2013 Range Rover First Drive

If Cinderella ever decided to ditch the glass slippers and opt for a pair of mud proof boots, which car would she take to get her around town? We definitely think the Range Rover Evoque would be a strong contender. Not to say that the Evoque is a one of a kind stylish piece of automotive specimen.  It was only after the Germans released their up-scaled miniature SUV’s such as the BMW X3 series and the Audi Q5 before the design crew at Range Rover decided to rethink their own idea of contemporary design.

As a matter of fact, the Evoque is as contemporary as it gets. At a first glimpse, its small and flat chassis thrown onto a set of big wheels with a bizarre downward sloping roof and an endless set of design emblems and the overall unconventional 2 door cross-over SUV fit the perfect description of a princess car. We were actually surprised we weren’t handed a Gucci bag and a Terrier when we went to pickup the vehicle.

Priced at the mid range luxury range, you’d expect the interior to be top notch. In our opinion, we think the Evoque is above expectations. Instead of plastic covers used throughout the dashboard, the Evoque is layered with suede leather. The interior is complemented with high quality materials as well as a clean and modern driver interface and console.

The big question lies in whether the Evoque retains its crown jewels notorious for its reign in offroad and handling capability? Throwing the Evoque into a corner convinced us that this vehicle was more than a fashion statement. Under respectable speeds, the handling on the Evoque remains very composed and stable. The steering is moderately heavy with a lot of damping which attenuates positive steering feedback, but the precision is great. With the large 20`wheels and stiff off-road suspensions, the ride quality can be a bit harsh under normal driving conditions.

The chassis of the Evoque is actually fairly flat, but because it’s mounted on large 20″ wheels, the vehicle has a fair amount of ground clearance. Unfortunately we didn’t get to punish the Evoque under harsh and rigorous road conditions, but we did drive through a series of under-constructed and worn out pavements. Throughout our tests, the Evoque remained nimble and very well balanced through out the duration of the drive.

Under the hood lies Ford’s renowned four cylinder eco-boost engine. Well, at least it’s renowned to Ford’s press media team. Its direct fuel injected 4 cylinder 2.0 liter engine produces 240 horse power. The overall output power is respectable but the significant turbo spool delay ruins the thrill factor, making power delivery reluctant upon demand especially under off-road conditions.

The interior cabin space is where the Evoque shines. The entire dashboard and console is wrapped around in suede leather, something not even found on high end luxury cars. Combining both form and function, the center console is bordered with brushed aluminum with minimum buttons and knobs bulging out too much. We especially liked the PRNDL knob shifter design, but questioned the safety as there was no mechanical lock preventing the driver from shifting from Neutral to Reverse. Nevertheless, the layout and ergonomics is excellent and pleasing to the eyes. Minor touches can be improved on such as the clarity of the LCD displays used on the instrument panel cluster, sequencing of the radio being played on vehicle start up and the finicky engine start button.

The front driver and passenger seats are very comfortable but not the best we’ve seen. It’s still incomparable to the leather quality used in Lexus and Infiniti vehicles, but nevertheless, it’s decent. The unorthodox 2 door cross-over chassis design with a downward sloping roof towards the tail and a flat chassis seriously had us worried that the rear seats were cramped. Certainly getting into the back with the front seats folded down is difficult, but once you`re seated, there is a surprising amount of head room with adequate leg room. To be honest, there isn’t much to complain about other than getting in and out of the vehicle from the rear. Trunk space is also pretty decent as well.

It didn`t take long to convince us that the Range Rover Evoque was more than just a fashion statement. From front to back and side to side, the modern and the compact 2-door posh styling definitely brings the Evoque out from the crowd. You also can`t forget the performance capability. We can`t say it`s one of the best cross-over SUV`s out there. Certainly, the Range Rover Evoque is indeed a symbol of status, but it will cost you. We aren`t saying it`s not worth it either. You are also paying for its crown jewel off-road capability that Range Rover has to offer. If you don`t live off the city grid, then the Evoque is pretty much nothing more than a piece of automotive jewelery.