Automatic emergency braking (warns if a front impact is imminent and applies the brakes if you don't respond in time)
Surround-view camera (gives you a top-down view of the Evoque and its surroundings for tight parking situations)

Moving up to the SE trim level adds features such as:

20-inch wheels
Power liftgate
Upgraded LED headlights
Dual 10-inch touchscreen displays
Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)

The R-Dynamic S and R-Dynamic SE versions share the same features as their base-model counterparts but add sportier exterior treatments, such as gloss black trim accents and side vents. The R-Dynamic HSE goes a little further and adds:

Hands-free liftgate
Proximity keyless entry
Premium leather upholstery
Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Evoque and the car in front) with traffic and speed limit sign recognition
10-speaker Meridian sound system

Many of the features found on the upper trim levels are available on the lower trims as options.