Faulty Airbags Force Land Rover to Recall Thousands of Range Rover Evoques

Land Rover’s Stylish SUV Faces an Invisible Danger


The Range Rover Evoque is a stylish gateway into the Land Rover lineup, and has been a constant sight in urban neighborhoods and suburban driveways since its introduction. However, if you own a 2021 through 2025 model, a hidden defect may pose a serious risk to you and your passengers.

Jaguar Land Rover North America has announced a safety recall for 20,999 units of the Evoque, built between July 10, 2020, and October 7, 2024. According to the documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a potentially defective passenger airbag may have been folded incorrectly during assembly, increasing the likelihood of a tear during deployment.

This isn’t just a technical quirk. A torn airbag may offer reduced protection in the event of a crash. Worse still, it could release hot gases into the cabin, potentially causing burns to front-seat occupants. Jaguar Land Rover says it has not received any injury reports so far, but the risk is high enough that the company is taking action.

The Fault Took Years to Surface

The airbag problem traces back to a component supplied by Joyson Safety Systems in Hungary. Engineers at Jaguar Land Rover first began investigating the issue in mid-2023 after noticing irregularities during internal testing and abnormal airbag deployments – a similar problem from over a decade ago. A cross-functional team was formed, with regular reviews continuing into 2024.

As testing ramped up, the team explored everything from inflator behavior and dashboard temperatures to how direct sunlight might affect the fascia components. Even after months of analysis, no clear defect had been confirmed.

But by June 2025, physical inspections of unused airbag modules finally revealed differences in the folding of the airbag fabric – something that could explain inconsistent test results and abnormal deployments.

That finding was enough. On June 30, 2025, Jaguar Land Rover’s Recall Determination Committee ruled the defect a safety risk, triggering a full-scale voluntary recall under NHTSA campaign number 25V454. Of note, 100% or all of the units produced within the set dates are affected by the defect.

Free Repairs Are Coming, But Don’t Wait to Act


Owners of affected Evoque models will start receiving official recall notices on August 29, 2025. Land Rover dealers will replace the passenger-side airbag module and associated components free of charge. If you’ve already paid for a related repair out of warranty, you may be eligible for reimbursement.

Until then, there won’t be any dashboard warnings to the owners. They can also check their VIN through NHTSA’s recall lookup tool when available, or contact your local Land Rover dealer. A faulty airbag is the last thing owners want to leave to chance.