I was sitting on my front porch, reading a particularly good crime novel, when my peace and quiet was disturbed by an obnoxious-sounding BMW 3 Series rolling by. It’s not the only hooligan in the neighbourhood, my reverie has also been disturbed by a jarring Lexus IS 300 and a discordant Infiniti G37.
These intrusions to my peace got me thinking that 1) I’m becoming my father, and 2) as much as I have enjoyed driving the various and varied competitive makes of these sporting four-doors over the decades — without the aftermarket noise cannons — it is obvious to all but the most oblivious that their SUV counterparts have done a thorough job of muscling many of them off the streets and out of the limelight. And in addition to a rapid increase in their numbers, they have become a lot sportier and a lot less utilitarian than they once were, especially — though not necessarily — after they have been bulked up with AMG, M, RS or SVR, etc., components.
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Bronze Edition Photo by Brian Harper
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Bronze Edition Photo by Brian Harper
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Bronze Edition Photo by Brian Harper
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Bronze Edition Photo by Brian Harper
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Bronze Edition Photo by Brian Harper
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Photo by Brian Harper
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Bronze Edition Photo by Brian Harper
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Photo by Brian Harper
Yet, even without all the go-fast goodies that toughen up some of its European rivals, the subcompact-sized Evoque — gateway to the Range Rover brand — has many of the characteristics of a good sport sedan. This second-generation model made its formal debut late in 2018, arriving at dealerships the following spring as a 2020 model. Much like its predecessor, what made it distinct (and continues to do so) was the retention of an aggressively sloped roofline and rising belt line. It is certainly attractive within its segment — dominated by competitors such as the Audi Q3, Tesla Model Y, Mercedes GLC and Lexus NX — with a simplicity to its profile, accentuated by flush door handles, tight panel gaps, short overhangs, pronounced shoulders and wheel arches that, in addition to the tester’s 21-inch wheels, connote athleticism.
Compare these luxury SUVs: Land Rover Range Rover Evoque vs Audi Q3 vs Mercedes GLC vs Lexus NX
In addition, the 2022 Evoque being tested was the Bronze Edition ($56,400 before options), a cosmetic upgrade that substitutes a bronze-colour roof for the normal body colour — Carpathian Grey, in this case. (Personally, I don’t think this combo works; feel free to disagree.)
The inherent athleticism inferred by the look can be backed up under the hood, depending on whether you go with the base P250 powertrain or upgrade to the more powerful P300. Both start with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder, the output for the P250 capped at 246 horsepower while the P300 sees the motor boosted to 296 hp. Furthermore, the P300 is fitted with a 48-volt mild-hybrid (MHEV) powertrain, which harvests energy lost during deceleration thanks to the engine-mounted belt-integrated starter generator — replacing the traditional alternator — storing it in an under-floor battery. At low speeds, the engine is designed to shut off while the brakes are applied. When pulling away, the stored energy is redeployed to assist acceleration. The result is an 8/10ths of a second advantage, according to Land Rover, when accelerating to 100 km/h.
Still, the P250 tester is far from underpowered; punch Dynamic mode on the centre touchscreen, throw the nine-speed ZF automatic into Sport mode and flick away on the paddle shifters or, if you’re old school, use the console-mounted shift lever (pull back to upshift, push forward to downshift). This will garner consistent acceleration and a throaty rumble from the engine.
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Photo by Brian Harper
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Photo by Brian Harper
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Photo by Brian Harper
Photo by Brian Harper
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Photo by Brian Harper
That said, in terms of fuel economy there’s little penalty to ticking the box for the P300. According to NRCan, the P300 engine holds a slight advantage over the P250 in the city (11.4 L/100 km vs 11.8) while the P250 has a minor edge on the highway (8.7 L/100 km vs 8.9). I averaged 12.3 litres of premium unleaded under more realistic conditions, an even mix of highway and city commuting. Whatever the case, the Evoque’s fuel efficiency is acceptable, but by no means class leading. If the crossover’s 1,800-kilogram weight is a culprit, the upside is that it feels as solid as the Canadian Shield, even over roads chewed up by serious construction.
