Since it was first launched over a decade ago, the Range Rover Evoque has been praised for its attractive design, and this has not changed with the second-generation model, first presented in 2018.
Recently facelifted, the latest Range Rover Evoque retains the charismatic, sophisticated character of the original, but its reductive design is now enhanced with the latest technologies and luxurious material choices.
Besides its distinctive coupe-like silhouette, floating roof, continuous waistline, and flush deployable door handles, the Evoque’s reductive exterior presence is further enhanced by a new grille and super-slim Pixel-LED headlights with signature DRL.
This design sophistication is carried over to the reductive styling features in the interior, with a clean, minimalistic centre console featuring a tactile new gear shifter, and the Pivi Pro2 infotainment system now accessed via a new 11.4″ curved glass touchscreen.
While the glass touchscreen is aesthetically pleasing and easily accessible, I initially found it challenging to navigate through the plethora of menus to find a specific function. Still, with the screen now situated higher, there is more stowage space below it, and wireless charging is standard.
The standard sliding panoramic roof makes the cabin feel spacious and roomy, and the high-quality materials used in our Dynamic HSE model, including exclusive Kvadrat wool blend fabric – a luxurious, tactile and contemporary alternative to leather, and Ebony perforated Ultrafabrics seating with polyurethane textile inserts with bespoke tailoring– made the interior a pleasant place to be.
Some new interior particulars include chrome detailing on the steering wheel, centre console trim and air vents, and new trim finishes that include anodised aluminium veneer. Our Corinthian Bronze example with Narvik Black roof and black 20″ diamond-turned alloy wheels looked the part, inside and out.
Also available for the first time in the Evoque is the latest Cabin Air Purification Plus. An enhancement on the previous system in other models, the system is available as part of the optional Comfort Pack and is activated by pressing the Purify button on the Air Quality page within Pivi Pro2.
Besides this clean air system (you can even monitor outside air quality at your location on screen), the latest Evoque’s sophisticated suite of camera technologies offers 3D Surround View, ClearSight Ground View and ClearSight Interior Rear View.
However, while bright and clear, I found the camera-generated image in the rear-view mirror too artificial and taxing on one’s eyes. Every time I drove the Range Rover, I found myself wishing for a normal mirror reflecting a natural image.
Excellent ride quality
That said, the best part of the new plug-in version of the Evoque – besides its attractive cabin and exterior design – was its excellent ride quality and quiet operation while on the move, even when not in full-electric mode.
It felt like you were gliding along the road, even on uneven surfaces, and this was primarily due to the optional Adaptive Dynamics suspension system with Configurable Dynamics, Terrain Response drive modes, and intelligent torque-on-demand all-wheel-drive (AWD) system.
Driven by an electric hybrid powertrain that combines an efficient three-cylinder 1.5-litre Ingenium petrol engine with a 14.9 kWh battery and an 80 kW electric motor, for a total power output of 227 kW, the P300e PHEV is no slouch either (it can sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds), although any spirited driving affects the electric-only range considerably.
With the 14.9 kWh battery, the P300e electric hybrid has an electric-only range of up to 62 km – in theory, that is enough to complete an average daily journey – although we found a range of around 50 km to be more realistic before the petrol motor starts kicking in, and together this means a total real-world range of around 650 km.
Here’s the thing, though. Even though rapid DC charging is standard on the Evoque P300e, for charges in as little as 30 minutes (using a 7 kW home charger, a zero to 100% charge can be completed in around two hours), one must be a highly disciplined individual to ensure the vehicle is recharged after every journey.
In my view, many owners will let this routine lapse, especially over time, and start running their PHEV like a normal HEV, thereby forfeiting the whole point of purchasing a PHEV.
LAST WORD
Besides all its attributes in terms of styling and bespoke interior detailing, the Range Rover Evoque P300e Dynamic HSE is, in my view, the best-driving Evoque ever, and this makes it a seductive proposition. Yet, it comes at a price…
With all the added extras as in our test unit, this Evoque model retails for R1,807,850 – quite steep for a compact luxury SUV. Moreover, the P300e is somewhat compromised by its PHEV credentials, as it may sound like a must-have, but in the real world, despite all its good qualities, it may turn out to be more of an inconvenience than an attribute.
Report by FERDI DE VOS | Images © RYAN ABBOTT
