It’s exhausting to think about that the Evoque has already been with us for eight years. Its design stays recent and fashionable — it arguably appears to be like extra modern than many opponents with far fewer years underneath their tires. And but, this all-new, second-generation 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque hasn’t arrived a second too quickly, as a result of even when the departing compact SUV’s exterior stays daisy recent, its powertrain, suspension and tech options might actually do with an replace.The second-generation mannequin’s arrival timing can also be fortuitous as a result of Land Rover itself is not in significantly good well being today. Blame Brexit uncertainties, tariffs or a flawed funding technique in China, however do not blame the Evoque — it has been a large worldwide hit, with over 800,000 items bought. The new Evoque actually would not stray removed from the outdated crossover’s system. It stays inside a number of millimeters in nearly each dimension, with the most important change being a 0.8-inch longer wheelbase to assist help inside area. The mannequin’s already minimalist styling has been pared again even additional, with slimmer lighting fixtures and flush-fitting energy door handles being among the many most notable modifications (the latter are adopted from the Evoque’s stunningly lovely Range Rover Velar sibling).If something, the Evoque’s chunky but wedgy form and tapered greenhouse appears to be like much more spectacular right here, set off by newly optionally available 21-inch alloys which lend the general aesthetic a welcome (if barely cartoonish) Hot Wheels high quality. The Evoque stays as distinctive, fashion-forward a design assertion as you may discover within the SUV kingdom. Familiar appears to be like masks a brand new platform and new tech.
Nick Dimbleby/Land Rover
Modern, marvelous inside If the 2020 Evoque’s exterior qualifies as minimalist, then its cabin is positively spare, with nearly no bodily switchgear. Importantly, Land Rover’s designers have by some means completed this feat with out making the inside really feel in the slightest degree dour or ascetic.That achievement is realized totally on the power of the Evoque’s massive, colourful — and quite a few — shows, but in addition its different and high-quality supplies. Among fashionable manufacturing vehicles, solely the Tesla Model 3 affords a extra elemental inside, and Elon Musk’s electrical moonshot does so on the noticeable expense of ergonomics and comfort.The Evoque’s new dashboard is dominated by InManagement Touch Pro Duo, Land Rover’s newest and best infotainment system. It facilities on a pair of billboard-sized 10-inch touchscreens and two jog dials whose capabilities change contextually with no matter is on the display round them.The Evoque’s high-quality, minimalist cabin is on the market with some novel colours and materials selections.
Nick Dimbleby/Land Rover
With crisp graphics and a clear format, ICTPD is a large enchancment over the outgoing Evoque’s system, although there are nonetheless discernible moments of lag between finger press and on-screen motion.In any case, it is good to have the ability to have the navigation taking part in on the higher display whereas leaving the decrease show for audio or HVAC chores, and a user-definable house display helps preserve issues manageable. A crisp new full-color head-up show and a 12.3-inch totally digital gauge cluster are optionally available, including considerably to each the configurability and tech-forward really feel of the cabin.Of course, if all of this sounds a bit… a lot, it is value noting that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility are normal — their simplified interfaces might be welcome information for individuals who aren’t curious about studying all of InManagement’s finer factors.InManagement Touch Pro Duo employs a pair of 10-inch touchscreens. A full digital gauge cluster and head-up show are supplied, too.
Nick Dimbleby/Land Rover
Rearview mirror digicam One different key new cabin tech possibility? The Clearsight rearview mirror. You could have seen this tech on some Nissan or General Motors fashions these days. It permits for an HD video stream to be piped on to the inside rear mirror, leveraging a tail-facing digicam to supply a wide-aspect, blind spot-free view behind the car.Although your writer’s eyes nonetheless have bother adjusting comfortably to the video feed’s area of view, there is not any doubt many drivers will discover this to be a welcome improvement, particularly given the Evoque’s small rear window, thick pillars and intrusive second-row headrests. (If you like the old-tech reflective glass mirror like me, the digital unit will nonetheless fortunately accommodate.)A switchable digital rearview mirror digicam feed offers blind spot-free viewing.
Nick Dimbleby/Land Rover
Tactile, not cheesy This new Evoque affords one of many extra visually and tactilely spectacular interiors at any value, and it is value noting the wide range of upholstery choices on provide. My alternative? The Kvadrat woolen textile and Dynamic suedecloth possibility. It’s priced like a premium leather-based, but it surely’s distinctive, lovely, breathable, modern and extra sustainable.Predictably, conventional leather-based comes normal (even finer perforated hides are supplied on increased trims), however there’s additionally a singular eucalyptus textile and Ultrafabrics bundle accessible as a no-cost possibility for individuals who wish to preserve their trip as animal-free as attainable. (It’s value noting that such interiors should not totally vegan owing to the usage of animal-derived adhesives, however that is about as PETA-friendly a cabin as you are prone to discover industry-wide — Tesla included.)The Evoque’s stubby proportions are nice for city life, and contribute mightily to this SUV’s parkability and skill to use momentary gaps in site visitors. However, whereas the inside feels a lot ethereal (particularly when fitted with the panoramic roof) with entrance seat room, the rear seat stays tight for taller occupants. Cargo room has improved barely, however stays a modest 21.5 cubic toes (expandable to 50.5 with the rear seats folded). Land Rover’s 2.0-liter turbocharged Ingenium engine is on the market in two strengths.
