2015 Land Rover LR4 brings civilization to the wilderness with new smartphone connectivity feature

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General Douglas MacArthur famously said that, “old soldiers never die, they just fade away.”

The Land Rover LR4 received a significant refresh last year, but it gets a few updates for the 2015 model year to keep it from fading away for a little while, until the all-new Land Rover Discovery arrives to replace it.

The biggest change is the addition of the Land Rover InControl Apps connectivity feature, which is designed to easily integrate with a driver’s (iOS or Android) smartphone. It includes apps for navigation, media streaming, Internet radio, and location services, all adapted for in-car use. Users can also access their phones’ calendars and contacts through the LR4’s infotainment system.

Available apps include: iHeartRadio for Auto, Stitcher, Gympse, Sygic, Parkopedia, Hotelseeker, Cityseeker, Eventseeker, News on Board, and MobileDay.

Other than that, the 2015 LR4 is relatively unchanged. Exterior updates include four new paint colors and a new 20-inch alloy wheel design. The rest of the relentlessly-angular design is the same as previous LR4s, which in turn were facelifted versions of old LR3.

The sole engine option is a 3.0-liter supercharged V6, which produces 340 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. It’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The two four-wheel drive system introduced for 2014 carry over. That means buyers can choose from a standard system with a single-speed transfer case, or a Heavy Duty Package with two-speed case and active locking differential. As always, Land Rover’s Terrain Response system works to keep the LR4 shiny-side up.

The LR4 is biding its time until a replacement arrives. This new model will revive the Discovery name, and will be influenced by the Discovery Vision concept from the 2014 New York Auto Show. It will also spawn a new “family” of Discovery models that mirrors, Land Rover’s Range Rover family.