Range Rover Evoque
When Jaguar Land Rover introduced the smallest member of its exclusive Range Rover family, the 2012 Evoque, it was an immediate visual standout married to lavish features and a seemingly unstoppable all-wheel-drive system. The 2020 model from the British automaker follows the same formula. And despite the fact that there’s not a single, carryover body wed to its all-new “architecture,” the SUV is instantly recognizable as an Evoque.
For 2020, the two-door version is gone, along with the quirky Evoque convertible that made more sense as a fantasy-in-chrome show car than a production vehicle. Few will notice. It’s the four-door Evoque that generated annual sales of more than 100,000 vehicles. And it’s here that some welcome improvements have been made. While the new model retains a footprint that makes it as easy to navigate urban streets as off-road trails, the wheelbase has been stretched by nearly an inch. We’ll save the technical explanation, but that translates into a roomier interior with additional head and legroom, even for rear-seat engers.
The well-appointed interior features the currently requisite assortment of high-tech goodies, including a mirror that uses a camera to give you a better rear view. The improved infotainment system can be ordered with the unique “transparent hood.” No, it’s not made of glass or acrylic. Rather low-mounted cameras display an image on Evoque’s big touch-screen of what’s directly in front of the wheels. It proves useful while negotiating rocky, off-road courses as well as when parking.
What’s actually under the hood is JLR’s turbocharged, 2.0-liter Ingenium engine, available in two configurations, the base making a solid 246 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. The upgrade punches that up to 296 hp and 295 lb-ft. That version, known as the P300, is Land Rover’s first mild hybrid. It uses a 48-volt battery that adds a bit of off-the-line boost to performance while also smoothing out the stop/start system designed to save gas by briefly shutting the engine off, rather than idling. Both versions of the Ingenium are mated to a silky new nine-speed automatic.
The 2020 Range Rover Evoque smoothly connects the world of off-road and on-road driving. It is a vehicle that seems comfortable in any environment and we can only imagine that potential buyers will find the new version even more appealing than the original.
Visit landroverusa.com
