Range Rover Evoque

SPECIFICATIONS

1. The Evoque uses a 2.0L 240 horsepower 4-cylinder engine with a turbocharger, backed by a 6-speed automatic transmission. 2. A number of interior components, like the audio system and gear shifter, are taken from Jaguars that cost twice as much. 3. Fuel economy is rated by the EPA at 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway. 4. Unlike other Range Rovers, the Evoque is a car-based crossover rather than a traditional SUV.

PREVIEW

This summer, we had the chance to drive the Range Rover Supercharged, the alpha dog of the Range Rover lineup. Charmed as we were by the incredible power and opulent luxury, we felt that the Range Rover was afflicted by a curse that affects many upper echelon vehicles – all the flash and features were spoilt by an underlying impracticality.

The Range Rover’s footprint was so large that it could have had its own branch of the Occupy movement, and its drinking problem was in league with Amy Winehouse. The Range Rover was conceived as a luxury vehicle to take you from your Scottish country estate to the theater and back again in total comfort, but lately, the Range Rover has been the mode of choice of wealthy urbanites. But the vehicle’s rugged, rural roots meant that parallel parking and urban maneuvering were less than optimal, and its in-town fuel economy was dismal, to say the least.

The 21st century luxury SUV consumer may wear Barbour jackets (as an ironic fashion statement), but is also far more likely to be an entrepreneur pitching their one-person marketing agency rather than living off an inheritance and attending fox hunts. Range Rover knows which way the wind is blowing, and with the Evoque, it has adapted its formula accordingly.

INTERIOR

Inside, it’s clear to seasoned veterans that Land Rover (which operates the Range Rover brand as its “premium” line) has been dipping into the parts bin in a big way. The switchgear is an 80/20 mix of Land Rover and Volvo bits – hardly a bad thing, but the common usages were immediately apparent. A few Jaguar parts are included for good measure, such as the rotary shift knob that rises from the center console, and the touch-screen HVAC and audio control system, which is one of the easiest and most intuitive systems out there. Our litmus test involves asking a passenger to operate the iPod interface without any direction, and most cars tend to frustrate our subjects. Not so with the Evoque, as multiple riders were able to easily and quickly navigate it without any annoyances.

The Evoque’s road manners were largely solid, but the combination of big wheels and low-profile tires, an unavoidable concession to the automotive aesthetics of our era, delivered the usual harshness over less-than-perfect pavement. Thankfully, road noise was kept in check much better than the ride quality, as engine sounds and wind noise were isolated from the cabin. The Evoque’s seats were especially comfortable on long jaunts, and we found the driving position excellent – just high enough to give drivers that SUV feel without compromising the interaction that we crave.

UNDER THE HOOD

Gone is the big, boxy profile and the massive 5.0L Supercharged V8. The opulent cabin full of leather and aluminum remains, but the Evoque is compact, taut and almost futuristic looking, with a silhouette more like a MINI Countryman than a Defender 110. Sharing a platform with the Land Rover LR2 (which in turn is based on the Ford Focus), allows for the Evoque to opt for a much smaller form factor, and makes it the kind of vehicle you want for darting in and out of traffic, or parking in tight downtown spaces.

A transverse-mounted 2.0L turbocharged 4 cylinder (again, based off of Ford’s lovely Ecoboost engine) makes 240 horsepower and 251 lb-ft of torque, mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Don’t let the low-cylinder count fool you, because this motor has an adequate amount of power to hustle the Evoque around in nearly any situation. Passing slow moving traffic is a breeze thanks to a broad torque band and minimal turbo lag, while still allowing the Evoque to cruise at a comfortably low rpm on the highway. We suspect that hardly any buyers will notice the difference from a traditional V6. Despite its front-driver underpinnings, the Evoque still has a rudimentary all-wheel drive system, with classic Land Rover technologies like Hill Descent Control, but we’d give up Starbucks for a year if anybody took an Evoque on rougher terrain than a gravel driveway.

