I hold a soft spot in my heart for all things British-bred. My mum is a Brit and so I grew up not only with the accent but with the constant reminder that all things stemming from that little island held some sort of connection to me. Some such things I try to ignore and avoid (read: Spice Girls, blood pudding and ascots), however, others I gush over such as the stylish new Range Rover Evoque.
I know, I know, I'm not supposed to be biased in any way, but I can't help myself: Range Rover, Land Rover, Jaguar, MINI... at least I can openly admit it.
Sitting just shy of the $50k mark (base MSRP), the 2013 Range Rover Evoque is more than just a looker from the outside. Equipped with all the necessary luxuries you'd expect from a Rover, plus winter capabilities and decent fuel mileage; I'd say Land Rover has indeed tapped into a buyer they may have previously ignored.
Posh looks
Yup, I went there. We all know that Posh Spice has been associated with the brand with her special edition Evoque (which is essentially identical to the one we have in NA). I was offended at first, until I laid eyes on the compact crossover and quickly forgave the liaison.
There's something sharp, sophisticated and foxy about the Evoque's exterior features. While everyone else has shown up at the party in mundane, look-alike black cocktail dresses, the RR Evoque has shown up in a sequined mini-skirt and red pumps. It makes you look twice, in either 2- or 4-door guise. The racy shape of the back end and severity of the headlights along with the wide, beefy stance it takes on the road give the 2013 Range Rover Evoque just the right amount of attitude and all the right angles. Some may call it too modern, I think it's just right.
Inside the contemporary and modern continue with chrome metal inserts and a tactile materialed dash. Despite a rather feminine exterior, the interior is all business and quite manly. Thankfully, Range Rover has improved the onboard computer interface in the 2013 Range Rover Evoque, and as such the system is quite pleasant to use. I did not have the navigation package on my Rover, nor did I have satellite radio, but it was equipped with Bluetooth and the phone set-up was a breeze and the Meridian sound system is pleasant.
Luckily, my 2013 Range Rover Evoque Pure featured the Climate Control Package which meant I had a heated windshield, wiper washer jets, seats and steering wheel; so everything stayed toasty and warm no matter what winter threw my way.
So, here's the deal: This is a compact crossover; one of those pesky vehicles that's not quite sure which segment it wants to fit in. But it works. Sure, it's smaller than a Ford Explorer, bigger than a Nissan Juke and possibly on par with a VW Tiguan, but that's OK. It has enough space to be useful, but is small enough that driving is still a pleasure (as is parking), and fuel mileage is decent. I managed an average 11.7L/100km after 2.5 weeks of driving (and enjoying empty parking lots with fresh snow...).
The 2013 Range Rover Evoque played an excellent sled on Christmas Day, transporting my husband, son and I (plus all our Christmas goodies, gifts and overnight bags) to the country.
My biggest qualms with the Evoque were the side mirrors: they are ginormous, and they sat right in my line of vision, no matter how I adjusted my driving position. They created a huge blind spot for crossing traffic as did the A and B pillars which are also quite wide. And visibility out the rear window can be limited, however, a back-up camera helps immensely.
Polished on the road
The day after I picked up my 2013 Range Rover Evoque, +45cm of snow fell in just 24 hours. Winter arrived in one stormy day, and I was glad I had the Rover on my side. From traversing slushy, snowy streets to climbing plowed snow piles to get to parking spots and driveways, the Evoque never let me down.
Surefooted (with 4WD) and still offering a good time, the 2013 Range Rover Evoque features their all-new 2.0L Si4 engine that offers up 240 horses and 251 lb-ft of torque. A standard 6-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel mounted shifters and an available "Sport" mode ensured time behind the wheel was enjoyable.
Thanks to Land Rover's Terrain Response system, I confidently went where few others could with Dynamic Stability Control and Electronic Traction Control which kept the Evoque firmly on its desired path. Of course, the standard special terrain programs are available (snow/gravel, mud ruts, sand) to further your ability to go where you want, when you want.
Evoque invokes good feelings
My British roots aside, the 2013 Range Rover Evoque is a stellar product for those who live in a more suburban setting, but still want proper off-road capabilities, sure-footed winter driving ability and a bit more space, all in a stylish brand-named package with a premium they're willing to dish out.
This 2013 Range Rover Evoque Pure review was originally published on Auto-Venus.com.
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