Evoque – The Baby Range

One of our favourite cars is the adorable Range Rover Evoque.

We have been privileged to drive it a couple of times in different places including here in Namibia, South Africa and Zambia.

The Evoque is a very important car to the Land Rover brand as it was the pointer to the current crop of Land Rovers. It was their pawn that tested the waters for a whole new direction. Its success flagged off its bigger siblings into production.

First unveiled at the American International Auto Show in 2008 under the guise of Land Rover LRX, the Evoque was a concept vehicle oozing high-tech features and a daring design. It went into production in July 2011 and was an instant success, only to be overshadowed by its larger siblings a few years down the line.

Before the onset of the Evoque, Land Rover’s luxury sub-brand Range Rover only made big bold SUVs, thus the coming of the Evoque mesmerised everyone and we were further stunned by its edgy design and cool proportions. For the first time, Range Rover became smaller, cooler and more affordable.

Talking design, the Evoque has muscular shoulders, a tapered roof and striking lines making it distinct from its more contemporary rivals. I liken the Evoque to a small sassy lady in boots, flaunting around a mall while doing expensive shopping; ditto for the convertible, but a lady on the beach.

The Evoque convertible is the world’s first premium compact convertible SUV.

Because of a few customisations, some sects give Victoria Beckham credit for the Evoque’s design, however it was fully designed by Gerry McGovern, the current design director at Jaguar Land Rover. In the last decade, McGovern has proven the importance of design in transforming a business into a market leading brand.

Interior wise, the Range Rover DNA is present throughout; this is evident in detailing, strong lines and clean surfaces giving it a contemporary feel. Refined, light and airy is the general feeling you get inside the Evoque. This is enhanced by rich leather finishing, a panoramic roof and ambient lighting.

Talking infotainment, the Evoque comes with a dual view 10-inch touch-screen, navigation with voice recognition, digital audio broadcast (DAB radio), USB, Bluetooth, CD/DVD and digital TV. Delivering an exceptionally clear sound is the Meridian sound system with an output of 660 watts through 12 speakers and a dual channel subwoofer. The convertible Evoque makes even more noise with 825 watts via 16 speakers.

For connectivity, you are catered for by what Land Rover has dubbed InControl – a collection of technologies and apps that connect to your smart phone. This comes with a Wi-Fi hotspot and remote premium – a multi function app that allows you to connect to your vehicle remotely.

The drive-train of our test car is a Land Rover Si4 290Ps unit, which is a two-litre four-cylinder Enginium petrol engine delivering a peak torque of 400Nm. This output translates to an acceleration of 0 to 100km/h in six seconds as it climbs to a top speed of 230km/h. Power available on demand that is stable and light is how the drive feels.

The Evoque is a moving safety shell with a five-star safety rating, thanks to features such as: Dynamic stability control, roll stability control, adaptive cruise control, adaptive headlights and active driveline.

When a collision is eminent, a host of airbags including front, driver knee and curtain are on standby. In case of a roll-over, the convertible deploys two aluminum bars vertically from the rear body work within 90

milliseconds, helping to create a safe space.

The Evoque carries the DNA of hardcore off-roaders and doesn’t fall short, thanks to features like terrain response which adapts the responses of the vehicle’s engine, transmission, differentials and chassis systems to maximise drivability, comfort and traction.

There are four standard terrain response settings: General driving; grass/gravel/snow; mud and ruts, and sand. Other off-road aids include wade sensing and hill descent control. The end result is a sure-footed drive no matter the weather or terrain.

The Evoque is at the end of its product life cycle and a new one is due next year. We just hope it will be as charismatic as this one and pioneer another awesome line-up.

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