Nick Dimbleby
Powertrain particulars The new Evoque comes normal with all-wheel drive with one among two Ingenium turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines. The headliner P300 mannequin includes a 296-horsepower unit with 295 pound-feet of torque. Zero to 60 miles per hour is promised in 6.3 seconds, with a prime velocity of 150 mph. Fitted with a normal 48-volt mild-hybrid help (for enhanced cease/begin performance), this spec sadly wasn’t accessible for testing in the course of the mannequin’s world launch in Greece.The base P250 I4, with its 246 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, was as much as the job alongside my check route’s coastal and infrequently mountainous Peloponnesian roads, but it surely by no means felt significantly swift. Zero to 60 mph is quoted at 7.0 seconds. That acceleration is not gradual for a 4,000-pound SUV, however neither is it significantly swift. Top velocity is an academically slower 143 mph. My base-engined tester was additionally fitted with the aforementioned 48-volt setup, however the lower-powered engine providing will not be bought with this electric-assist tech in North America. More regrettably, Land Rover officers inform me a brand new plug-in hybrid mannequin will stay abroad just for the foreseeable future.The normal nine-speed automated sourced from ZF works effectively.
Nick Dimbleby/Land Rover
Fortunately, the Evoque’s normal nine-speed ZF automated is effectively behaved and snappy. I discovered that the paddle shifters had been finest left alone besides when eager to summon additional engine braking on steep downhills. With peak torque occurring from simply 1,300 revolutions per minute, there’s sufficient grunt to drag away from stoplights authoritatively even with the decrease engine spec, however this powertrain is not significantly characterful (although it’s quieter).The EPA has rated the 2020 Evoque in its upper-engined, mild-hybrid model at 21 mpg metropolis, 26 freeway, and 23 mixed — middling figures for the category. Efficiency scores for the bottom engine are pending. Smoother crusing The Evoque’s new chassis might not be a lot completely different dimensionally, however its comportment feels streets forward of the outgoing mannequin when it comes to compliance and normal livability. The outdated Evoque typically suffered from a considerably brittle and infrequently nervous trip high quality, a state of affairs exacerbated by the SUV’s massive wheels, hobby-horse quick wheelbase and considerably darty steering. The 2020 Evoque’s platform is a modest 13 % stiffer than earlier than, but it surely additionally includes a new integral-link rear suspension and an up to date model of the entrance MacPherson strut setup that options fluid-filled bushings to curb vibrations.Ride and dealing with has been tremendously improved. Adaptive dampers can be found.
Nick Dimbleby/Land Rover
Ride high quality stays on the firmer aspect, however not objectionably so. Interestingly, Land Rover officers I spoke with admit they slowed the electrical energy steering rack’s immediacy or response simply off heart. The revised setup would not really feel sluggish, simply extra predictable and confidence inspiring, requiring fewer small corrections.Adaptive dampers can be found, and whereas I solely drove a mannequin geared up with this feature briefly, it looks like they could possibly be definitely worth the value, particularly in the event you plan to drive your Evoque enthusiastically occasionally.Naturally, most Evoque homeowners won’t ever job their SUVs with something extra extreme than traversing a muddy area for weekend glamping, however with 8.3 inches of floor clearance, quick overhangs and normal Terrain Response 2 drive-mode selector, the Evoque is definitely extra succesful off-road than most different SUVs available on the market. Certainly, it’s miles extra completed within the tough stuff than direct rivals just like the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Lexus NX, Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class and Volvo XC40. To reinforce that functionality, Land Rover officers set us unfastened on every part from steep two-track ascents to modest stream crossings, and the Evoque dealt with all situations with predictable aplomb, making the most of its tidy dimensions to squeeze between rocks and bushes the place bigger SUVs must search different routing. Missing in motion from this new technology are the outdated two-door “Coupé” physique fashion and the iconoclastic Convertible variant, each victims of gradual gross sales. Clearsight Ground View stitches collectively three digicam feeds to point out what’s straight beneath.
Nick Dimbleby/Land Rover
X-ray imaginative and prescient I discussed the provision of a digital rearview mirror, however there’s one other, much more novel and spectacular use of cameras on this new Evoque: Clearsight Ground View. The optionally available system goes a step past the accessible 360-degree digicam suite by taking views from the forward-facing cameras on the grille and aspect mirrors and stitching them right into a composite picture displaying what’s straight underneath the entrance of the car. This video feed is not fairly reside — it is delayed by a number of eye blinks to successfully present you what is already beneath your tires. It’s as in the event you’ve bought X-ray imaginative and prescient and are staring straight by way of the hood and all the way down to the entrance wheels.Aside from being a neat get together trick, Clearsight Ground View exhibits the orientation of your entrance wheels that will help you negotiate difficult rocks and tree roots when off-roading. This low-speed system will little doubt be utilized by Evoque homeowners much more regularly to keep away from scarring their entrance fascias when nuzzling as much as the parking berms at their native scorching yoga studio.Namaste.Yes, this really occurred. No, it was not a mistaken flip.
Nick Dimbleby/Land Rover
Starting from $42,650 plus $995 for vacation spot (final 12 months’s mannequin was $41,800), the 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque undoubtedly is not low-cost — in reality, pricing begins north of most of its opponents by many 1000’s of and it is easy to spec one deep into the mid-$50,000 vary.Then once more, offered you do not want any additional area, the Evoque is sufficiently premium in its execution that it seems like a professional substitution for luxurious SUVs which can be a category or two above it in measurement. Simply put, nothing feels as upscale or as trendy in its class, neither is something remotely as succesful off-road. Editors’ observe: Travel prices associated to this characteristic had been lined by the producer. This is frequent within the auto , as it’s miles extra economical to ship journalists to vehicles than to ship vehicles to journalists. While Roadshow accepts multiday car loans from producers to be able to present scored editorial evaluations, all scored car evaluations are accomplished on our turf and on our phrases. The judgments and opinions of Roadshow’s editorial workforce are our personal and we don’t settle for paid editorial content material.
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