2017 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Review

The 2017 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque is an appealing choice for those looking for luxurious, go-anywhere driving. Don't think of it as a one-dimensional grocery getter. The Evoque hauls people, not cargo, and it hauls at pretty good speed besides.

Pros

• Beautiful interior and exterior design
• Impressive fuel economy
• Excellent handling characteristics
• Available two-door and new convertible body styles
• A luxurious, personal-size crossover.

Cons

• Poor rear visibility
• Cramped rear seat
• Premium Land Rover nameplate makes it more expensive than other luxury crossovers.

What's new

The big news for the 2017 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque is the debut of the new convertible model. Other upgrades across the lineup include standard All-Terrain Progress Control (aka low-speed crawl control).

Vehicle Overview

It's been said the modern automobile is a study in the never-ending battle between style and substance. Perhaps no vehicle illustrates this time-honored truism better than the 2017 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque.

With the fashion-forward Range Rover Evoque — now available in four-door hatchback, two-door "coupe" and a new convertible variant & mdash the style part of that equation is obvious. One look at its sleek profile and you know this is a model that's all about turning heads. This is a crossover utility vehicle that's been transformed into a sort of personalized car, and it is a trendsetting configuration that lots of people don't understand.

The Evoque is really meant for fast, sporty driving, and its 240-horsepower turbocharged engine, responsive handling and refined, compliant suspension make it an energetic partner for driving, whether you’re on the way to the opera or just going to work.  Just as you'd expect from Land Rover, the extensive list of standard creature comforts have a uniquely British character, including leather seat upholstery, a panoramic glass roof and an 11-speaker audio system. If Beverly Hills is your style, the new convertible model's power-operated fabric top folds down in just 18 seconds at speeds of up to 30 mph, just in case you wanted the guys in valet parking to see you coming.

Performance & MPG

The 2017 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 240 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. A nine-speed automatic transmission is standard, as is all-wheel drive. Every Range Rover Evoque comes with Land Rover's Terrain Response system, which provides selectable settings for specific road and trail conditions. Also included are hill start assist and hill descent control systems.

EPA fuel economy estimates are 24 mpg combined (21 city/29 highway) for the four-door hatchback and coupe, and the convertible comes in at 23 mpg combined (20 city/28 highway), which are better than average numbers for a gas-powered small luxury crossover.

Such superior fuel economy comes at the expense of performance, though. At our test track, the relatively heavy and underpowered Evoque took 7.2 seconds to make the sprint from zero to 60 mph, which is a bit slower than average.

Safety

Standard safety features on the 2017 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque include antilock brakes, stability and traction control, trailer sway control, front-seat side airbags, a driver-side knee airbag, side curtain airbags, front and rear parking sensors, and a rearview camera.

Other available safety features include blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, a 360-degree parking camera and a forward collision warning system that can apply the brakes if it detects an imminent collision. Convertible models also get built-in roll bars that pop up if a rollover seems likely.

Interior

Step inside the 2017 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, and you'll find a passenger cabin that looks great but is really meant for two people, not five. Front seats offer good comfort and support, and the heated and ventilated versions are a boon in climate extremes. The rear seats are another matter entirely, however, as the sloping roofline reduces headroom dramatically. Getting in and out of that backseat can also be a challenge, especially in the two-door coupe and convertible models. Finally, the narrow side and rear windows conspire to impede visibility, making the available 360-degree camera system a valuable tool for maneuvering in tight quarters.

Driving

On the road, the 2017 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine provides performance that can best be described as passable, as there's just not enough power for this heavyweight package. Acceleration from a stop is rather lackluster at first, though it does build noticeably once the engine speed increases. The nine-speed automatic delivers smooth shifts, but its hesitation to downshift when your right foot calls for more power in passing or merging situations can be a bit unnerving.