Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 2012 review

There are plenty of choices in the compact premium SUV segment from a range of manufacturers including BMW X1, Volkswagen Tiguan, Volvo XC60, Mini Countryman and Audi's Q3. Mercedes-Benz is noticeably absent but that will change.

All of them face a serious challenge in the guise of Range Rover's stunning Evoque — possibly the most desirable SUV on the market right now regardless of size or price.

Value

Evoque 4x4 five-door pricing starts at $53,395 for the TD4 Pure. Our diesel SD4 (high output engine) mid-spec Dynamic auto with quite a few options rolled over $94,000, that's right, add on-roads and you are talking $100K.

It's a big price for a smallish vehicle especially when you consider it gets you into an Audi Q7 3.0TDi, BMW X5 3.0d, two Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo diesels or a Benz ML350CDi.

But when a car looks like this, you instinctively reach for your wallet. Value in a distilled form...

Indside

Gets the expected Range Rover treatment though the coarsely textured dash finish is not pretty. The interior itself is stylish and functional and the test vehicle's optional 820 watt audio system was monumental.

There's a large touch screen, Bluetooth and audio streaming. It's a sea of leather inside with comfortable sculpted seats though comment from rear seat passengers suggested they were on the firm side.

It's roomy too despite the sloping rear roofline. We were taken aback by the (optional) twin screen panel that shows satnav to the driver on one angle and TV to the passenger on the other side — at the same time.

The wheel's chunky and has multiple controls including paddle shift for the auto transmission. They are cheap plastic paddles that are contrary to the Evoque's overall look and feel.

Under The Bonnet

The SD-4 uses a 2.2-litre Peugeot-built turbodiesel four cylinder with 140kW/420Nm output.

The engine, pretty much the same as in LandRover Freelander, has twin balance shafts and a variable nozzle turbo to deliver strong performance over a wide operating range.

It gets out of the blocks fairly smartly, has strong mid-range and will even rev to about 4500rpm without grumbling.

It's aided by a slick shifting six-speed auto transmission — not a DSG in this case. Fuel economy is a claimed 6.5-litres/100km - we got close.

Behind The Wheel

The test car's drive select offered `sport' mode which not only makes the instruments glow red but alters how the chassis dynamics and engine respond.

But it's fairly firm for everyday use. Point it at come curves and the Evoque feels like a sporty coupe, flick it to normal and it's comfortable and controlled.

There's also a version of  dial-up Terrain Response for various types of off road driving. The full time 4WD system aids grip on all surfaces with the large 19-inch tyres further improving matters.

It has strong brakes and the chassis feels strong. Evoque's a good thing to drive in a variety of environments and surprisingly competent off road.

Saftey

It gets a five star Euro NCAP crash rating but narrowly misses out on the Aussie five star rating because of a pedestrian safety.

All the same, Evoque gets the full set of airbags, stability control plus plenty more like hill descent control, hill start assist, auto adjust xenon headlights, auto wipers, headlights and rear view mirror tint.

Style

What can you say — a stand out glamour from every angle. People run up to you in the street to talk about the Evoque. It has more cut through than a Ferrari — well almost.

And apart from the rough textured dash, the interior is the same — incredible wow factor. The Poms still have it in styling terms.

Verdict

Too much money and extensive gouging on options but the queue begins over here...