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Land Rover Range Rover

SPECIFICATIONS

1. Optional Terrain Response 2 includes a new Auto setting as well as five manual settings: General, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts, Sand and Rock Crawl. 2. A 5.0L V8 makes 375 hp, while the supercharged 5.0L will deliver 510 hp and a 0-60 time of just 5.1 seconds. 3. On average each model has shed 700 lbs of weight. 4. All models can tow up to 7,716 lbs. 5. At $83,545 to start, Supercharged models begin at $99,995 with Autobiography models at $130,995.

PREVIEW

More likely to be seen at the Starbucks drivethrough nearest a gated community, amid the Southwest’s other worldly backdrops of brown, orange and even red rock, it’s obvious that despite its pristine white paint job this is the Range Rover’s natural environment. 

Over the course of several days spent traversing everything from sandy inclines to snowy declines somewhere on the border between Arizona and Utah, the 2013 Range Rover was almost too good, taking much of the adventure out of a what in almost any other vehicle would be impossible and impassible.

Driving through the desert and wondering at the region’s towering stone monuments in the morning; then traversing foot-deep snow in the afternoon, it doesn’t seem at all odd to stop and drink hot chocolate from the back of a Land Rover support vehicle in the wilderness as the flakes fall. Like all past generations of the Range Rover, this all-new fourth generation model combines ultimate capability with exceptional refinement.

INTERIOR

Inside the updates are all about making the cabin clean and simple. In fact, there are now 50 percent fewer buttons and switches, thanks in part to a new 8-inch display screen with touch controls on the side that look like something off a smart phone and which disappear when off to leave a clean black panel. Perhaps most surprising is that Land Rover’s adoption of hi-tech features has come with no potholes; the system being incredibly intuitive.

As a popular machine for families or chauffeuring around celebrities, rear seat room was made a priority on the new truck. With a longer wheelbase, rear seat legroom is up 4.7-inches with an extra 2-inches of knee room. The door opening is now also larger, and to enable easy entry, a special Access mode will lower the SUV a total of two inches from its standard ride height.The rest of interior is an oasis of luxury, and while wood veneers are available for traditionalists, a piano black trim adds to the modern touch, which is completed by a fully digital gauge display measuring 12.3-inches. Definitely cool, it can even showcase a special off-road display screen, though frustratingly, there’s no way to show a digital speed display.

Customization is something Land Rover prides itself on and something its customers demand. There are a total of 37 exterior colors, 17 interior “themes” and eight different wheel sizes from 19 to 22-inches.  Those looking for options will find them in bulk, including a massive panoramic glass roof and a 29-speaker , 1700-watt audio system.Those particularly interested in the rear-seat experience can opt for an Individual seating option with two chairs that offer not just heating and cooling functions, but power recline and massage. Heck, even the headrests fold in on the sides to keep you in place in case their soft-as-a-pillow padding puts you to sleep.

The safety conscious will appreciate blind spot monitoring, a reverse traffic detection system that can tell if a car is coming from the side. There’s also adaptive cruise control that works in stop-and-go traffic and even an Intelligent Emergency Braking function that can apply the brakes automatically if a collision is deemed imminent, helping scrub off speed and lessen the accident.

UNDER THE HOOD

Driving the new Range Rover on-road is perhaps where its updates are most obvious. Yes it has new bodywork, but it’s also all-new underneath. The first SUV with a fully-aluminum structure, by switching to the lighter metal over steel, models have shed a dramatic 700 lbs.

As for the powerful Supercharged models, they get a blower mated to the same V8 to deliver 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy suffers slightly to 13/19 mpg, while 60 mph is nearly a second faster at just 5.1 seconds. Deceptively fast, we found out the hard way and made a generous donation to the Utah state coffers.It’s now more nimble, more efficient and faster. Power continues to come from a choice of two engine options with the entry-level 5.0-liter V8 making 375 hp and 375 lb-ft of torque. Mated to a new 8-speed transmission fuel economy rises to 14/20 mpg, while the 0-60 time drops seven tenths of a second to 6.5 seconds.

