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11/01/2012, 16:03
Car Review By MURRAY HUBBARD
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Unless you are into boxes on wheels that are able to leap tall mountains at a single bound you have probably never considered owning a Land Rover. From this stable of British-built, Indian-owned, boxes comes a work of art. An anachronism that is both evocative and practical. The Range Rover Evoque. The last time Land Rover launched a SUV - make that soft-roader - it was called the Freelander in 1997 and the first model of this vehicle which followed the traditional boxy lines was under-powered and suffered built quality issues. These, in time, were resolved. They have not made the same mistake with Evoque.
Evoque breaks new ground for Land Rover. Not only does it exude style but it does not pretend to be a ‘go anywhere, anytime’ vehicle, the way the Freelander was questionably marketed. Evoque is Land Rover’s smallest ever vehicle and in terms of styling is not only the maker’s finest achievement, but one that sets new standards for the industry. That’s our summation, you make up your own mind. Also, in July Evoque will come out with a 2WD entry-level model. This also shows a new direction for Land Rover. Like American icon Jeep, Land Rover is having to re-invent itself to stay relevant and produce urban-friendly, economical vehicles that at the same time have some links to the manufacturer’s past glory.
Our test Evoque was the four door Dynamic model powered by a four cylinder oil burner churning out 100 kW of power and 380 Nm of torque. There are two other engine choices: an uprated version of the same diesel with 40 extra kilowatts and 20 more Nm of torque, as well as a petrol turbo also found in Volvo’s T5, Ford Mondeo and soon to be in Ford’s Falcon. We already know this to be a cracker of an engine.
BODY STYLE
In essence it sounds simple: lower the roof line and sweep the belt line high at the rear of the vehicle. At the same time the vehicle must retain practicalities such as usable cargo area and keep an open, bright outlook for rear seat passengers. Evoque pulls this off beautifully in both the coupe and four door variants. Land Rover are keen for buyers to ‘design’ their own Evoque and have a list of options as long as your arm. Tick enough boxes and your Evoque could easily tip the scales at a six figure sum. A lot for a compact SUV.
POWERTRAIN/PERFORMANCE
One of the reasons Evoque hits the mark under the bonnet is weight. It is 100 kg lighter than a Freelander, so it is not just the smallest Range Rover, it is also the lightest. This makes for improved economy and better performance. If you want an Evoque with performance, you’d choose the petrol variety. The diesel is all about economy ... not that it’s a slug. Far from it. With a minimum 380 Nm of torque to play with and on tap from under 2000 rpm, the oil burner does not disappoint. There is no turbo lag to speak of and high speed cruising and passing in the critical 80 km/h to 120 km/h range are simply a breeze. While underway it is impossible - apart from the tachometer - to tell what is under the bonnet, but at idle the diesel audibly rattles away, a sound by the way we find both comforting and pleasant. The engine is linked to a 6-speed Aisin automatic.
SAFETY
Pretty much a full kit bag with eight airbags, including knee airbags for both driver and front seat passenger, front and thorax airbags, plus curtain airbags. Stability control, brake assist, emergency brake lights, corner brake control, roll stability control, traction control all mean unless the driver is defying the laws of physics then the Evoque will take care of just about anything. For towing there’s also trailer stability control and off-road gets hiss descent control. When parking there is park assist and blind spot monitoring and for night driving adaptive head lights.
INTERIOR/FUNCTIONALITY
Going by the adequate head room in the rear pew Evoque’s swooping rear roof line is a myth and a clever piece of visual trickery. Credit this to the high belt line which gives the appearance of the roof swooping a lot more than it really does. We thought kids-only for the rear seat. It will actually take a six-footer ... or three although shoulder room would become an issue. Like all Range Rovers the Evoque has an English ‘club’ feel to it. The plastics are soft, there’s stitched leather and a pervasive feeling of quality in materials, fit and finish. Owners can choose from a variety of interior combinations. The rear seat has a 60/40 split and is easy to fold creating a good size cargo area of 1445 litres. The driver has easy ergonomics - it simply works because everything is where it should be. The belt line does impinge on little ones wanting to look out of the vehicle in the rear pew, but Evoque compensates for this with a single large sunroof that gives the interior a feeling of space and openness.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
It would be interesting to put a driver behind the wheel who has not seen Evoque from the outside. We suspect their first impressions after a short drive would be that they’re at the wheel of a smart family hatch, not an SUV. That’s how well the Evoque presents itself with a composed on-road attitude that would defy its off-road credentials. No, it’s not a `traditional’ go-anywhere Range Rover, but it does have ability which may surprise some people. The bottom line is that no one in their right mind would buy Evoque for its off-road talent, like any of the compact SUV’s in the premium/luxury segment. It’s primarily a city-tourer that can easily, and safely, handle gravel roads and then some. We don’t see owners using Evoque off-road too often. Right now, while there are few on the road it is more likely to be seen parking in trendy places like Toorak or the North Shore, a second car in the driveway to match the Big Brother Rangie. We really like this vehicle. It drives as well as it looks ... which is saying something.
