Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the marquee British luxury car and SUV brand owned by Tata Motors, may have few cars to offer for the growing Indian luxury car market, compared with German luxury carmakers like Mercedes, BMW and Audi. However, an SUV like Range Rover Evoque would be enough to win more hearts, as it is doing in global markets.
No doubt, the Evoque will go down in history with the best looking Range Rovers of all time. Thanks to JLR’s design team for crafting the SUV, which simply evokes style and class. Car lovers are indebted to Tata Motors’ then chairman Ratan Tata’s vision for acquiring British iconic brands Jaguar and Land Rover for $2.30 billion in 2008, and saving them from oblivion.
In India, the Evoque has done well in terms of both sales, and of course, being the preferred car of choice for many luxury car buyers who are looking for a stylish and practical SUV.
Beautiful exteriors
The facelifted Range Rover Evoque has undergone many changes and has come out more striking than ever before. The most noticeable change on the face are the headlamps which look more angular and sharper than the previous model. The Xenon headlamps and honeycomb grille make the SUV seem quite attractive. From the LED headlights, to the new age Range Rover signature grille, to the large wheels, the Evoque is a design icon. Adding to the beautiful presence are the new 18-inch alloys with seven spokes. The rear is quite sporty with new tail-gate spoiler and slimmer-looking LED brake lights.
Feature-rich cabin
Welcome to a world of luxury! You will be stunned by the sweeping console which is elegantly styled and it is a real treat to watch. It is fun to see the gear selector knob popping out from the dashboard. One cannot miss the eight-inch touch screen which is easy to read from a distance. The SUV is loaded with a 360-degree camera, ambient lighting, heads-up display and 825-watt, 17-speaker Meridian sound system. The steering wheel is nice and large. You can see an array of controls on it. The seats are big enough to place people of all sizes comfortably. The leather seats feel very rich and premium. The rear seats are also quite comfortable with AC vents and independent infotainment screens. However, the front seats’ head rests are very stiff because of these screens.
Huge boot space
You can plan your weekend trip even with your neighbour’s luggage, as the boot offers 575 litres of space. With the seats up on the five-door vehicle. Whether it’s holiday luggage or sports equipment, the Evoque has plenty of room.
Off-road experience
You can drive the SUV with its surround camera system. It has five digital cameras mounted around the vehicle, which provide an all-round view of the surroundings on the full-colour touch-screen. The cameras help you negotiate tight parking spaces, and spot obstacles better, when you go off-road.
There is a reverse parking camera along with a park assist system that is quite handy considering that you cannot see much out of the miniscule rear windshield. You also get a large single-piece panoramic roof that adds a tonne of drama to the car and seven shades of ambient lighting that add to the Evoque’s interior appeal.
One will enjoy the head-up display technology that presents as road speed on the windscreen. The SUV feels quite solid on the highway and corners quite easily. The Evoque also comes with a host of off-road pre-settings on its suspension. You can choose between the standard setting, snow, rocks, and of course, sand. I vouch for the JLR driver’s confidence and skills in off-roading experience.
The driver encouraged me to push the car on Basadi betta, a nice little rock with a Jain temple on top. It is located off the Bengaluru-Tumakuru highway. Oh boy! Only after stepping out of the car, I could realise that we have climbed a 100-ft rock without any hassle. This drive will be a memorable one.
Single-engine option
The Evoque comes in single engine option with 2.2-litre diesel, churning out a healthy 188 bhp @ 420 Nm of torque, mated to a 9-speed ZF automatic gearbox. The engine on the facelifted Evoque does feel fairly powerful. The SUV is agile and offers very smooth acceleration, and feels quite refined. Thanks to the first-ever 9-speed automatic gearbox that is extremely smooth, and one can hardly feel the gearshift happening. The more you push the car, it hugs the road, and trust me, the Evoque is very responsive. The S mode makes you feel like a race car driver in this luxurious SUV, and you can always tug at the paddle shifters. All-in-all, the Evoque is certainly a car that will not disappoint you on the road. I could easily touch a mighty speed of 190 kmph. The Evoque is also quite fuel-efficient, returning a mileage figure of 13.32 kmpl. A great package indeed.
Published 16 August 2016, 17:25 IST