With Range Rover being an exclusive brand within the Land Rover family, it needed to ensure that its baby Rangie looked just as good as the Velar and the updated Range Rover Sport and full-size model. I was left impressed at the recent national media launch of the updated Evoque.
What has changed?
When the original Evoque launched, it had very little competition in the looks department thanks to being the essential production version of the striking Land Rover LRX Concept. This revised version though is not so lucky.
The designers have played it safe with the looks in that the Evoque now resembles the Velar in that it gets slimmer headlights, a more rounded front bumper with large louvers on the flanks, flush door handles and extended wheel arches.
At the rear, the designers have equipped the Evoque with a new rear bumper, Velar-inspired 3D LED taillights and gloss black trim that runs the length of the tailgate between the rear lights with the Range Rover badge prominent.
It is however not just the body that has changed but also what lies beneath. The Evoque sits on an all-new platform called Premium Transverse Architecture that has resulted in 21 mm longer wheelbase, a 13 mm increase in height and 11 mm gain in width. Claimed boot space is 591-litres or 1 383-litres with the rear seats folded down.
Luxury and tech inside
Just like the exterior, the interior has been given a modern touch. The first thing I noticed was just how similar this new interior is to that found inside the Velar.
The model driven at launch was the flagship HSE fitted with the R-Dynamic styling kit that sported the new Touch Pro Duo infotainment system made up of two 10-inch displays with the facia mounted screen retracting like that of the Velar, and the bottom-mounted setup being reserved for the climate control and Terrain Response 2 functions.
Continuing the digital fest, the all-digital instrument cluster measures 12.3-inches, while a colour Heads-Up Display also debuts. On the safety front, the Evoque adds features such as Autonomous Emergency Braking and Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, while a new material option called Kvadrat, made from wool and Dinamica suede cloth derived from 53 recycled plastic bottles, can also be had.
The rough stuff
When it comes to the business of off-roading, it is highly unlikely that most owners will ever take Evoques off of the black stuff, yet those who will take this leap of faith will be pleasantly surprised.
During the launch, we got to play on the new Land Rover Experience obstacle course, which had us climb steep hills, do axle twisters, wade through deep water, test approach and departure angles and even push the limits of the car’s rollover angle, all of which was done at night.
As mentioned, the Evoque is fitted with the Terrain Response 2 system that comes with five modes; Comfort, Sand, Mud & Ruts, Grass/Gravel/Snow and the new Auto mode. This function allows the car to decide which mode is best.
I was impressed by the Evoque’s hidden talents, however, it was its on-road characteristics that left me nodding my head in approval. The new chassis provides agile and responsive driving, the steering is relatively quick and the suspension, although slightly on the firm side, does respond well to sudden changes of direction. All of the above lend to the fact that the Evoque is sportier to drive than you would expect.
Camera, action
The undoubted standout though of the Evoque is its new camera system. The derivative I drove was fitted with Land Rover’s so-called smart rear-view mirror that houses a camera and provides an almost 180-degree view of what is behind you and in more detail than a traditional glass unit. It is undoubtedly my top technological automotive addition to the modern car since the reverse camera.
There is however another camera worth noticing, a 360-degree setup with the ability to select independent cameras. Dubbed ClearSight Ground View, it even allows for a ‘transparent view’ of what is taking place up front using a camera mounted on the grille. It is incredible technology which also adds to safety both on and off road.
Engines
For South Africa, the Evoque will come powered by a choice of two 2.0-litre Ingenium engines; a turbodiesel producing 132 kW and 430 N.m of torque in the D180 and a turbo-petrol outputting 183 kW and 365 N.m in the P250.
Both are however connected to a nine-speed ZF-sourced automatic gearbox, which interestingly is selected via a traditional gear lever as opposed to the rotary dial from before.
As to be expected, the petrol engine is more responsive units, yet I would opt for the diesel as the perfect method of motivation. Claimed fuel consumption for the petrol is 7.4 L/100 km and 5.8 L/100 km, though my time with the latter netted the same figure as the former.
Verdict
The Evoque is not cheap and you will need to fork out just over R734 300 for the entry-level version and close to R1-million for the top-spec, limited run First Edition. However, while the original Evoque never impressed, this latest version has certainly done the opposite.
Pricing
Due to the Evoque range consisting out of 14 models, only the starting variants of each model have been priced. For the full range pricing, visit our website.
Evoque D180 – R734 300
Evoque D180 S – R784 300
Evoque D180 SE – R843 800
Evoque P250 – R776 300
Evoque P250 S – R826 300
Evoque P250 SE – R885 800
