Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Premium SUVs in D segment are often regarded with strength not just in terms of hardware driving it, but the outer stance and silhouette which sets the first impression among the on lookers. Contrary to this thought, Land Rover’s Range Rover Evoque ditches the cliché theory of humongous stature.

Albiet, the relatively lower stance does not go against the vehicle; in fact it gives it the requisite look. Talking about the looks, Evoque is one the best looking premium SUVs in its range which gets even better with the latest updates. Outer appearance gets fresh dose of updates featuring restyled bumper in front, new Xenon head lights up front with integrated daytime running lights, alloy rims with changed design and a new design for the radiator grille fitted in range topping variant. Tweaks are extended to rear profile highlighted by LED tail lights. Cabin gets a number of new features; there is an eight inch InControl touch infotainment system. Terrain Response system is available across trim levels. Mechanically, the car remains untouched featuring the same 2.0 litre diesel engine which housed the outgoing version. Similarly, there is no change in the gearbox; the engine is paired to the previous auto box as seen in the predecessor. Pricing is on the higher side, but for a contemporary looking car like Evoque the slightly bumped up price post revisions quite justifies the worthiness of the SUV. Range Rover Evoque price in India has been skimmed to maximise its reach to luxury enthusiasts.

The first impressions of the SUV are stately; Evoque is among the most popular models in Land Rover’s range in India. Fortunately what works in the favour of the SUV is an appealing outer mask which easily comes out as a strong attribute as against rivals like BMW X3 and Audi Q5. Design is clean and absolutely classy, clearly ruling out any room for a gawky touch. The dual tone exterior colour theme featuring contrast roof looks visually appealing and lends the SUV a character of its own. Bonnet is short and wide featuring two subtle lines. Bumper in front is wide and assertive featuring black finished honey comb radiator grille placed between the sleek xenon head lights with signature LED lighting.
The lower part of the bumper is where the most of the styling is done, lower bumper gets a brief grille and prominent fog lamp housings on either side. A hint of silver is seen on the lower side of the bumper along with a thin layer of body cladding. Fenders are pronounced and yet it doesn’t look awkward. Sparkle silver alloy rims are mounted on all four tyres. Character lines are sharp on sides, wing mirrors are painted in black and door handles are coloured in body paint. Wing mirrors feature power folding and power adjusting functions. Parking aid is provided in front and rear with rear camera including hitching guidance.
There is a surround camera too but it is available on the top spec trims only. Wind screen gets rain sensing wipers. Rear is marked by integrated spoiler and lean tail lamps. Trunk lid gets a hint of chrome, dual chrome tail pipes and reflectors sum up the rear styling. Roof gets narrower towards the rear which appears absolutely delightful. Mud flaps are provided both in front as well as rear.

Wheelbase measuring 2660 mm hints at a capacious cabin, there is plethora of features embedded inside for the comfort of driver as well as passengers. A peek into the Range Rover Evoque pictures of the interiors hints about the classy cabin all thanks to the elementary styling. Leather upholstery and leather covering around steering wheel looks plush. Textured aluminium trim finishing within the cabin appears upmarket. Moreover, the dual tone interior theme classes up the cabin. Electrically adjustable seats are affixed in front for driver and co-passenger with an exclusive memory function for driver’s seat. Premium carpets with edging, covers the floor. Interior mood lighting spells elegance and adds to the premium feel. Steering wheel comes with mounted multi-functional switches for the ease of driver.
Interior rear view mirrors come with auto dimming function. Sun visors get illuminated vanity mirrors and there is a climate control fitted inside the cabin for curbing temperature. Rear gets an arm rest with two cup holders. Meridian sound system with single slot CD player is integrated across line-up, an MP3 disc and file compatibility is also embedded inside, besides an 8 inch high resolution touchscreen with Bluetooth telephone connectivity with audio streaming, USB and iPod connectivity port is also incorporated. Navigation system is also standard across model series but rear seat entertainment is available exclusively on the range topping trim. Space in boot is lavish allowing to store ample luggage.

Serving the new Evoque is the same 2.0 litre, four cylinder, in-line diesel engine pumping out maximum power output of 132 kW at 3500 RPM along with peak torque of 430 Nm at 2000 RPM. Range Rover Evoque transmission is a ZF nine-speed automatic transmission with drive select, paddle shift and sport mode. Drive is sent to all four wheels making it a capable off-roader.

Performance enhancing features like cruise control, terrain response (standard feature) and torque vectoring by braking are available in the model.

ARAI rated fuel economy on offer by the diesel powertrain is not very impressive, as per the ARAI figures, the premium SUV can deliver 15 kmpl in city conditions and around 15.7 kmpl on highway.

Stopping power is supplied by ventilated disc brakes up front and solid disc brakes at rear. Besides, the model also features electric park brake integrated into brake calliper. Safety brigade comprises of alarm system, keyless entry, roll stability control, dynamic stability control and hill descent control. Airbags are employed in front for the safety of driver and co-passenger, side curtain airbags are housed in front as well as in the second row. There is an additional knee airbag for the driver.

The tuning between the 2.0 litre diesel powertrain and the ZF nine-speed automatic transmission is commendable. Ride quality is appreciable, powered by the diesel engine the ride quality does not get hampered by the loud engine noise, although engine does make little sound but in a controlled manner. Paddle shifts are not as smooth as it should have been, power supply is ample and engine has punch. Acceleration is impressive too hitting the 100 kmph mark from rest within 9 seconds. Top speed on offer is around 195 kmph as claimed by Land Rover.

In our opinion Range Rover Evoque is a capable SUV which gets most of the boxes ticked right from looks to space to comfort to performance. It is a head turner which makes onlookers go red with envy and most importantly, it is not just a great looking car, under the skin too it has a lot to offer. Ample space inside, storage space is lavish, however it may lag behind in terms of feature stuffed inside as compared to rivals, but otherwise there are enough equipment to offer comfort to the passengers. If you looking for a premium D segment SUV, Evoque suffices your need, it is undoubtedly a worthy option in its league.

In its segment, the vehicle faces threat from models like BMW X3 and Audi Q5. Outer appearance is its strongest attribute which wins it half battle as compared to rivals. Pricing is yet another area where the SUV gets additional points. Feature wise, the two rivalling models namely BMW X3 and Audi Q5 could be richer featuring avant-garde comfort as well as safety equipment. Dimensionally, Evoque is not all large as rivals, as it is not the usual large looking SUVs seen around. Overall, Evoque gives neck to neck competition to its rivals and is a besotting option in D segment.