Range Rover Evoque
When the Range Rover Evoque was released in 2011 it was made to fill the void of mini luxurious SUV’s. At that time, many of the other car manufacturers bridled at the idea of such a small and specific niche. However, eight years later it seams like Land Rover will have the last laugh as they introduce the new version of their money-maker. During a time when Brexit hangs over the world like a dark cloud, the mini-Range is one of the few bright spots coming from the British islands. Luckily, the Evoque does a good job brightening up the sky.
Red Line Driving was kindly invited to the press-release of the new Evoque in Stockholm. It did not take long to realize this little car is of huge importance for Land Rover as a brand. Having invested over £1bn to support the production of the new SUV, Land Rover does indeed have serious intentions with their new product. The only thing that’s inherited from the older version is the door handles, everything else is new and I would say better!
With its new look, the Evoque is as much of a head twister as its bigger siblings. However, that might not be a surprise, since a lot of the outside features is hand-me-down from Velar. The best part about that is that the interior now matches the cars extravagant exterior. Stepping into the Evoque the resemblance of its older brother is apparent, from drivers position to the new high-tech cockpit. In fact, it feels like the Evoque is a big car in a small package, something that will be mostly appreciated when trying to park the car in an urban area. With measurements similar to a Ford Focus finding a possible parking spot should not be too hard. If the vehicle happens to be equipped with the so called Clear Sight Ground View, the bonnet of the car becomes virtually transparent allowing you to park even closer to the curb without scratching the rims.
Even though most SUV’s are used in a city, the Evoque would not be able to wear the Range Rover-badge without access to serious off-road capabilities as well. I mean, you never know when you just want to cross a field and drive into the woods. Capable of wading through 60 cm of water and an optional wade-sensing system allows you to cross those rivers safely. Equipped with a terrain response system, the car analyzes the driving conditions and automatically change the car set up, so you no longer need to be a professional to drive in the terrain. If that doesn’t bring you close enough to the nature, you can always go full vegan and tick the box for the eucalyptus-based fabric…The Evoque is indeed a fresh breath within the growing segment of posh mini-SUV’s.
196 km/h
Top Speed
430 Nm
Torque
180 Hp
Power
10.4 sec
0-100 km/h
$ 74 000
Price