Land Rover’s Range Rover Evoque is not only a fashion statement, but an immensely capable all-rounder.
The Range Rover Evoque is to luxury crossovers what Ana de Armas is to Hollywood. There couldn't possibly be a better way to introduce the 2017 Range Rover Evoque to you. It's got looks very few SUVs can boast of, even in the entire Land Rover model line-up.
The Evoque has been around for 10 years now but doesn't show it. Drive around in a used one, with all the spit and polish possible, and it'll turn heads like any fashionable SUV. Even in its current-gen form, the overall shape has been retained.
Its proportions make most Land Rovers seem a bit boxy. It's clearly the kid that's got its looks from the mother. There's nobody who'd want to be seen in an SUV that isn't in vogue, and a 2017 model for a little under $26,000 will buy you a decent one.
It's available as a convertible, a three-door, and a five-door model, the last of which our focus is on in this feature. In 2016, it received some sportier exterior tweaks and got more features too. A 9-speed automatic was thrown into the mix in 2014.
Style plays a crucial role in the success of a car model, and the Range Rover Evoque had proved that the world over. It's more aptly a crossover because of its size but has an SUV's talents.
Anyone buying one of these must consider the fact that it is fast and sporty, and its 240hp turbocharged engine, engaging handling, and compliant suspension make it a great all-rounder, be it for the regular work route or the dart down to the movie theaters on the weekends.
Like any other Land Rover, the list of features is exhaustive and very typically British – like leather seat upholstery, a panoramic glass roof, and an 11-speaker audio system.
The convertible Evoque should appeal more to women living in Beverly Hills, and for the rest of us, there's the three-door coupe model and the five-door model with a slightly cramped rear seat – and rear-seat space is something most Evoque buyers strongly ignore.
With the Evoque, it's not just style; there's substance too. The all-wheel-drive system makes it a breeze when it's time to use it, be it on a slippery, gravely, or muddy surface. Land Rover's Terrain Response system has it all covered.
All-Terrain Progress Control is basically a slow-speed cruise control that was designed to take on tough traction circumstances, letting the driver focus on steering the crossover. Some cars that score high on the styling front tend to hamper practicality to some extent, and the Evoque is one of them. The raked roofline takes away headroom and cargo space, while rearward visibility isn't good at all.
The Land Rover Discovery Sport is the more practical alternative and offers an extra row of seats for lesser money, but the Evoque has its own set of buyers. The 2017 model comes with plenty of standard features like stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags, antilock brakes, trailer sway control, a driver-side knee airbag, a rearview camera, and front and rear parking sensors.
Safety equipment includes rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, a forward collision warning system, and a 360-degree parking camera. The convertible Evoque gets built-in, pop-up roll bars in case of a rollover. The crossover gets 19-inch wheels.
There were just 8 recalls and about 40-odd complaints from customers who had bought the 2017 model year Evoque, most of which were related to the electrical system. There were engine-related issues as well, but very few.
Recalls included issues in which the Evoque's instrument cluster went blank, which meant none of the important information was shown. Another recall included a fuel gauge reading lower than the actual level.
If one of us had to buy a used Evoque, the styling would be on top of the priority list. The other reason we'd buy one is for its wide breadth of capabilities off the road. Performance from the 2.0-liter turbocharged, 4-cylinder engine is sufficient for something like the Evoque. Acceleration isn't impressive, but it builds as the speed goes up.
The 9-speed automatic gearbox ensures smooth shifts, but it's not too happy to downshift during an overtaking situation, because that's when you need all that torque. The Evoque is the most agile product in the Land Rover model line-up, and as mentioned earlier, its responsive steering is good fun, but that's also down to the fact the suspension is tuned to be on the firm side.
The Terrain Response system is unbelievably clever when it comes to flaunting its abilities in challenging situations because it has modes programmed to take on gravel, snow, mud, shallow rivers, and more. The best part is, it'll do all of this and still impress your dinner date's parents.
Source: Land Rover
Rehan got published for the first time at the age of 17, having written a feature on a Triumph Herald in print. He uses his writing as a tool to express his fondness for all things automotive even today, aged 28. Collecting scale models is a hobby close to his heart, and he wishes to sprinkle pixie dust on them only to see them grow into full-sized cars. He now represents HotCars.com.
