By Bennett Oghifo
An all new Range Rover Evoque has been developed and its elegance will adorn African cities and beyond.
The new Range Rover Evoque builds on the strengths of the best-selling original. Combining all-terrain ability with on-road composure, the Evoque’s new vehicle architecture, updated technologies and world-first features make it more comfortable, capable and connected than ever before.
Having pioneered the luxury compact SUV market, with global sales of nearly 800 000 and well over 200 international awards, the new Range Rover Evoque is a sophisticated evolution of the original. Combining unrivalled Range Rover heritage with cutting-edge technology – designed, engineered and manufactured in Britain – it meets the needs of today’s customers.
Range Rover Evoque’s enduring profile and coupé-like silhouette is typified by its distinctive roofline and rising waist. Outstanding volume and proportions are amplified by its pronounced shoulders and powerful wheel arches that, alongside 21-inch wheels, combine to create a strong and dynamic attitude.
The introduction of super-slim Matrix LED headlamps provides a more sophisticated front and rear lamp graphic. Flush door handles add to the smooth, sculpted aesthetic, while sweeping directional indicators create a purposeful signature.
Stretching across the rear of the vehicle is a striking black accent that creates a sense of visual width, while the precise reduction of exterior panel gaps demonstrates the level of craftsmanship Land Rover’s designers and engineers have worked to achieve.
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.
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.
Featuring ground-breaking textiles and trim finishes, two new seat options are on offer. Customers can choose seats upholstered in a premium alternative to leather developed by Danish textile experts, Kvadrat – a high-quality material that combines a durable wool blend paired with a technical Dinamica® suedecloth, made from recycled plastic bottles.
In addition, customers will have the option of a new Eucalyptus textile produced from natural fibres that when grown, use significantly less water than traditional materials and features alongside a new lightweight performance material not derived from animals.
Each option has a sumptuous feel and unique design, offering a truly premium alternative to leather.
The Range Rover Evoque is based on Land Rover’s new mixed-metal Premium Transverse Architecture, which is 13% stiffer than its predecessor and together with rigidly-mounted subframes reduces noise and vibration intrusion into the cabin. With a 21mm longer wheelbase and compact new suspension design, the compact SUV delivers increased interior room and improved handling in all conditions.
Integral Link rear suspension separates lateral and longitudinal forces to enhance body control and agility, providing greater comfort and confidence on the road. At the front, MacPherson strut Hydrobush front suspension features fluid-filled bushes to minimise the high-speed wheel vibration felt through the steering wheel.
Adaptive Dynamics combines intelligent sensors and continuously variable suspension dampers that monitor road conditions every 100 milliseconds. The system constantly adjusts the dampers to give a composed ride with maximum control, regardless of any change of terrain or surface.
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, as well as Click & Go rear-seat tablet holders with charging capability, and six USB slots located throughout the cabin.
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.
Sub-Sahara Africa customers have a choice of a 132kW Td4 diesel and 183kW Si4 petrol engines. 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.
* Based on WLTP test cycle. WLTP (Worldwide harmonised Light vehicle Test Procedure) is the new process that has been phased in from 2017, which measures fuel, energy consumption, range and emissions in passenger vehicles in Europe.
