Range Rover Evoque
The Evoque gets a lot more punch
The Land Rover brand has stood through the test of time and has been a revolution in combining off the road performance and pure luxury. One particular model which has done significantly well worldwide is the Evoque. Now the company has launched the new one in India and we took it out for a drive.
The new Evoque comes with a host of changes which i ncludes smarter looks, sleek Matrix LED headlights with DRLs and also new tail lights complete with LEDs. In profile notice those flush fit door handles which rise out every time the door needs to be opened. They look fancy and give the profile a smoother look. The new 18in wheels also add to the sportier accent of the new Evoque. The interiors of the new Evoque also come with a rather large infotainment system which is easy to operate and easily readable.
But the thing which exites us the most is the dual functionality of the twin rotary knobs provided right below. While in normal mode, the knobs operate the aircon, when one selects the terrain response button, the display changes to show off the various modes available. Once selected, the display returns to serve as the air con control again. Quite fancy! The same can be said for the steering mounted controls which adapt according to
THOSE RETRACTING DOOR HANDLES ARE TO DIE FOR. NOT FORGET THE INTERIORS WHERE THE ROTARY KNOBS PERFORM DUAL FUNCTIONS. THEY NOT JUST LOOK COOL BUT COME VERY HANDY
chores. The cabin overall feels rather plush but we would have loved to get some more in cabin stowage especially around the gear lever. However in all honesty there is a rather deep bin provided right behind the gear lever console. For an SUV of this size, in-cabin space is also found aplenty and even rear seat passengers will find the place to spacious. The boot too is quite large and should suffice average outstation tours. Under the hood of the new Evoque resides a 2.0-litre turbo diesel which hails from the company’s Ingenium range. The motor is tuned to churn out around 177bhp and 430Nm of torque. The motor is mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission
which is capable of sending power to all four wheels using the company’s new Terrain Response 2 System. As far as the rest of the figures are concerned, the new Evoque has a lot more to show. The new SUV has a longer wheelbase than the outgoing model and not to forget that it can wade through a 600mm deep water patch. An approach angle of 20.7 degrees and a departure angle of 30.6 degrees also means that the Evoque can do a lot when it comes to having fun off the road. But all of that is on paper. Let’s see how it actually feels on the road.
Start up the Evoque and inspite of the heavy insulation,
noise from the motor manages to creep into the cabin. The new Evoque showcases extremely well on the road capabilities. The SUV takes off fast and suddenly it seems that a zero to 100kmph dart time of 9.3 seconds is highly possible. The shifts through the gears though is not as quick but to be really honest this is no trackster. For the daily driver, the gearbox is fast enough. Overall the combination if a heavy dollop of torque at the lower end of the spectrum makes driving the Evoque rather relaxing. This is also the case when we speak about high speed stability. The Evoque wafts along the expressways at high speeds without a whimper and once again it is quite capable of getting you a speeding ticket as you never realise how fast you are going. We also took the Evoque off the road and it was astonishing how comfortable it gets as the road gets rougher. The rutted lanes we were traversing on was muddy and not once did it feel incompetant. We also tried to see if we would get it stuck but even when parked up in the deepest of ruts, the Evoque pulled out clean. Quite simply, the Evoque is one vehicle which not just looks the part but also does not shy away from getting its beautiful bodywork dirty. Last but not the least, the Evoque will keep you comfortable on the road too.