2012 Range Rover Evoque SUV
When I first saw the Range Rover Evoque at the Vancouver International Auto Show earlier this year, I loved the way it looked, but took it for a stylish luxury crossover more at home cruising Yaletown than charging through the bush.
In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The Evoque is capable of just about any off-road chore that other Land Rover products are known for handling. To prove the point, Range Rover hosted its North American media launch in Vancouver, to include a drive out to Whistler and a run all the way to the top of Blackcomb Mountain - over 6,000-feet up. And what’s more, we didn’t stick to the well-graded gravel service roads used by ski area equipment, but also traveled all kinds of old, washed-out, trails that would place serious demands on any off-road vehicle. Some of them had deep gullies across them that could only be traversed by carefully driving diagonally across.
It was amazing how the Evoque handled this kind of territory, but confirmed that British automaker Land Rover is determined that every one of its products can go just about anywhere even if it seems too elegant to handle it. These are what the company calls “classic Land Rover elements.”
The Evoque is a great looking SUV and the new lineup has a major surprise in it - there’s a Coupe version available. This is a bold move because nobody’s tried a 2-door luxury SUV for years, if ever. While both variants look very handsome, I liked the Coupe a lot for its originality. Both Evoques look great, but the Coupe has something special. And it’s not cramped in the back either, as many may think. There’s the same amount of room back there as there is with the 4-door Evoques and it’s pretty easy to climb inside too.
The Evoque is powered by 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo engine delivering an impressive 240-horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque. It’s no slouch and is capable of hauling the vehicle over very steep grades, but on the highway, it’s surprisingly refined, considering it’s “only a four-banger.” Transmission is a 6-speed automatic which drives all four wheels aided by a “Terrain Response” sequence selected by the driver using console buttons - snow, mud, sand and so on. Key tech highlights include ABS and a full range of electronic stability aids, tire pressure monitoring, climate control, Bluetooth compatibility, an 11-speaker 380-watt stereo system and many other convenience and safety features.
Despite its modest price for a Range Rover, the Evoque has a wonderfully luxurious interior that’s only a little short of the bigger models. There’s an amazing sunroof which is probably the largest I’ve ever seen on a vehicle in this class - there’s an amazing panoramic view for those who aren’t concentrating on driving the vehicle. It doesn’t open, but that doesn’t seem to matter that much. Leather trim is optional, plus one or two other goodies that aren’t included with the base Evoque - though only a small number. One unique feature is a “puddle light” that shines a brand logo onto the ground where you step into the vehicle - fascinating!
The new Evoque is quite a surprise from Range Rover, though we knew it was coming for some time. It brings ownership of the brand to a whole new group of buyers and will probably attract people who normally buy less distinguished nameplates. As a companion vehicle to a nice new Jaguar XF, it would be just perfect.
Interestingly, 24 per cent of Canadian Land Rover/Range Rover sales are in BC and in recent times, sales have been climbing in North America as a whole.