It’s a fairly well-known fact that the Range Rover family commands the kind of adulation (and premium) largely on account of its devastating good looks. Sure, you can get a similarly-specced SUV across the multiple segments the Range Rover brood occupies, but can any of them truly catch the eye like a Range Rover? But even within the Range Rover family, there is a hierarchy, with the massive Moby Dick Range Rover being too weighed down by expectations to be the best looking of the lot. In that respect, on the basis of sheer design, the battle for the best Range Rover design is a close one between the Velar and the Evoque. The Velar is more swept-back and swashbuckling, while the Evoque is more compact, practical and wholesome. It’s a tough call, but with its latest visual upgrade, the crown might just belong to the Evoque.
Especially in this latest dual tone finish with the Corinthian bronze floating roofline. When paired with this new shade of Tribeca blue, it is an absolutely stunning industrial design sculpture. It’s so gobsmackingly pretty you almost miss the other visual changes to the exterior, which can be best described as minimal. The grille has been redesigned to feature a mesh of sorts. The LED headlamps have thrice as many LEDs and a new design signature. In all other respects, the Evoque stays the same as before. Not that anyone’s complaining.
Where have all the buttons gone?
The cockpit is where things have changed most dramatically, but not entirely for the better. Range Rover likes to follow the design principle of minimalism in every aspect, so naturally it had to be extended to the Evoque’s cabin. So in-keeping with our times, they have carried out a purge of all and any manual buttons. Everything you need to operate has to be done via the 11.4-inch dashboard mounted touchscreen, featuring the all-new PiviPro system. This means that everything from temperature regulation to the brand’s proprietary Terrain Response System must now be navigated via the tips of your fingers. Make no mistake, the cabin has a slick, futuristic look to it, but messing around with the screen while driving does feel a tad distracting. The soft touch materials draping the top of the dashboard are top-notch, but the cabin is exclusively for those enlightened souls who like all excess to be Marie Kondo’d out of the window.
The Drive Report: Mercedes-Benz EQA 250+
Speaking of windows, the seating at the rear is now a bit lower so the tapering greenhouse doesn’t offer the greatest view of the outdoors, but with such attention to detail to each and every crevice of the interior, perhaps the idea is that you wouldn’t want to look out all that much. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto work seamlessly, as does most of the PiviPro system. The 360-degree rear camera and the 3D surround camera remain exceptionally slick and are a heavensent in rain-soaked Mumbai. The ventilated front seats/heated rear seats, along with the panoramic sunroof really help up the luxury quotient. Range Rover doesn’t really miss a trick.
Performance
Unless that trick is giving the Evoque a power bump. In which case you will be a tad disappointed although the Evoque was never really lacking in power. It continues to get the same Ingenium 2.0-litre diesel and a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol, the latter making 250hp and 365 Nm of torque, while the former makes 204 hp and 430 Nm of torque. The 9-speed automatic the engine is mated to works in a fairly seamless manner although what helps iron out some of the turbo lag is the 48V starter generator motor, placed to aid efficiency. Still, the Evoque doesn’t exactly offer press-and-go acceleration. Not the D200 diesel. There is a bit of lag, but the moment you overcome it, you’re greeted with a burst of low-end torque, allowing the digital speedometer needle to rise quickly and in a linear manner. That dollop of torque goes a long way in getting the Evoque up to speed on highways as well. As far as city driving is concerned, this is the best driving Range Rover with a taught chassis, little-as-makes-no-difference body roll thanks to its monocoque chassis and a light steering which makes maneuvering through the tightest spots, a breeze. Riding on 19-inch wheels, the suspension is bound to be on the stiffer side. While the stiff suspension helps make the car feel more dynamic overall, you do wish for a slightly softer setup.
At Rs 67.9 lakh, the Evoque is similarly priced to the Discovery Sport which also gets the same powertrain. This is a good deal over the Audi Q3, which offers similar power and a dual clutch gearbox, but the two Land Rovers on offer bring a certain pizzazz that others can’t match. The Range Rover Evoque is, after all, a vibe. And in terms of sheer glamour, there’s nothing quite like it.
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