 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. Click image to enlarge |
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Manufacturer’s web site |
Review and photos by Jil McIntosh
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2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Liverpool, England – There’s something a little unnerving about driving into an unlit abandoned tunnel, climbing over construction rubble and past the remains of a burned-out car, and then realizing that said tunnel is flooded with water almost up to the vehicle’s headlights. It’s even more so when the spotter, standing in the gloom giving final instructions, has a snorkelling mask should a rescue be required. And so I ask the question: will a vehicle that Land Rover says is its smallest and lightest, one whose all-wheel system depends primarily upon the front tires, one with only four cylinders under its hood, make it through?
Of course it will – the automakers never set up press-launch situations that the vehicle can’t handle – but what is surprising is how easily the Range Rover Evoque makes it through. It may look like it’s primarily a downtown dweller, but it has pretty much all the tough stuff that has earned its boxier brothers their reputation as off-road Olympians.
   2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. Click image to enlarge |
A completely new model for 2012, the Evoque is aimed at those shopping for a crossover or small SUV. Land Rover expects it to become its top-selling model, with many if not most buyers new to the brand. It comes in a four-door model called the 5-Door, which runs through six trim levels ranging from $46,995 to $60,495. Unique to the segment, it’s also available as a sweet two-door called the Coupe, in three trims from $52,595 to $61,195. After much discussion at head office, it was decided to put the Range Rover brand across its nose. Land Rover is considered the name for the trucky models that scour their way across the Sahara Desert; Range Rover, on the other hand, finds one of its largest markets in New York City.
Stunningly styled – although that slit of a rear window is hard on visibility – the Evoque uses a heavily-modified rendering of the platform that underpins the LR2. Its turbocharged 2.0-litre engine is a version of Ford’s Ecoboost (Ford owned Jaguar/Land Rover before selling it to India’s Tata Motors), but with modifications to keep out dirt and water during off-roading, and a special oil pump that ensures the lubrication flows on steep angles. It makes 240 horsepower, while its 251 lb.-ft. of torque peaks at just 1,750 rpm. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and the combination is impressive. It will scoot like a scared cat when pressed, without any turbo lag, but it’s easy to moderate away from a stop. There’s also no jerkiness to the throttle when it’s asked for a little bit of power to just crest the top of the hill when off-roading without getting away and racing to the top. My only complaint is with the thin exhaust note, which needs to be throatier, especially in the sporty-looking Coupe version. There is a diesel engine available for other markets, but it’s not coming to Canada.
 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. Click image to enlarge |
The Haldex all-wheel system sends 90 per cent of its torque to the front wheels under normal dry-road cruising. It varies continuously when you’re driving, though, to a maximum of 30/70 front to rear. It includes hill descent control, which can be set to specific speeds via the cruise control buttons. It proved itself on a sharp, muddy incline during one of the many off-road portions that the company had set up during my two-day drive, getting me evenly and safely to the bottom without my having to touch the brakes.
As with other Range Rover models, the Evoque features the company’s Terrain Response, a series of settings that changes the engine, transmission, centre coupling, braking and stability system responses depending on the program selected. Along with General, there is also Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud and Ruts, and Sand (the Rock Crawl offered in the more robust models isn’t here).
