The Range Rover Evoque is a stylish little SUV with a luxurious cabin and more off-road capability than you'll ever need. However, many of its appealing high-tech features come at a premium.
The original Range Rover Evoque was a game-changer for Land Rover. Prior to its watershed debut, the British brand's SUVs were attractive, but in a utilitarian, boxy fashion. Land Rover, on the other hand, became as much about fashion and glamour as it was about off-roading and rural estates after that.
Is the Range Rover Evoque a reliable vehicle?
The Range Rover Evoque is a tiny premium SUV worth considering if you want an elegant appearance, a high-tech interior, and the capacity to go off-road further than the Audi, and BMW. In fact, this all-new model has some of the most advanced 4WD technology of any small SUV, which is akin to putting on all the newest gear for a Himalayan trek only to go shopping.
Interior
The Range Rover Evoque's interior is stylish, but it isn't as well-made as its rivals, and the fancy infotainment system isn't especially user-friendly. The seats are taller than most competitors, including the Audi and BMW, and the pedals are well aligned with your body. Because there's so much steering-wheel adjustability, even people over six feet tall will have no trouble finding the proper driving position, and if you choose the S trim or higher, you'll receive heated, 12-way electronically adjustable front seats.
In comparison to some other family SUVs, despite the rising rear window line and small rear screen, you can see quite a bit of what's behind you. Front and rear parking sensors, as well as a reversing camera, are standard on every Evoque. The Pivi Pro infotainment system in the Evoque is nearly identical to that in the larger Land Rover Defender. It has a bright 10.0in touchscreen, and if you have the R-Dynamic SE trim or higher, you can alter the angle to suit your driving posture. Standard features include DAB radio, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring, which uses the entire screen to show a trimmed-down version of your phone's display.
Performance
You can choose between two diesel and three petrol engines for your Range Rover Evoque. All of them are equipped with all-wheel drive and a nine-speed automatic transmission. The P200's entry-level 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is smooth and speedy, but the P250 and P300 patrols use substantially more fuel for not much more performance. So, if you're going to get gas, get the P200 and spend the money on something more exciting.
The hybrid's performance is excellent, however, there is a brief pause as the transmission restarts the petrol engine. Given its small size, the three-cylinder engine isn't overly noisy or strained — in fact, it creates a pleasant grumble. However, as the electric help decreases, acceleration dips below highway speeds.
Boot space
The Range Rover Evoque has a boot capacity of 475 liters, which is larger than the Volvo XC40 but less than the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. There's still enough storage for a couple of suitcases and a baby stroller, and the boot is big and square, making bulkier stuff easy to pack. There's no unpleasant boot lip to pull big luggage over, and there's just enough room beneath the boot floor to stow a soft bag or two. If you need to remove the parcel shelf, unlike the Audi Q3, there's no place to put it back.
Driving
The elevated body and huge windscreen of the Range Rover Evoque provide a superb view out, making it reasonably straightforward to drive in town. The steering is also light, so your arms won't hurt after a few U-turns, and a handy Clear sight Ground View camera is available as an option, which will let you nip through width restrictors without scraping your beautiful alloy wheels.
The sluggish automatic transmission isn't helping matters either. When you slam on the brakes to depart a busy intersection or pass slow-moving traffic, it takes longer to shift gears than in a BMW X1. At the very least, R-Dynamic versions include paddles on the steering wheel that allow you to pick when to shift gears.
Safety and reliability
An intrusion sensor, child locks, six airbags, and a foldable bonnet with a pedestrian airbag are all included in the safety package. S models get traffic sign recognition with an adaptive speed limiter, SE models get a standard 'Park Pack' (park assist, 360-degree camera, rear traffic monitor, and clear exit monitor), and HSE models get Land Rover's Drive Pack (park assist, 360-degree camera, rear traffic monitor, and clear exit monitor) (blind spot assist, adaptive cruise control, high-speed emergency braking).
