Range Rover Evoque facelift review, test drive

The smallest and most affordable Range Rover gets a cosmetic upgrade, but little else.

Published on Jan 04, 2016 07:30:00 AM

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Range Rover Evoque facelift review, test drive

What’s it like to drive?

The powertrain is the same too – JLR’s 2.2-litre, four-cylinder diesel in its more powerful 188bhp SD4 guise, mated to the new nine-speed gearbox. It’s not an exciting or rev-happy motor; instead it’s quite linear, but it does pack a pretty decent punch. The gearbox makes the Evoque an unstressed and fuel-efficient highway cruiser, but when shuffling through the bump and grind of traffic, it tends to fumble around its many ratios and is not as smooth as the eight-speed ZF auto used by the bigger, longitudinal-engine Range Rovers and Jaguars. It’s a bit better in Sport mode, where the ’box isn’t as eager to upshift as frequently.

Should I buy one?

It’s best to think of this not as a second update, but as a completion of the first update that started in March 2015, as the Evoque now feels like a substantial improvement on the original 2011 car. It was always a good-looking SUV, but somehow, JLR has managed to make it a whole lot more attractive with very minor modifications. Also attractive is the price, which from Rs 47.1-63.2 lakh, is a world away from the full-size Rangies. There’s just one thing – the Evoque’s cousin, the Land Rover Discovery Sport, that’s also on sale. It may not have the prestige of the Range Rover badge, but for roughly the same money, you get the same mechanical package, looks that are just as attractive and a whole lot more space with the option of seven seats. However, the Evoque’s style quotient remains its biggest selling point, and to that end, it’s only gotten better.