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Land Rover unveiled a new, carefully developed model of its big Evoque SUV, designed to give the car a slight boost, rather than completely changing it. It's a delicate balancing act for Land Rover. The brand lost 2.9% of its sales this year and saw its total group sales, combined with the sister company Jaguar, fall by 2.6%. Wherever you can blame the spirits – sluggish Chinese sales, American business concerns, Brexit or excessive use of diesel, the fact is that Land Rover (and Jaguar) must boost their sales and do it quickly. Quarterly losses of GBP 210 million in TSG can not last long.
This is why the new Evoque has been so significant. Land Rover has sold 274,000 cars since the beginning of the year in the world (until the end of August), of which more than a third are Evoques. Even during his last year, the Evoque remains a big seller for the brand and a kind of cash cow. From where the sweet evolution.
On the surface, the influence of the Range Rover Velar is evident: the headlights and taillights are almost directly inspired by the mid-size luxury SUV from Land Rover, as are the retractable door handles and sockets. aggressive style air. in the front bumper. The Velar had even more influence inside, where the two-level touchscreen system was transferred from both the Velar and the Jaguar I-Pace, just like the pack. digital instruments.
The global shapes, the silhouette, the sensation are always very evocative. These existing customers will not be dissipated or delayed, but it remains to be seen whether the design will receive enough attention to attract new buyers.
Soft hybrid
There is however a technology that attracts attention. The Evoque will be the first Land Rover vehicle to offer a smooth 48-volt hybrid system, which is needed to dispel the waste of recreational vehicle buyers and retain customers in major urban centers, who feel they are under threat. The light hybrid powertrain works by recovering the energy normally lost during braking thanks to the built-in engine-mounted belt generator, which stores it in the battery on the ground. At a speed below 17 km / h, the engine stops while the driver applies the brakes. When starting, the stored energy is redeployed to assist the engine in acceleration and reduce fuel consumption. The result, says Land Rover: "is a refined, quiet and efficient training in areas with high traffic density, in addition to an economy of efficiency."
It will build on a version of the current Ingenium four-cylinder family of engines, and Land Rover says it will deliver 149g / km of CO2 and 50mpg of fuel economy on new emissions and emissions tests. WLTP fuel. This powertrain will be available from launch and in 2020, a plug-in hybrid using a version of this three-cylinder engine, 200 hp, with emissions even lower (about 45 g / km) and the ability to operate in mode pure electric. power, will join the Evoque range. Meanwhile, the least emitting model will be the 150-horsepower 2.0-liter diesel diesel driven, with emissions of 143 g / km.
Off road
As a Land Rover, the focus is on true off-road capability, although this is something that few customers will actually use. Despite the Evoque's bias on the road, more than 80% of buyers choose four-wheel drive models, in line with the brand's history. This time, it relies on the latest Terrain Response 2 electronic traction control systems and an increased skid depth, which means the Evoque will be able to handle up to 600 mm of standing water .
Other features include a rear view mirror that, if your rear vision is obstructed by the luggage or passenger's head, can switch to a video display using a rear-mounted camera. His field of vision is wider than a conventional mirror and seems to work better in low light conditions.
The Evoque is Land Rover's first "transparent hood" technology car, which uses forward and downward-facing cameras to project an image of what's under and in front of the car on a screen, which facilitates maneuvering in tight spaces.
The Evoque will also be Land Rover's first "transparent hood" technology car, which uses front-and-forward-facing cameras to project an image of what's under and immediately in front of the car on a screen, which facilitates maneuvering in tight spaces. . At the same time, Land Rover upgrades its InControl touch screen system to get Apple CarPlay connectivity (finally), as well as a Wi-Fi hotspot. That's one of the weaknesses of the range so far.
Underneath, the new Evoque does not feature an expensive aluminum platform (such as the one used by larger Land Rover models), but rests on the same steel platform as the outgoing model, the Discovery Sport and the Jaguar E-Pace. Although very modified, this means that it is a chassis that can go back to the second generation Land Rover Freelander and, by association, to the 2006 Ford Mondeo. The total length of the Evoque has not changed, but the wheelbase has been extended by 20 mm, which should improve the space available at the rear, and the trunk has expanded to 591 liters.
Prices for the new model in the UK have been announced, starting at £ 31,600 (€ 35,730), which is a bit more expensive than the current most basic model. So expect a modest increase in the price of Irish customers when Evoque II will go on sale early next year.
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