The rugged Welsh island of Anglesey frequently is wet, cold, and windy; a place where sideways rain can hit you like a spray of icy tacks. It's also a place whose rocky, hilly terrain could keep a mountain goat happy for eons. So when it came time to introduce the all-new Range Rover Evoque -- a vehicle projected to be Land Rover's best-seller -- the folks from Gaydon figured where better than...wet, cold, windy, rocky, hilly, and mountain goat-friendly Anglesey.
When I first learned I'd be driving the Evoque and did my initial
research -- perusing specs of the 240-horsepower, 28-mpg-highway,
2.0-liter engine, reading up on the Haldex IV all-wheel-drive system,
and looking at photos of the sporty four-door and concept-copy two-door
-- taking it off-road never crossed my mind. Perhaps I was too smitten
with the striking shape, high beltline, big wheels, scrunched
greenhouse, and shrink-wrapped sheetmetal, all of which conjured up
images of zipping along twisty blacktop at silly speeds. Unlike any Land
Rover before it, the LR2-based Evoque is so sopping with sport, style,
and urban appeal that venturing off-road seems almost inappropriate. But
trust me, it's not.
Why Land Rover Range Rover Evoque and not just Land Rover Evoque? High
style, of course -- non-Range Rovers (LR2 and LR4) are workhorses and
more about function than fashion -- and the perceived preeminence that
goes with wearing the Range Rover badge. Speaking of Range Rover, the
Sport, at 188.0 by 78.8 by 70.4 inches, used to be the smallest RR, a
title the two-door Evoque now claims with dimensions of 171.5 by 77.4 by
63.2. Even the compact LR2, at 177.1 by 78.9 by 68.5, is larger in
every measurement. And don't forget that the four-door Evoque is only
slightly bigger in length (+0.4 inch) and height (+1.2 inches) than its
two-door sibling, and still smaller than the LR2.
At the test track, the Evoque's decreased mass equaled more speed and
agility. Compared to the 230-horsepower, 234-lb-ft LR2, which hit 60 in
9.0 seconds flat and the quarter mile in 16.8 at 82.5 mph, the
240-horse, 251-pound-feet Evoque four-door needed only 6.7 to reach 60
and just 15.1 at 91.8 to obliterate the quarter. For negligible bumps in
power and torque, those are some significantly quicker numbers -- see
what shedding an NFL lineman can do? (Surprisingly, the 30-pound-lighter
Evoque two-door was slightly slower -- 7.0, 15.3 at 91.0 -- than the
four-door, a fact Land Rover peeps had no explanation for.)
Out on the open, country roads around Anglesey and thru the busy, city
streets of Liverpool, the Evoque provided a secure, sporty feel that
made maneuvering a right-hand-drive vehicle on the left-hand side of the
road far less nerve-racking than had I been in a bigger, boxier Range
Rover Sport. Still, nothing quite compares to driving a U.S.-spec
vehicle on familiar roads, something I was lucky enough to do with a
pair of Evoques back in Los Angeles. No longer analyzing the odd
sensation of feeling lateral g-forces from the right side, or worrying
about hitting curbs or roadside vegetation, I found the Evoque to be far
more lively and engaging than I had in the U.K. Output from the
Ford-based DI 2.0-liter turbo is smooth and plentiful, negating any
thought of needing a six-cylinder. In fact, peak torque of 251 lb-ft is
realized at a low 1750 rpm. Its partner, an Aisin six-speed automatic
with paddle shifters, is seamless and responsive, and efficient enough
to return fuel economy of 19 mpg city/28 mpg highway, on par with that
of Audi's 2.0T Q5 (20/27). Steering feel is first rate -- not easy to do
with EPS -- and the suspension relays quick inputs without ever coming
across harsh or nervous.
Inside, the Evoque treats with a handsome, smartly laid-out cabin.
Except for Dynamic and Prestige trims, which are available in a choice
of stimulating interior colors, the ambiance of the Pure trims is
somewhat reserved, as in tasteful but not flashy. As it should be with a
rig that starts at $43,995, standard equipment is extensive, including a
power tailgate, Bluetooth phone and audio, 380-watt Meridian audio,
leather seating, 19-inch wheels, pushbutton start, and six airbags.
Among the many options are Xenon headlamps, a five-camera surround-view
system, 825-watt Meridian audio, navigation, and 20-inch wheels.