The drive itself is quiet, though wind noise isn’t entirely absent from the still-boxy shape. It’s also smooth thanks to a new air suspension system, while an optional Adaptive Dynamics feature uses hydraulically actuated detachable sway bars to reduce body roll during cornering.

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2014 Range Rover Sport

SPECIFICATIONS

1. The new base engine is a supercharged V6 producing 340hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, while a supercharged 5.0L V8 makes out 510hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. 2. Both engines are paired to an eight-speed automatic. 3. Pricing begins at $63,495, while the top of the line Autobiography trim is priced at $93,295 including delivery. 4. Fuel economy ranges from a best of 17 MPG city and 23 MPG highway to 14/19 MPG highway.

PREVIEW

If there was ever an automotive edition of ‘The Biggest Loser’ reality television show, Range Rover would be a shoe-in to win. Last year the full-size Range Rover went on a dramatic diet, shedding 700 lbs. thanks to a new aluminum unibody structure. This year the Range Rover Sport is put on the aluminum platform and shrinks down to a svelte 4,700 lbs., which is roughly 800 lbs. lighter than last year’s model.

But the downsizing doesn’t stop there. The base 5.0L naturally aspirated V8 is also dead this year, replaced by a smaller 3.0L supercharged V6. Producing 340 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, the new engine is significantly down on power compared to the old V8 but, thanks to the lighter weight and a new eight-speed automatic, Land Rover claims it’s three-tenths of a second faster to 60 mph, running the sprint in just 6.9 seconds.

EXTERIOR

The new Range Rover Sport’s look is a blend of Evoque and big daddy Range Rover, that can be easily identified as a Land Rover from a mile away. The side windows are now larger to allow better sightlines, and give the Sport the illusion of having a slightly lower stance. Although it is only two-inches longer than the old model, the new Sport seems much larger thanks to the previously-mentioned wheelbase extension. The usual Range Rover styling cues are present and accounted for on the new model like double straked fender vents, dual hood vents and LED lights all around.

Want to personalize a Range Rover Sport? No problem. There are 11 interior color themes with additional seat colors, four aluminum interior finishes, three real wood veneers, three headliner colors, 19 exterior paint finishes, three roof colors and nine wheel options available in four different sizes. 

 

INTERIOR

The interior of the Sport has been thoroughly modernized and is highlighted by a new center console mounted higher than in the old Range Rover allowing for the controls to be closer to the driver. A new 12.3-inch virtual gauge display is available in upper trims and the gauges turn red when dynamic mode is activated.

There is now nearly an inch more rear legroom behind the front seats, but the biggest change inside the Range Rover Sport has to do with the new optional third row passenger seats that Land Rover calls 5+2 seating. The jump seats in the hatch are only meant for kids 12 and under because, well, no one else would fit back there.

The 2014 Range Rover Sport will come in four trims, SE, HSE, Autobiography and the confusingly named ‘Supercharged’ trim which refers to the supercharged V8, even though every Sport is now supercharged. Pricing for the base SE will begin at $63,495, while the top of the line Range Rover Sport Autobiography starts at $93,295 including delivery.

UNDER THE HOOD

Those wanting more power can still opt for the supercharged 5.0L V8 thundering out 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. Also paired to the new eight-speed auto, not only can this monster rip to 60 mph in five seconds flat, but it sounds absolutely glorious while doing it. Land Rover has mastered the sound track of the 5.0L V8 and a ‘sound symposer’ feeds a hearty growl directly into the cabin. Want to quiet things down? Simply back off the throttle and this large SUV becomes a serene cruiser. 

Land Rover has spent a lot of time making the Sport quiet inside and it has paid off. Cruising down the interstate, or flowing through the corners of a country road really highlights just how muted the interior has become. This allowed our ears to focus on other things like the available Meridian audio system pumping out 1700 watts of awesomeness through 23 speakers.

More than just quiet, the 2014 Range Rover Sport is also far smoother on the road. The old Sport had a hint of choppiness that seems to be calibrated out of the new model, which most likely has something to do with the seven-inch longer wheelbase on the 2014 Sport. Still, this doesn’t mean it has gone soft; far from it.

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