When the Range Rover Evoque first arrived in Malaysia it was the best priced Range Rover on sale and at RM338,000 in a thriving Malaysian economy, it sold faster than expected and in more numbers than expected.
History
Land Rover (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd officially launched the first ever Range Rover Evoque in Malaysia on November 2nd2011, some nine years ago with great success as Malaysians who wanted a ‘Range Rover’ and we a little short of funds could now get a ‘Range Rover’ vehicle for the same money as luxury sedan.
At the time its was the smallest, lightest, most fuel efficient Range Rover ever produced with no rival in Malaysia. The completely built-up (CBU) Evoque was offered in three variants, the two-litre Petrol Coupe Dynamic Plus for RM393,888 (Peninsular Malaysia), RM397,388 (Sabah and Sarawak), 2.0L Petrol 5-Door Prestige for RM363,888(Peninsular Malaysia), RM367,388 (Sabah and Sarawak), 2.2L Diesel 5-Door Prestige for RM353,888 (Peninsular Malaysia) and RM357,388(Sabah and Sarawak).
By 2014, in just three years more than 400,000 units of Range Rover Evoque had been produced for the world since its introduction in 2011, making this premium compact SUV the fastest-selling Land Rover of all time. Then from 2015 the sales progress slowed down as the immediate rivals released hotter and sexier rivals.
In Malaysia, Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia (JLRM) had put more than 2,000 Evoque’s on the road since its launch and used car importers started flooding the market with second hand Evoques from England.
Present Day
Now comes a brand new Evoque after 9 years in production and this is now a more matured product with more than 217 international awards in its trophy cabinet.
This new Range Rover Evoque, which is available in 127 countries, is a sophisticated evolution of the original Evoque. Combining unrivalled Range Rover heritage with cutting-edge technology – designed, engineered and manufactured in Britain, it meets the needs of today’s customers.
Building on the original’s instantly-recognisable design, the new Range Rover Evoque is a sophisticated evolution of the distinctive coupé-like silhouette, typified by its distinctive fast roofline and rising waist that identify the Range Rover family.
The outstanding volume and proportions are amplified by its pronounced shoulders and powerful wheelarches.
Exterior
The introduction of jewel-like elements such as super-slim Matrix LED headlamps provide a more sophisticated front and rear lamp graphic. Flush door handles first seen in the Range Rover Velar add to the smooth, sculpted aesthetic, while sweeping directional indicators create a purposeful signature. R-Dynamic details and burnished copper accents add to the unique appeal.
Interior
Inside, the finely crafted design integrates uncluttered surfaces and simple lines with carefully curated premium materials to create a luxurious, minimalist, digital cabin. The cabin is a calm and serene space, ensuring comfort for all 5 passengers with the twin touchscreen Touch Pro Duo system, featuring new, faster software, 16-way seat controls and cabin air ionization.
The compact footprint is almost identical at 4.37m, yet built on Land Rover’s new Premium Transverse Architecture, there is more interior space than before. A longer wheelbase yields 20mm extra rear knee-room and an increase in small item stowage – the larger glove box and centre cubby can now fit tablets, handbags and bottles with ease. The luggage space is 10 per cent larger (591 litres) as well as much wider and easily fits a folded baby stroller or set of golf clubs, with space increasing to 1,383 litres when the flexible 40:20:40 second-row seats are folded.
All-Terrain
Every bit a Range Rover, the compact SUV combines all-terrain capability with all-weather assurance. New Evoque features All-Wheel Drive, as well as a second-generation Active Driveline with Driveline Disconnect to enhance efficiency and Adaptive Dynamics to deliver the optimum balance of comfort and agility. Terrain Response 2 – technology first found on full-size Range Rover – automatically detects the surface being driven on adjusts the set-up accordingly, while Evoque can now wade through water up to 600mm (previously 500mm).
Features
The famed Range Rover command driving position has jumped into the digital age, with a segment-first ‘ClearSight rear-view mirror’ that transforms into an HD video screen. If rear visibility is compromised by passengers or bulky items, the driver simply flicks a switch on the underside of the mirror and a camera feed from the top of the car displays what is behind the vehicle in crisp high definition. The screen provides a wider (50-degree) field of vision and superior visibility in low light.
The new Range Rover Evoque is also the first in the world to feature Ground View technology, which effectively makes the bonnet invisible by projecting camera imagery onto the upper touchscreen to show the driver a 180-degree view under the front of the vehicle. This is useful when negotiating difficult parking spaces, navigating high city centre kerbs or tackling rough terrain.
