The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

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If someone has to buy a car in today's time, there are a lot of options available in the market such as a small hatch, hot hatch, sedans, luxury sedans and then there are the SUVs. But if you want a stylish car, that offers you mind-blowing features, comfort, space and not to forget, the capability of taking on any road that is thrown in front of it, nothing beats a Land Rover.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

This British manufacturer has been around for more than half a century and has been making cars that are capable of going anywhere. Land Rover Introduced the Range Rover Evoque in the Indian market back in 2018 and the SUV was a great success and sold in good numbers. Two years later, the car manufacturer launched the second-generation 2020 Evoque with several changes. So, we got our hands on the all-new Range Rover Evoque 180d for a couple of days and here is what we have to say about it.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

At first glance, one could get confused with the SUV because the new design of the 2020 Evoque has been inspired by the brand's larger model, the Velar. The new headlamp design, front grille, pop-out door handles and even the rear tail light section, which is seen on the Velar, will confuse you as the Evoque passes by.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

The previous generation featured projector headlight units with HID bulbs, which have now been replaced with Land Rover's latest LED technology, and the DRLs also act as dynamic indicators. The car gets a new bigger grille finished in brushed silver with the 'Land Rover' badge on it. The SUV also gets tweaked bumpers, with LED fog lights and vents, that make the Evoque look more aggressive.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

The hood of the car gets the 'Range Rover' badge, written in bold, across the bonnet. Also, the hood has now been raised and features sharper lines and creases, which not only makes it look muscular but also meets the upcoming pedestrian crash norms. A comparison shows that the new Evoque gets a completely revamped design and the new front fascia as compared to the outgoing models.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

If you take a look at the car from the side, the new Evoque retains the same silhouette and continues to get the tapered roofline and rising beltline as seen in the previous generation model. The pop-out door handles are an add on and look damn futuristic. Also, the SUV sits on 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels that perfectly go with the overall size of the car.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

Then there are the ORVMs, which are finished in piano black but do not have cameras on them as the car does not get a 360-degree camera feature. But what the ORVMs do have is a LED puddle light that projects the Evoque's outline on the ground once you unlock the car. The Evoque gets a set of new sleek LED tail lights, which just complements the car's overall appearance.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

Moving on, as you enter the cabin of the all-new Evoque you will first notice the soft-touch leather-wrapped cabin with the lower and the upper halves separated by a channel in between. The SUV also gets a new steering wheel that features soft touch steering mounted controls. Right behind that sits the semi-digital instrument cluster and the 4.5-inch MID screen provides a lot of information about the vehicle.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

Taking the centre stage of the cabin is a 12.3-inch Touchscreen Interactive Driver Display which has Android Auto & Apple CarPlay compatibility. Right below that is the two-zone climate control, that has two control wheels which not only operate the air conditioning but, one of them also helps select the various drive modes on offer. However, it's really a distraction for the driver when he has to switch from the fan speed control to select a drive mode on the go.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

In the previous model of the Evoque, the gear selector knob used to pop-out of the floating dash, which kind of looked really cool. However, the new Evoque gets a short sporty stick shift which comes really handy if you want to drive the car in manual mode (without the paddles). There are cup holders and ample storage space available in the car. The front seats get electric adjust but only the driver gets seat memory function. The seat is well-padded and also offers good under-thigh support which means that long runs will not be tiring anymore.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

Coming to the rear, the second row can accommodate three people easily but will be best suited for two as the transmission tunnel that is running from between might just make the center passenger's journey a little uncomfortable. Although the seat is well padded and offers a decent amount of legroom and headroom, while the roof is sloping to the rear end of the car.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

The cabin gets rear A/C vents and USB charging sockets behind the front seats, which I think will be really helpful. The car also features a huge panoramic sunroof that makes the cabin look way more spacious when the shade is off. And during a rainy day, glaring at the sky while your favorite song is playing through the Harman Kardon surround sound system, nothing beats that feeling.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

Under the hood of the all-new Range Rover Evoque is a 2.0-litre turbocharged, BS6, diesel engine that produces a healthy 177bhp of power and 430Nm of torque. In fact, the variable geometry turbo responds fast to the 9-speed automatic at low speeds. But I felt that when you are looking for a quick burst of acceleration the gearbox is not that friendly. Overall, however, and for the most part, the Evoque is smooth, responsive, stable and feels definitely refined that the previous model.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

The Evoque does not get air suspension, which means the height of the vehicle cannot increase, but the steel springs have been set up perfectly to take on bad terrains. Size-wise, the Evoque is not small by any means, but surprisingly there is very less amount of body roll. Show the car some fast corners and it will just take them effortlessly. Moreover, the Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres provide an excellent amount of grip and that combined with the brakes, it can bring the behemoth from a high-speed run to a standstill within no time.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

There are a number of driving modes from Eco to comfort, sand, mud, ruts, and snow. When any of the modes is selected depending on the terrain, the throttle, and the steering response changes. Also, the state-of-the-art All-Terrain Progress System (ATPC) enables you to set and maintain a steady speed between 1.8 km/h and 30 km/h in challenging conditions and the Hill Descent Control assists with controlled descents of difficult slopes.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

The all-new Evoque also gets the Lane Keep Assist, which notifies the driver by applying corrective torque to the steering wheel when the vehicle is unintentionally drifting out of the lane. Other safety features include low friction start, ABS, Traction control, EBD, DSC, anti-roll system, and an SOS button at the front, which when pressed helps track the vehicle's location after a crash.

The All-New Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

Promeet Ghosh Thinks!

So, the all-new Range Rover Evoque carries a price tag of Rs 55 lakh ex-showroom, which is slightly on the expensive side. But, if you have the money to shell out and are looking to buy a car that will offer you mind-blowing features, comfort, space and can take you practically anywhere, the new Evoque might be the next best thing in your garage.

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Read more on: #land rover
Article Published On: Tuesday, April 7, 2020, 11:34 [IST]
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