First of all, let us admit that this is the most profound Land Rover vehicle ever since Charles Spencer King installed a Chrysler V8 engine into the very first Range Rover car. Preceding models may have been the most powerful marques under the Jaguar - sourced V8 engine but this Popstar come footballer's wife design has not fallen short of epic in manifesting an engineer's passion. It may be devoid of the former 'manly' attributes typical of Range Rovers, but in a dynamic world no surprise is surprising enough. It may not be a wonder if Tyra Banks designs the next Jeep Commander to command whatever it commands in a four-cylinder 2.0 engine.
The engine
Being not a twin but single turbo, one might be inclined to think problems of eliminating lag without resorting to an anti-lag system (ALS) arise. You would be very wrong to think so. The Si4 petrol engine is an alluminium lightweight unit that is so quiet that you might forget there is an engine up front. Direct injection may be a long forgotten term or totally new to the younger generation who hadn't the chance to drive a directly injected truck with a tougher-than-life steering wheel, but this tremendous SUV doesn't shy away from going back in time. It uses the latest direct injection and advanced turbocharging resulting to an authoritative pulling power coupled with clean and smooth response. From as low as 1200 rpm, it delivers impressive torque and at high speeds the power can hit 190 bhp if you could stand that. There is also a twin independent variable valve timing that allows economy when the driver is circumspect with the pedal and haste when he turns lead-footed. With the economy of a three-cylinder, the growl of a five-cylinder and torque commensurate with a V8, this car truly has the best combination synonymous with motoring preferences.
Performance
Range Rover's TDV8 engine now available in the Vogue and Sport models may have won the Automotive Engine of the Year Award but it would find it so hard beating the Evoque's torque that if at all it did it wouldn't try again. Actually with the pedal to the floor figures in the windows could not move faster if you were in a low-flying aircraft. Power has a dead stop somewhere, but torque hasn't. Infact at speeds exceeding 200kph the flourish of the trumpets start to fade. It delivers 336 lb ft of torque and a top speed of 140 mph or 225 kph. Powerful engines are characterized by low rpm's at high speeds, and at 95km/h the revolutions are astoundingly low at 1600 per minute, which is arguably the most economical state of this car.
The suspension
This is surely the best take on this car - the dampers in question here are none but magneto-rheological ones where suspension stiffness varies in real time. This is determined by the prevailing conditions and is controlled by an electric current together with billions of iron filings in the shock absorber fluid. You may not come across this kind of technology everyday and perhaps its your first time, but this is how it works: when the current is off especially on steady surfaces the little metals float about giving a comfortable and supple feeling. During sharp cornering, an electrical current runs along the metal casing of the shock absorbers causing the filings to bunch up together and stiffen the suspension, thus improving handling by eliminating body roll. You don't need to drive the exquisite Audi R8 to experience such a feeling.
Handling
Other Range Rovers will have five road pre-determined conditions ranging from snow to off - road and though the Evoque hasn't such, it has got style of its own. Find a road winding like a puff adder's back and neither the steering nor the suspension nor the tyres will give in - absolutely remarkable! You will also be impressed that steering at 50mph yields no understeer, tyre squeal or body roll. The engine is also so quiet that pedestrians may have to look back not because they heard the engine purr but because they heard you speaking to the passengers!
Criticism
This may be the most composed mini SUV, but it gets really uncomfortable at speeds superceding 130mph. The tapering roofline robs rear passengers of headroom as well as rear viewing due to the small size of the rear window. The window shoulder line is a bit high, and first time in the car yields some hineous feeling that requires some getting used to. The massive side mirrors may also create huge blind spots especially at junctions, thus necessitating the use of the blind spot information system (BLIS). The looks also negate a feminine outlook that embarasses Range Rover's masculinity legacy, leaving one to wonder if the pretext is attributed to the designer. I wonder what we will be saying when Kim Kardashian designs an Hummer H4 that can't be differentiated from a Suzuki jimny.
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