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By
EWAN KENNEDY
14 November 2011
Times changes and smart people keep track of what’s happening
around them. Range Rover is very aware of the shift in buyer
thinking and new technologies and has come up with what looks like
a winning formula for change with its new Evoque.
Evoque is the smallest and lightest Range Rover ever made,
reflecting both a changing market and the need to keep fuel
consumption and emissions to a reasonable minimum.
When we first saw a Land Rover called Concept LRX at European
motor in 2008 shows we fell in love with the shape, but doubted
the extreme lines would make it into the harsh world of production
reality.
Later
it was announced that Land Rover had passed the stunning concept
to its upmarket brother Range Rover and the new model would be
sold as the Range Rover Evoque. But the best news of all was that
the apparently unworkable shape had been translated into reality.
What looks like a very low roof is an optical illusion.
Though the Evoque’s roof does slope down at the back, the angle
is not nearly as steep as it seems, because the rising belt line
gives the look that created a lot of interest from passers-by
during our test period.
I’ve just finished a trip in the back seat of a Range
Rover Evoque and am pleased to report there’s enough headroom
for my six-foot frame. Legroom is OK as well, but it’s necessary
for the people in front to give up a few centimetres of their
legroom to compromise with the folks in the rear, something
that’s common in this class. The view to the side from the back
seats will not be good for small kids, take them along on your
test drive to get their opinions.
Boot
space is good and we had no trouble fitting in a couple of fair
sized suitcases without the need to fold down the seatbacks.
Range Rover Evoque is a thoroughly modern crossover
vehicle. Being designed by Land Rover, a company that has
specialised in serious 4WDs for over 60 years, it’s no surprise
Evoque is good off-road. We didn’t throw it at the sort of
scenery that needs a Land Rover Defender to conquer, but did give
test Evoque in moderately harsh bush running. This including
wading it down a river and climbing and descending hills made damp
by recent rain.
As well as the good suspension setup the Evoque uses many of the
advanced electronic traction aids we have marvelled over in the
big Range Rover and the Land Rover Discovery in the past.
Complementing the 4WD Range Rover Evoques we reviewed at the media
launch, a 2WD will be unveiled mid 2012. The lighter weight of the
front-wheel drive Evoque gives it better performance and slightly
lower fuel consumption – with the bonus of a lower price. Prices
are set to start at a few dollars under the critical $50,000 mark.
The
ground clearance of the 2WD Evoque is the same as that on the 4WD,
which means it can tackle dirt tracks and the like. It also
maintains the macho look desired by SUV buyers.
Range Rover Evoque is sold as three-door and five-door wagons. The
guys at RR refer to the three-door wagon as a ‘coupe’ – we
don’t think they are trying to pull our leg in using this
sporting title. Time will tell if buyers will fall for the
‘coupe’ marketing ploy.
Range Rover Evoque uses petrol and diesel powerplants, both of
them turbocharged. We tried both engines and found them to have
good performance, though not outstanding, performance.
Transmissions are six-speed manual or automatic, though not all
permutations are offered in all models, we suggest contacting your
dealer for specs.
The electronic aids we used during off-road driving are also used,
in different ways, on-road. This means the Evoque handles as well
as a competent hatchback on sealed surfaces. You wouldn't exactly
describe it as being sporty, but it comes closer than it has any
right to.
There’s more road noise than we had expected in an upmarket
vehicle. Visibility to the rear is not good as the shallow back
windscreen is pretty small. A reversing camera and parking
‘beepers’ make life saver, but may be suggest setting the door
mirrors correctly to fill in any potential blinds spots (and may
we point out that if you can see the back of the car in the door
mirrors than they haven’t been set widely enough?)
The new small Range Rover is on sale now, and it comes as no
surprise that Evoque salespeople took firm orders from around 250
Australians before the on-sale date. These people handed over
their deposits after simply seeing the vehicle at local motor
shows as well as admiring it on various websites.
The complete Range Rover Evoque range, with prices (excluding
government and dealer charges) is:
eD4 110kW 6 Speed Manual 2WD (available July 2012)
eD4
Pure 6 Speed Manual 2WD: $49,995
eD4 Dynamic 6 Speed Manual 2WD: $63,495
eD4 Prestige 6 Speed Manual 2WD: $65,495
TD4
110kW 6 Speed Manual 4WD
TD4 Pure 6 Speed Manual 4WD: $53,395
TD4 Dynamic 6 Speed Manual 4WD: $66,895
TD4 Prestige 6 Speed Manual 4WD: $68,895
SD4
140kW 6 Speed Manual 4WD
SD4 Pure 6 Speed Manual 4WD: $57,395
SD4 Dynamic 6 Speed Manual 4WD: $70,895
SD4 Prestige 6 Speed Manual 4WD: $72,895
Si4
177kW 6 Speed Automatic 4WD
Si4 Pure 6 Speed Automatic 4WD: $60,395
Si4 Dynamic 6 Speed Automatic 4WD: $73,895
Si4 Prestige 6 Speed Automatic 4WD: $75,895
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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