There is a reversing camera as standard on all models, alongside a suite of advanced driver assistance systems. This includes Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, which centres the vehicle in the lane based on road markings as well as maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle in front.
Active safety features such as Lane Keep Assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking and Driver Condition Monitor are all available to keep occupants safe.
Evoque is the first Land Rover with Smart Settings, which uses artificial intelligence algorithms to learn the driver’s preference and acts as an onboard butler. In addition to seat position, music and climate settings, Evoque can also control steering column preferences to maximise comfort.
Capability
The Ingenium engine have been advanced with new technologies to make them quieter and more refined, while the ZF nine-speed automatic gearbox has been recalibrated to ensure a smoother, more progressive drive on all-terrains.
The new Evoque raises the bar for all-terrain capability in the compact luxury SUV sector, with a unique blend of inherent off-road ability and enhanced technology to provide traction on all surfaces and in every condition. Ground clearance is 212mm, while approach and departure angles are 25 degrees in the front and 30.6 degrees in the rear.
Terrain Response 2 is available as standard for the first time on new Evoque with All-Wheel Drive and automatic transmission. Not only will this allow drivers to choose from four modes (Comfort, Sand, Grass-Gravel-Snow, and Mud & Ruts) to optimise performance and capability, but the new Auto mode enables Evoque to select the most appropriate mode for the conditions and automatically adjust its torque delivery to suit the terrain.
Evoque’s maximum wading depth of 600mm can be effectively monitored with optional Wade Sensing. Ultrasonic sensors in the exterior mirrors accurately measure the depth of the water, which is displayed on the central touchscreen.
The latest Evoque will come with a variety of all-terrain technologies such as Hill Descent Control, Gradient Release Control and All-Terrain Progress Control. Allied with features such as the world-first ClearSight Ground View (a realisation of Land Rover’s transparent bonnet concept), which grants greater visibility beneath the vehicle when tackling uneven terrain, the latest Range Rover Evoque has all the credentials to go above and beyond.
Infotainment
Land Rover’s Touch Pro Duo infotainment system is central to the digital interior experience, combining two sleek 10-inch high-definition glass touchscreens, a 12.3-inch driver display behind the steering wheel and full-colour head-up display. The result is a beautiful, ‘hidden until lit’ interior filled with state-of-the-art digital interfaces. The ergonomic design and capacitive switches are easier and more intuitive to operate, allowing the driver to easily control a wide variety of technologies. There is smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The new Evoque is the first Land Rover with Smart Settings technology, which uses advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to learn the driver’s habits over time. The ‘self-learning’ technology recognises the driver from their key fob and phone and will set up their seat and steering column position on approach, allowing for up to eight profiles to be registered. After a few journeys, Evoque remembers the driver’s preferred temperature settings, media preferences and commonly dialed numbers depending on the time or day of the week.
Driving
This now a more mature Evoque. It may look like a nip and tuck, but it is all new from head to tail. Step inside and you will get that sports car vibe with its low slung roofline and driver focused dashboard. Seats are well bolstered and there are enough adjustments to get your driving position right. Rear view is still small with the slim rear glass and this is why Range Rover provides a ClearSight TV monitor like rear view mirror which you can choose to use either in pure mirror mode or pure high definition TV monitor mode to get a good view behind.
The Ingenium engine is quiet at idle due to the tight insulation and once on the move you do hear a little rumble when pushed, but its faint. After a few minutes on the open road, you will realize how well insulated and comfortable this Evoque is. For an all terrain vehicle, the rode comfort is like a business sedan and when you get it into ‘sports’ mode it becomes a sports sedan.
After a test drive, take the larger Velar for a test drive and then compare its dynamics. You will see that it is almost identical. The smaller sibling can keep up with its larger more expensive sibling.
Rear space is much improved and now you can have 3 adults in the back without any comments coming from the passenger in the center. Headroom looks tight, but we managed to get a 6-foot teenager in the rear with no issue.
The luggage room has also improved and you get enough room for a short family Malaysian holiday. You can also get some new gym equipment loaded in the rear.
Peace of mind motoring is available with the 5-year Warranty or 150,000km, 5-year Servicing or 65,000km and 3-year Roadside Assistance package that is included.
Range Rover Evoque P250 R-Dynamic Specifications
Engine: 4-cylinder Turbo-scroll Petrol
Displacement: 1997cc
Max power: 249ps @ 5500rpm
Max torque: 365Nm @ 1300-4500rpm
0-100km/h: 7.5secs
Top Speed: 230km/h
Transmission: 9-Speed Drive Select/Sport Mode
Selling Price: RM475,398.00