Keep in mind that Land Rover does not build soft-roaders; each of its models, whether branded Land Rover or Range Rover, will take you farther into the hinterland than most urbanites can contemplate — even the junior Evoque. Credit 212 millimetres of ground clearance and the Terrain Response 2 system, which allows drivers to select one of several modes — including Rock Crawl — depending on the road or trail surface. Should fording streams be your thing, know that the Evoque can wade through water up to 600 mm. The downside to off-roading is a suspension — MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link setup at the back — that is very firm over bumpy roads.
Inside, Land Rover’s interior designers have worked the cabin with a minimalist yet digital look in mind, most of the traditional hard buttons replaced by menus on the touchscreen. Utility comes in the form of a large centre console with sliding armrests, doors that can accommodate 1.5-litre water bottles, and storage behind the lower touchscreen that can discreetly hold small items such as cellphones.
But while the driver and front passenger have the legroom and headroom to enjoy the $66,480 Evoque tester’s many amenities — the $10,800 worth of options included a 380-watt Meridian sound system, 12.3-inch TFT digital cluster, power-adjustable steering column, head-up display, heated windshield, 14-way power, heated and cooled front seats swathed in Windsor leather, and more — its overall length of just 4,371 millimetres compromises the comfort of any regular-sized adult occupying the rear seats. In short, pun intended, it helps to be, uhm, un-tall.
2022 Range Rover Evoque P250 Bronze Edition Photo by Brian Harper
Cue my wife, one of the un-tall, who has been trying out various subcompact and compact crossovers (as detailed on Driving.ca) trying to find one that best accommodates her compromised vision. Initially, she didn’t want to drive the Evoque, offering this wholly reasonable explanation: “What if I like it; we can’t afford it.” Countering that it was for research purposes only — or some similar form of BS — she acquiesced and got behind the wheel. Folding down the rear seats, moving the driver’s seat as far up and forward as possible while positioning the steering wheel away from her — this after placing a cushion under her butt — she was ready to go.
On the plus side, Diana found the Evoque very smooth and responsive: “It gets up there.” She initially thought the steering too light but got used to it after a few minutes. Most of all, she liked (mostly) the crossover’s various driver assistance features, especially the rear camera and the front and rear parking sensors. However, she was bothered to find that blind spot assist was not offered on the base tester; one has to shell out for the R-Dynamic trim to get it. On a $56K+ vehicle, this is an unacceptable oversight.
Being shorter than me by more than a foot, her comment on the crossover’s dashboard was interesting; it has a pronounced hump over the instrument cluster, probably for the head-up display, that, from her height, obscures the Evoque’s front corner. “It’s more of an annoyance than a distraction,” she concluded. Equally annoying was the fact that wearing polarized sunglasses tends to wash out the display information projected onto the windshield.
Overall, though, she was impressed. “It’s fun to drive, I’d consider getting it.” Short of a lottery win, however, this isn’t going to happen. Still, I tend to agree with her. Admittedly, some of it has to do with my being an ardent Anglophile, despite the last of my ancestors having left Merrie Olde England a century ago for a better life here. More germane, though, is the Evoque is sized right for our needs as empty nesters and as suburbanites. (According to Land Rover, more than 70 per cent of Evoque owners live in urban areas and approximately the same percentage don’t have children.)
Now, this premium-priced compact crossover segment is highly competitive and the Evoque is by no means the only game in town. Is it the best? No. Is it one of the best-looking? Absolutely! Plus, it’s sporty (more so with the P300 powertrain), solid, capable, substantial … and quiet. Now if only the PHEV version was available in Canada.
Note: The 2023 model-year Evoque Bronze Collection starts at $58,500. 2023 models are unchanged.
Keyword: SUV Review: 2022 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque