Range Rover rewrite the SUV rule book

THE Evoque is a long-awaited three-door ‘baby’ Range Rover derived from the striking LRX concept first shown at the 2008 Detroit Show and the big shock is that it looks almost exactly the same. It will be available in two- and four-wheel drive and joined, later, by five-door versions. Although based on the Freelander (and to be built in the same plant at Halewood on Merseyside), the Evoque should provide a much more dynamic driving experience. Its track is 20mm wider and numerous components, including suspension knuckles and control arms, are made of aluminium, lowering unsprung weight to the benefit of agility.

The car, which will be offered with front-wheel drive, is chasing sporty hatch standards of handling and ride and the BMW 1-series was among the cars used as a benchmark when developing the chassis.

Front-drive will also help the Evoque’s eco-credentials, giving a headline consumption figure of 58mpg and CO2 emissions of below 130g/km from a modified version of the Freelander’s 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine, though the 4x4 models should be good for around 50mpg, too.

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And no, these aren’t misprints. Stop/start is standard and extensive use of aluminium and plastic in the body make the Evoque up to 150 kg lighter than the Freelander.

There are two versions of the 2.2-litre diesel engine, in 148 and 187bhp tune. They are available with manual or automatic transmissions, both six-speeders. The only petrol engine is sourced from Ford – a direct injection four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbo with twin variable valve timing from the new ‘Ecoboost’ family – and it will come mated to a paddle shift auto with no manual option. It should be brisk with a claimed 0–62mph time of a speedy 7.1 seconds.

The Evoque will also be the first Land Rover to use electric power steering and the first with magnetorheological dampers.

Cost of ownership is where the Evoque will turn the idea of Range Rover ownership on its head. There’s only so far you can trim the bulk, weight and feeding habits of a full-fat Range Rover. Incremental efficiency gains are all very well, but it is what it is: big, thirsty and expensive to run. The Evoque, on the other hand, should be kinder on the wallet than the Land Rover Freelander on which it’s based.

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And if the idea of a front-wheel drive Range Rover raises the hackles of Land Rover purists, there’s no doubting its contribution towards rewriting the SUV rule book: it wasn’t so long ago that 50mpg and 130 g/km of CO2 was the preserve of eco-tuned city cars. Commensurately low taxes, sub-prestige servicing costs and the promise of robust Range Rover residuals will help make the Evoque a compelling ownership proposition.

There’s little to no chance that the Evoque’s SUV-cum-coupe styling won’t go down well with its intended customers. In making the journey from show stand to showroom, the bonnet line has been raised by 20mm to improve pedestrian safety. The roofline is taller by the same amount, the body marginally narrower and conventional door handles have been added. Otherwise the LRX’s strikingly crisp lines and athletic stance are perfectly preserved.