Car Review: New Range Rover Evoque
The new Range Rover Evoque is here in all its stylish and sophisticated glory and as pretty as it is, it packs a whole bunch of clever 4x4ing capabilities and tough performance under the skin. We recently joined the team from Jaguar Land Rover, who gave us a real taste of what this newcomer has to offer the luxury compact SUV segment…
A luxury city SUV
Since it first launched in South Africa back in 2011 the Range Rover Evoque has claimed 217 global awards and has been the fastest selling model for the brand with over 700 000 sales in 116 countries.
As Jaguar Land Rover notes, the new Range Rover Evoque is now more comfortable, more capable and more connected than before, but its reputation as a luxury city SUV has been further enhanced as it takes inspiration from some of the Velar’s design work. That being said, it is still very ‘Evoque’ and maintains the essence of this manicured SUV.
CLASSIC ‘EVOQUE’ DESIGN
In terms of its exterior styling, you’d need to be quite familiar with the outgoing Evoque to really spot the differences, especially from afar. But what’s interesting to note is that all of the body parts on the new model (except for the door hinges) are in fact brand new.
On close inspection you’ll find more rounded corners, flush door handles and slightly increased dimensions, but I like that its designers haven’t messed around too much with the overall design of this luxurious SUV, because it was already so iconically good-looking.
WHAT’S INSIDE?
Since its predecessor has been on the market for over 8 years now, you can expect a number of updates and highlights in the new Evoque’s cabin. When we first stepped in we marveled over a fancy display of super glossy screens and ambient lighting that really brings its cabin to life. One of my favourite features is its Clear View Review Mirror that transforms into an HD video screen that displays everything that’s happening behind the vehicle. You can use this as a regular review mirror, but switch it to HD Video Mode and your passenger head rests and any other obstructions in the cabin disappear.
Another clever feature is the Evoque’s Clear Sight Ground View – which in essence, gives you a see-through bonnet so that you’re able to see a 180 degree view of exactly what’s happening on the ground beneath the vehicle – this really comes in handy when you’re dealing with tricky off-road obstacles, or high pavements in the city.
In terms of comfort – the new Evoque offers next-level, high quality materials almost everywhere, but there’s also loads of functionality to help you adjust things just the way you like it – there are 16-way seat controls! Interesting to note is that some of the materials used in the Evoque’s cabin are made from recycled plastics and are offered as a premium alternative to leather.
The Evoque’s wheelbase has been increase by 21 mm, which means more leg room and an increase in stowage space in the cabin, while luggage capacity has grown by 10 percent to 591-litres.
Underneath it all – performance and off-roading luxury
Beautiful cabin features and comforts aside, the new Evoque also offers superb performance for both city and off-road driving. Its integral Link rear suspension offers incredible comfort and support on bumpy or uneven surfaces and gives you a great sense of confidence on the road. Terrain Response 2 is available as standard for the first time on the new Evoque with All-Wheel Drive and automatic transmission. Drivers can choose between four modes (Comfort, Sand, Grass/Gravel/Snow, and Mud&Ruts) to help tackle the desired terrain. There’s also an increase in wading depth that goes up to 600 mm. We tackled some intimidating water obstacles where essentially, the water level reached the height of our seats (only outside of course).
A reversing camera is also standard on all models, as well as a suite of advanced driver assistance systems from Lane Keep Assist to its Driver Condition Monitor.
Not just a pretty face
At its launch, Jaguar Land Rover went above and beyond to create a unique night-time off-roading obstacle experience for the motoring media, so that we could really get a taste of what the new Evoque is capable of. From intimidatingly steep inclines, to deep water obstacles and narrow and tricky corners, we got to make use of the Evoque’s clever driving systems like High Descent Control – and of course its Clear Sigh Ground View – to name just a few.
New engines have been complemented by new technologies to make them quieter and more refined and for now, local buyers can choose between a 132 kW diesel engine (my preferred choice) and a 183 kW petrol engine. A 221 kW plug-in hybrid is expected to be added to the range in early 2020.
Pricing and conclusion
Whether you’re in the city, dazzling other road users with the Evoque’s beautiful design, or out exploring off the beaten track, the new Evoque does a good job and adapting to any environment without compromising on comfort or luxury.
If you’d like to find out exactly which features are offered in the new Evoque’s different trim levels, click here.
New Range Rover Evoque pricing:
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 R734300
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 S R784300
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 SE R843800
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 R-Dynamic S R813000
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 R-Dynamic SE R872500
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 R-Dynamic HSE R920200
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 First Edition R945900
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 R776300
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 S R826300
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 SE R885800
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 R-Dynamic S R855000
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 R-Dynamic SE R914500
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 R-Dynamic HSE R962300
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 First Edition R987900