Reviews
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A mid-life update for Land Rover’s biggest seller introduces a new engine, sexier styling and even greater individuality.
WHAT IS IT? The Ingenium refresh for Range Rover Evoque, bringing an all-new, in-house diesel with much-improved refinement over the old Ford/PSA unit, along with a reshuffled model line-up.
WHY WE’RE TESTING IT? Given the new Ingenium turbo-diesel’s excellent work in Jaguar’s athletic XE, we’ve been champing at the bit to see just how much difference it would make to the Evoque (and its Discovery Sport sibling). Given that the laggy, gravelly old diesel was arguably the Evoque’s weakest link, “all-new” is guaranteed to mean “better”.
THE WHEELS VERDICT If you head to the top of range, with all the attendant bells and whistles, the MY16 Evoque has a striking presence to match its fashionable trim and improved connectivity, not to mention an impressive new diesel engine. Considering its 2011 vintage, the handsome Evoque is maturing nicely, and can only improve further when the all-new Ingenium petrol comes on stream late this year.
PLUS: Handsome and alluringly customisable; strong and refined new diesel; impressive ride quality, even on 20-inch wheels MINUS: Ageing turbo-petrol’s driveability flaws and lack of a manual ’box; smallish boot; slightly claustrophobic rear seat; fiddly transmission dial; over-eager ESC
For 2016, the Evoque has been treated to its most comprehensive makeover since its 2011 launch. Fresh and techy new lighting signatures, new-gen multimedia, lusher trims and tastier colours garnish the MY16, which has also had its model line-up reshuffled for greater commonality with other Range Rovers.
The HSE trim lines are also the only variants offered on the 3dr ‘coupe’, while the carry-over 177kW/340Nm turbo-petrol Si4 engine is offered across SE, HSE and HSE Dynamic models, solely with a nine-speed auto.
We drove a pair of five-doors – an SE Td4 180 ($66,495), and a hot-looking red HSE Dynamic Si4 ($80,605) sporting optional Adaptive Dynamics suspension ($1850) and a Black Design Pack ($4650) with 20-inch alloys and a sinister black-out treatment.
With the MY16’s striking full-LED headlamps and shapely running lights, the HSE Dynamic really steps up its game as a tantalising Evoque flagship. As an SUV for young, affluent hipsters with a penchant for driving fun and fashion, the HSE Dynamic nails the brief better than any Evoque ever has, and does a terrific job combining guard-filling wheels with really robust damping that absorbs big hits effortlessly.
Far more cohesive, and much more pleasant to sit behind, is the new Ingenium diesel. There’s still a bit of lag from standstill, but the diesel is easily strong enough to surge off the line in second gear. It will pull from as low as 1250rpm without gasping for boost, then briskly spins to 4400rpm before smoothly shuffling through its vast ratio set. Land Rover boasts a combined fuel number of 5.1L/100km, which is hugely impressive, though not quite as amazing as the front-drive manual’s 4.3L/100km, or the Ingenium diesel’s incredible two-year/34,000km recommended service intervals.
Yet for all its airs and graces, there’s still something refreshingly egalitarian about the MY16 Evoque. At base level, you get a surprising amount of car and equipment for the money, while for those willing to spend quite a bit more, no other SUV this side of a Porsche Macan can match the Evoque’s everlasting style and class.
Model: Range Rover Evoque HSE Dynamic Td4 180 Engine: 1999cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo-diesel Max power: 132kW @ 4000rpm Max torque: 430Nm @ 1750rpm Transmission: 9-speed automatic Weight: 1674kg 0-100km/h: 9.0sec (claimed) Fuel economy: 5.1L/100km Price: $76,995 On sale: Now
