The Range Rover Evoque is destined to be a design classic, and has been a smash hit for
Land Rover.
First launched in 2011, its arresting looks made the smallest ever Range Rover the most
desirable crossover, at a time when crossover sales were about to go into overdrive.
We’ve got this top-of-the-range Autobiography model at the office a few months ahead of
the 2015 facelift being unveiled, to see if the Evoque is still as great as it looks after
four years, and if improvements like a nine speed automatic gearbox have been worthy additions.
Well, the interior is still a great place to be in any Evoque, and the cream leather
trim of this Autobiography car is really special, with heated and cooled front seats, as well
as heated rear seats.
Saying that, even the entry-level Pure trim comes with leather seats, as I guess cloth
isn’t seen as befitting of the Range Rover badge.
Pure models also come with Bluetooth and 18-inch wheels, so even at its £30k starting point,
the Evoque is quite well-equipped.
Pure Tech adds useful features like a heated windscreen, sat nav and auto lights and wipers,
while this £50k version gets bi-xenon headlamps which point into corners and switch from dipped
to main beam automatically.
The main sticking point is the infotainment system, which is feeling pretty clunky, but
this will be replaced by the new system we enjoyed in the Discovery Sport during the
facelift.
And does have a party trick called dual view, allowing the driver and front passenger to
see different images simultaneously.
Hop into the back and the five-door Evoque is actually more spacious than you might expect,
with good headroom and just enough legroom.
The Discovery Sport is 8cm longer and has a more practical seating layout, so it’s
better suited to families, but the Evoque is fine for four adults.
Measuring 575 litres, the Evoque’s boot is a good size and we like its square shape
and smooth loading lip.
Its rear seats fold almost flat and there’s 1,445 litres of space if you need it.
Choose the three-door and the boot is 25-litres smaller.
Normally in a Range Rover you sit in a lofty armchair and look down on a big flat bonnet,
but in the Evoque you are much lower and the seats are far more hugging.
And actually, this sets the tone for the whole driving experience, which is precise and involving,
with sharp steering and very little body roll.
The firm suspension and huge 20-inch wheels fitted to higher trim levels, do allow some
thumps into the cabin at lower speeds, but on the whole the Evoque flows with the road
beautifully and makes a great long-distance companion.
Dynamic trims come with adaptive suspension, which is otherwise an £800 option, and it
allows the car to be smoother in normal driving, or firm up in this added Dynamic driving mode,
which adds to the fun on a twisty road.
There’s a front-wheel drive model available, which can be a wise choice for economy, but
to justify the Land Rover badge you need four-wheel drive and a Dynamic or Autobiography model
with terrain response.
This lets you switch between modes like mud and sand, which is a bit like having an expert
in the passenger sat adjust the car’s functions every few miliseconds.
In 2013 the six-speed automatic was replaced for a nine-speed version, and I can remember
thinking, nine gears sounds like it could be a step too far.
In reality the gearbox is smooth, partly thanks to its ability to skip gears, say from fourth
to sixth, and it allows the engine to be in its sweet spot more of the time.
A low first gear also improves off-roading and setting off when towing, while a tall
ninth gear improves motorway economy.
While the infotainment system lets the interior down, it’s the 2.2-litre diesel which feels
out of date here.
Its performance isn’t a problem, this 187bhp version actually feels pretty quick, instead
it’s the poor refinement with some diesel clatter and a whistle from the turbo, so we’re
hoping the new ingenium diesel will be quieter when it arrives later in the year.
So, does the Evoque still have the substance to back up its enormous style?
Sat-nav aside, its interior certainly makes you feel special and it’s great fun to drive,
while almost making a relaxed cruiser and being truly capable off-road.
Against the latest rivals, its achilies heal is the poor refinement of its diesel, so we’ll
be hoping the upcoming facelift and new ingenium engines will be quieter and improve the Evoque’s
already good economy.
Can you see yourself in a Range Rover Evoque?
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