LVSteve
Member
Actually, it's full name is (deep breath) Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. Yeah, whatever.
I have been in one of these for the last two weeks because my Jag is VERY broken. Some specs, courtesy of Car and Driver.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 122 cu in, 1999 cc
Power: 240 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 250 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 9-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 104.7 in
Length: 172.1 in
Width: 74.8 in Height: 64.4 in
Passenger volume: 99 cu ft
Cargo volume: 20 cu ft
Curb weight: 4059 lb
Interesting that they describe this as a hatchback, not an SUV. More on that later.
The example I have is one up from Base. I think that means you get a glass roof that does not open and foglights. Good news is that this model rides on 18" wheels instead of the 20"s on more fancy trims.
Exterior
For looks, it gets a 10 from me. It it very close to original concept vehicle of 2012 (?) and has a wonderful "four-square" stance IMHO. What may not be obvious is that is has a large amount of ground clearance, way more than my fiance's Cadillac SRX4 and probably nearly as much as my Xterra Off Road. The front and rear are subtly shaped to improve approach and departure angles while maintaining the futuristic look. Some "hatchback". Indeed, when first launched James May of Top Gear took it way into the mountains around Death Valley.
Interior
The interior is very nice. It has leather seats and lots of soft touch materials everywhere. No, it's not very big inside. The shortish wheelbase and rakish roofline see to that. I find the seats firm but supportive, but the "broad of back" may not like them.
I was able to find a perfect driving position very quickly, which is unusual for me as I have long legs but T-Rex arms. Instruments are very clear and you can configure the center area to tell you different things.
I have a few nit-picks. Storage is at a premium, but I guess that's to be expected in a not very big vehicle. The gear shifter is the Jaguar/Land Rover rotary "Warp Drive Adjuster" type. Meh. Some of the switchgear has a cheap feel, especially the window controls. The navigation system cannot be locked into a North orientation. Visibility out front is outstanding, but not so much over your shoulder or behind with that Tiger Tank rear light.
Engine and transmission
The motor is actually a Ford 2 litre turbo piece. It is quite an old design and it shows in the power delivery. The turbo is a single spool device and prone to lag if you keep the revs down too much and surges of power when you just want to get back to city speed after checking up a little for traffic. I have learned to drive around these issues. It has plenty of power although there is less than 2k on the odometer so I have not really goosed it too hard.
The engine is mostly smooth but has a slightly gravelly tone, especially outside at idle. Thank Direct Injection for that feature. The car has one of those automatic stop/start systems that kills the motor at the lights. Restart is very smooth and it will restart on its own or delay shut off if the A/C is needed. You can turn it off but it defaults to on when you next use the Start button. Better than the GMs with their "always on" system. That's a deal breaker for me. The cruise control is non-adaptive (thank goodness) and works well, even at school zone speeds.
The transmission is very smooth and responds well to the steering column paddles when required. When left to its own devices it can leave you in too high a ratio with the turbo off boost which leads to a substantial lag followed by a multiple downshift just as the turbo gets on song. Then you are flung down the road. The workaround is to anticipate the circumstance and downshift manually. The 2018 models come with a 2 litre Ingenium engine with a twin scroll turbo and has none of these issues. Ford went to the twin scroll a few years ago with their engines, but Land Rover decided to wait for the Ingenium motor.
Gas Mileage
This thing sips fuel if driven sensibly. I am seeing over 32 MPG on the trip computer going to work on the surface streets and freeway runs have yielded over 35. Outstanding.
Ride and handling
When I first drove this vehicle, I noticed thatthe steering was very direct and accurate but the ride was a bit knobbly. The rear also felt a little skatey. When I checked the tyre pressures, I found out why. It still had 45 PSI all round from its time on the transporter. The door jamb placard says 35 front and 31 rear for the 18" boots on this example. Lowering them to 35 PSI all round vastly improved the ride over broken pavement and joints. Certain ripples and road repairs still cause pitching due to the short wheelbase.
Handling generally is very good. As you can see in the pictures, the wheels are at each corner and pushed out to give wide tracks. This gives a very secure feeling of inherent stability you don't get with all small SUVs. Brakes feel good and are easy to modulate.
Pros
Fantastic looks
Rich interior
Smooth ride
Good on gas
Cons
The looks squeeze the interior.
Slightly underdeveloped powertrain may annoy those who can't/won't adjust to its foibles.
