The all-new Range Rover Evoque is now available in South Africa and although it looks almost exactly like the old model, it’s completely new.
While it looks similar to the old model, there are a couple of stand-out features on the outside. It has new flush door handles, LED headlamps and a more purposeful stance. In fact, the only bodywork it actually shares with the old car is the door hinges.
Inside, the finely crafted design integrates uncluttered surfaces and simple lines with carefully curated premium materials to create a luxurious, minimalist, digital cabin. Technical textiles that use recycled plastics are offered as premium alternatives to leather, such as a Kvadrat wool blend and Dinamica® suedecloth, as well as Eucalyptus and Ultrafabrics options.
Land Rover says the cabin is designed to be a calm and serene space, ensuring comfortable, healthy and happy occupants, with technologies such as the twin touchscreen Touch Pro Duo system, featuring new, faster software, 16-way seat controls and cabin air ionisation that complement the increased interior space.
The footprint is almost identical, yet built on Land Rover’s new mixed-material Premium Transverse Architecture, there is more interior space than before. A longer wheelbase yields 20mm extra rear kneeroom and an increase in small item stowage – the larger glove box and centre cubby can now fit tablets, handbags and bottles with ease. The luggage space is 10 per cent larger (591 litres) as well as much wider and easily fits a folded pram or set of golf clubs, with space increasing to 1,383 litres when the flexible 40:20:40 second-row seats are folded.
Terrain Response 2 is available as standard for the first time on new Evoque with All-Wheel Drive and automatic transmission. Not only will this allow drivers to choose from four modes (Comfort, Sand, Grass-Gravel-Snow, and Mud & Ruts) to optimise performance and capability, but the new Auto mode enables Evoque to select the most appropriate mode for the conditions and automatically adjust its torque delivery to suit the terrain.
Ground clearance is 212mm, while approach and departure angles are 25 degrees in the front and 30.6 degrees in the rear. Evoque’s maximum wading depth of 600mm can be effectively monitored with optional Wade Sensing. Ultrasonic sensors in the exterior mirrors accurately measure the depth of the water, which is displayed on the central touchscreen.
The latest Evoque comes with a variety of all-terrain technologies such as Hill Descent Control, Gradient Release Control and All-Terrain Progress Control. Allied with assistance features such as Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, which centres the vehicle in the lane based on road markings as well as maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle in front, the latest Range Rover Evoque has all the credentials to go above and beyond.
There is a reversing camera as standard on all models, alongside a suite of advanced driver assistance systems. Active safety features such as Lane Keep Assist and Driver Condition Monitor are all available to keep occupants safe.
ClearSight Ground View – the realisation of Land Rover’s transparent bonnet concept previewed on the Discovery Vision concept – is a world first. Cameras in the front grille and on the door mirrors project a feed onto the central touchscreen to show what is ahead of and underneath the front of the vehicle with a virtual 180-degree view.
Helping the driver maintain visibility when negotiating extreme terrains as well as high city-centre kerbs, this is yet another technological evolution that makes the new Evoque ideal for traversing the urban jungle, the actual jungle and everything in between.
The new smart rear-view mirror transforms into an HD video screen at the touch of a button. By displaying a rear-facing camera feed onto the mirror, the driver’s view remains unrestricted by passengers or large items in the back, while also providing a wider 50-degree field of vision using a camera positioned above the rear window. This technology also delivers clearer visibility in low light conditions.
Designed with a protective lip to prevent mud and water soiling the lens, there is also a hydrophobic coating that repels water spray. In the unlikely occurrence that the camera is ever obscured, drivers can change back to a traditional rear-view mirror at the flick of a switch.
Land Rover’s Touch Pro Duo infotainment system is central to the digital interior experience, combining two sleek 10-inch high-definition glass touchscreens, a 12.3-inch driver display behind the steering wheel and full-colour head-up display. The result is a beautiful, ‘hidden until lit’ interior filled with state-of-the-art digital interfaces.
The ergonomic design and capacitive switches are easier and more intuitive to operate, allowing the driver to easily control a wide variety of technologies. There is smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay, as well as Click & Go rear-seat tablet holders with charging capability, 4G WiFi hotspot (for up to eight devices) and six USB slots located throughout the cabin.
An InControl Remote smartphone application allows customers to stay in touch with their Evoque, no matter where in the world they are. Customers can use their phone to find their vehicle or check the remaining fuel range, lock and unlock the vehicle remotely, as well as pre-heat or cool the cabin to the desired temperature.
Evoque is future-proofed, with wireless software updates to the infotainment and vehicle systems which means the compact luxury SUV continuously improves over time, without having to visit a retailer.
Ingenium engines have been advanced with new technologies to make them quieter and more refined, while the ZF nine-speed automatic gearbox has been recalibrated to ensure a smoother, more progressive drive on all-terrains. South African customers have a choice of a 132kW diesel and 183kW petrol engines, while a 221kW plug-in hybrid will be added to the range early in 2020.
The diesel, badged D180, returns an average fuel consumption of 5.8l/100km * and is capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 9.3 seconds. The P250-badged petrol returns a 7.4l/100km * average fuel consumption and sprints from 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds.
New Range Rover Evoque pricing:
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 R734300
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 S R784300
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 SE R843800
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 R-Dynamic S R813000
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 R-Dynamic SE R872500
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 R-Dynamic HSE R920200
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 D 132kW D180 First Edition R945900
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 R776300
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 S R826300
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 SE R885800
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 R-Dynamic S R855000
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 R-Dynamic SE R914500
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 R-Dynamic HSE R962300
Range Rover Evoque 5 Door 2.0 P 183kW P250 First Edition R987900