MODEL RANGE AND PRICING
TD4 Pure 2.2-litre (110 kW) turbo-diesel five-door 4WD wagon: $53,395 (manual), 55,885 (automatic)
TD4 Dynamic 2.2-litre (110 kW) turbo-diesel five-door 4WD wagon: $66,895 (manual), $69,385 (automatic)
TD4 Prestige 2.2-litre (110 kW) turbo-diesel five-door 4WD wagon: $68,895 (manual), 71,385 (automatic)
SD4 Pure 2.2-litre (140 kW) turbo-diesel five-door 4WD wagon: $57,395 (manual), $59,885 (automatic)
SD4 Dynamic 2.2-litre (140 kW) turbo-diesel five-door 4WD wagon: $70,895 (manual), $73,385 (automatic)
SD4 Prestige 2.2-litre (140 kW) turbo-diesel five-door 4WD wagon: $72,895 (manual), $75,385 (automatic)
Si4 Pure 2.0-litre (177 kW) petrol five-door 4WD wagon: $60,395 (automatic)
Si4 Dynamic 2.0-litre (177 kW) petrol five-door 4WD wagon: $73,895 (automatic)
Si4 Prestige 2.0-litre (177 kW) petrol five-door 4WD wagon: $75,895 (automatic)
eD4 Pure 2.2-litre (110 kW) turbo-diesel five-door 2WD wagon: $49,995 (manual)
eD4 Dynamic 2.2-litre (110 kW) turbo-diesel five-door 2WD wagon: $63,495 (manual)
eD4 Prestige 2.2-litre (110 kW) turbo-diesel five-door 2WD wagon: $65,495 (manual)
Note: Prices does not include government or dealer charges. Contact your local Land Rover dealer for driveaway prices. eD4 models not on sale until July 2012.
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard in all models
Automatic Transmission: Standard in Si4, $2490 option in TD4 and SD4, not offered in eD4.
Cruise Control: Standard in all models
Dual Front Airbags: Standard in all models
Front Side Airbags: Standard in all models
Electronic Stability Program: Standard in all models
Rear Parking Sensors: Standard in all models
Reversing Camera: $5900 package option in Prestige and Dynamic, not offered in Pure
USB/Auxiliary Audio Inputs: Standard in all models
Bluetooth: Standard in all models
Steering Wheel Mounted Controls: Standard in all models
SPECIFICATIONS (Range Rover Evoque TD4 Pure 2.2-litre (110 kW) turbo-diesel five-door 4WD wagon)
ENGINE
Capacity: 2.179 litres
Configuration: Transverse, four cylinders in line
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 15.8:1
Bore/Stroke: 85.0 x 96.0 mm
Maximum Power: 110 kW @ 4000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 400 Nm @ 1750 rpm
DRIVETRAIN
Driven Wheels: 4WD
Manual Transmission: Six-speed
Automatic Transmission: Six-speed
Final Drive Ratio: 4.533:1 (manual)
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4355 mm
Wheelbase: 2660 mm
Width: 1965 mm
Height: 1605 mm
Turning Circle: 11.3 metres
Kerb Mass: 1670 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 58 litres
Towing Ability: 750 kg (1800 kg with braked trailer)
Boot Capacity: 575 litres (1350 litres with rear seats folded)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Independent, long-travel coil springs
Rear Suspension: Independent, long-travel coil springs
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 10.9 seconds
FUEL CONSUMPTION/EMISSION RATINGS:
Fuel Type: Diesel
Fuel Consumption - Combined Cycle (ADR 81/02): 5.7 L/100 km
GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 7.5/10
Air Pollution Rating: 6/10
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/100,000 km
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