Freakin' expensive (over $40k new) for its size thanks to the fancy interior.
I have been in one of these for the last two weeks because my Jag is VERY broken. Some specs, courtesy of Car and Driver.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 122 cu in, 1999 cc
Power: 240 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 250 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 9-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 104.7 in
Length: 172.1 in
Width: 74.8 in Height: 64.4 in
Passenger volume: 99 cu ft
Cargo volume: 20 cu ft
Curb weight: 4059 lb
Interesting that they describe this as a hatchback, not an SUV. More on that later.
The example I have is one up from Base. I think that means you get a glass roof that does not open and foglights. Good news is that this model rides on 18" wheels instead of the 20"s on more fancy trims.
Exterior
For looks, it gets a 10 from me. It it very close to original concept vehicle of 2012 (?) and has a wonderful "four-square" stance IMHO. What may not be obvious is that is has a large amount of ground clearance, way more than my fiance's Cadillac SRX4 and probably nearly as much as my Xterra Off Road. The front and rear are subtly shaped to improve approach and departure angles while maintaining the futuristic look. Some "hatchback". Indeed, when first launched James May of Top Gear took it way into the mountains around Death Valley.
Interior
The interior is very nice. It has leather seats and lots of soft touch materials everywhere. No, it's not very big inside. The shortish wheelbase and rakish roofline see to that. I find the seats firm but supportive, but the "broad of back" may not like them.
I was able to find a perfect driving position very quickly, which is unusual for me as I have long legs but T-Rex arms. Instruments are very clear and you can configure the center area to tell you different things.I have a few nit-picks. Storage is at a premium, but I guess that's to be expected in a not very big vehicle. The gear shifter is the Jaguar/Land Rover rotary "Warp Drive Adjuster" type. Meh. Some of the switchgear has a cheap feel, especially the window controls. The navigation system cannot be locked into a North orientation. Visibility out front is outstanding, but not so much over your shoulder or behind with that Tiger Tank rear light.
Engine and transmission
The motor is actually a Ford 2 litre turbo piece. It is quite an old design and it shows in the power delivery. The turbo is a single spool device and prone to lag if you keep the revs down too much and surges of power when you just want to get back to city speed after checking up a little for traffic. I have learned to drive around these issues. It has plenty of power although there is less than 2k on the odometer so I have not really goosed it too hard.
The engine is mostly smooth but has a slightly gravelly tone, especially outside at idle. Thank Direct Injection for that feature. The car has one of those automatic stop/start systems that kills the motor at the lights. Restart is very smooth and it will restart on its own or delay shut off if the A/C is needed. You can turn it off but it defaults to on when you next use the Start button. Better than the GMs with their "always on" system. That's a deal breaker for me. The cruise control is non-adaptive (thank goodness) and works well, even at school zone speeds.
The transmission is very smooth and responds well to the steering column paddles when required. When left to its own devices it can leave you in too high a ratio with the turbo off boost which leads to a substantial lag followed by a multiple downshift just as the turbo gets on song. Then you are flung down the road. The workaround is to anticipate the circumstance and downshift manually. The 2018 models come with a 2 litre Ingenium engine with a twin scroll turbo and has none of these issues. Ford went to the twin scroll a few years ago with their engines, but Land Rover decided to wait for the Ingenium motor.
Gas Mileage
This thing sips fuel if driven sensibly. I am seeing over 32 MPG on the trip computer going to work on the surface streets and freeway runs have yielded over 35. Outstanding.
Ride and handling
When I first drove this vehicle, I noticed thatthe steering was very direct and accurate but the ride was a bit knobbly. The rear also felt a little skatey. When I checked the tyre pressures, I found out why. It still had 45 PSI all round from its time on the transporter. The door jamb placard says 35 front and 31 rear for the 18" boots on this example. Lowering them to 35 PSI all round vastly improved the ride over broken pavement and joints. Certain ripples and road repairs still cause pitching due to the short wheelbase.
Handling generally is very good. As you can see in the pictures, the wheels are at each corner and pushed out to give wide tracks. This gives a very secure feeling of inherent stability you don't get with all small SUVs. Brakes feel good and are easy to modulate.
Pros
Fantastic looks
Rich interior
Smooth ride
Good on gas
Cons
The looks squeeze the interior.
Slightly underdeveloped powertrain may annoy those who can't/won't adjust to its foibles.
Freakin' expensive (over $40k new) for its size thanks to the fancy interior.
