2012 Range Rover Evoque

What’s in the driveway? The SUV Jimmy Choo might create if the couture cobbler decided to put his kicks on Route 66.

Indeed, the 2012 Range Rover Evoque is an auto-show style statement come to life, an almost literal translation of Land Rover’s 2008 LRX coupe/crossover concept. The fidelity by which the LRX’s high-shouldered rake and sinister roofline were rendered onto a full-production vehicle is a remarkable automotive achievement.

Range Rover is the bold-flavored subbrand of luxury SUV maker Land Rover. Evoque joins the lineup for model-year 2012 to battle other premium compact crossovers such as the BMW X3 and Cadillac SRX. It’s the company’s smallest and lightest utility vehicle ever, the least expensive rig in the stable, and the only one with a four-cylinder engine instead of a V-6 or V-8. Evoque, however, satisfies the lofty standards set by virtually every Range Rover, with colossal off-road ability and a cabin awash in fine-leather luxury.

All Evoques use a 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-fuel-injected four-cylinder engine coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission. Horsepower is 240, torque 250 pound-feet. This is essentially the same EcoBoost powertrain available in the Ford Explorer and Edge SUVs. Ford owned Land Rover as the Evoque was being developed, and this is residue from the period. So is the standard all-wheel-drive system’s Terrain Response strategy, which gives the driver a console knob to dial in suspension and drivetrain modes tailored specifically for mud, snow, gravel, rocks, or pavement.

Of course, being a Ranger Rover, the Evoque is designed for far-more rigorous off-roading than the Ford crossovers. It has a Jeep-like 9.5 inches of ground clearance, for example, and its lower sheetmetal is tapered to avoid rubbing when climbing riverbanks. It can even wade 19.7 inches of water without coughing.    

The 2012 Range Rover Evoque in the driveway is a four-door wagon. A two-door version that Range Rover calls the Evoque Coupe also is available. Our test example wears snow-drift-on-a-sunny-day Fuji White paint that provides dramatic contrast to the blacked-out body accents, deep-tint windows, and Ebony leather interior.

How much does it cost? Base price for the 2012 Range Rover Evoque four-door is $43,995, including Range Rover’s mandatory $850 destination fee. Our test example is the Pure trim, the base level of Evoque’s three “design themes.” For another $9,500 the Dynamic theme adds beefier bumpers and sills, a bolder grille, contrasting-color roof, and perforated leather seats. And at a premium of $10,400, the Prestige trim bathes the interior in twin-stitched leather and fancy woods and metals.

The Pure hardly leaves you wanting. Standard equipment includes plenty-fine-enough leather upholstery; dual-zone automatic climate control; power front seats; a 380-watt, 11-speaker Meridian-brand audio system; and a huge panoramic tinted-glass roof. USB and Bluetooth connectivity, pushbutton ignition, a power liftgate, and 19-inch “sparkle finish” alloy wheels also are included.

Our test example has $6,025 in options, led by the $4,000 Pure Premium Xenon Package that includes steering-linked xenon headlamps, a navigation system with a hi-definition 8-inch dashboard touchscreen, an exterior camera system that projects on that screen a 360-degree video image of the surface surrounding the car, and a 17-speaker audio upgrade.   

Also aboard is the $1,000 Climate Comfort Package with its heated windshield, steering wheel and front seats; a $750 satellite- and HD-radio package; and a $275 Ebony headliner that replaces ivory overhead. Total manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the 2012 Range Rover Evoque in the driveway is $50,020.

Is it worth it? Yes, if you want a style statement that’s not without substance. Evoque seems to have cast a spell over those who dole out international awards. It’s already won 22 of them, including some you’ve heard of (Motor Trend SUV of the Year) and some less familiar (Scottish Car of the Year). A jury of automotive journalists named it 2012 North American Truck of the Year over the redesigned Honda CR-V and BMW X3. Of course, few of us motor-noters vote with our pocketbooks. If we did, we might cast a more critical eye at Range Rover’s choice of the EcoBoost four as Evoque’s only engine.  

What’s to like? The way in which this SUV blends a sense of theater with everyday practicality. The roof is low-rider chopped but the driver can see out just fine and there’s room enough inside to seat four big adults in comfort or carry an impressive 51 cubic feet of cargo. A push of the start button silently elevates the solid aluminum rotary transmission shift knob from the center console -- a creative flourish that’s also highly functional.

The panoramic roof’s fabric blind powers open to reveal an unparalleled view of sky or skyline. Every cabin surface you touch, sit on, or see bespeaks quality. And those impossibly narrow show-car peepers that pass for headlights? Range Rover’s xenons illuminate the road ahead in reassuringly sharp relief.       

A rock-solid structure contributes to surprisingly low noise levels despite those big, low-profile tires. That sound foundation helps the smartly tuned suspension and accurate steering deliver sport-sedan road manners that belie Evoque’s elevated ride height. The AWD system’s ability to constantly apportion torque contributes to the confidence-inspiring grip. And Terrain Response works with the long-travel coil springs to tractor you through most any obstacle Mama Nature can conjure.

What does it need? An engine as adept at delivering off-boost power as it is at furnishing high-spool thrust. This is the lightest Range Rover ever, thanks in part of to the use of aluminum for the hood and some suspension components, composites for the front fenders and tailgate, and magnesium structural reinforcement. But it still weighs nearly 4,000 pounds, and the 2.0-liter four-cylinder can feel overmatched by that much mass.

Oh, it lifts its skirts and hustles when you breathe on the throttle from midrange speeds or higher. Response off idle and from around-town trolling, however, can feel disoriented and sleepy. At this curb weight, at these prices, Evoque needs a larger displacement six-cylinder engine to deliver more satisfying all-around acceleration.   

There are some comfort issues, too. Foremost is a ride rendered too harsh over bumps by the taut suspension and skimpy-sidewall tires. Range Rover ought to make all Evoques available with the Adaptive Dynamics feature exclusive to the Dynamic trim. This $1,250 option employs a technology pioneered by General Motors called MagneRide to continuously iron out road disturbances. Front seats with wider lower cushions would be friendlier to an, ahem, broader range of thighs. And a rear-seat backrest that doesn’t adjust for rake is an embarrassment in vehicle of Evoque’s station.   

What’s Range Rover say? “Many of the new customers [attracted to the Evoque] will be more youthful, tech-savvy buyers whose expectations will be exceeded by the rich array of premium features that will make ownership a real pleasure.”

What do you say? How many will also expect a powertrain will a full breadth of capability?

What’s next? No major changes to this just-introduced model are expected for a few years. As for a possible alternative to the turbo 2.0-liter – absent an unexpected groundswell of buyer dissatisfaction, don’t look for Land Rover to provide anything else soon. To meet tightening government standards, this British automaker (actually, it’s owned by India’s Tata Motors) needs the EcoBoost four in the Evoque. Its relative fuel efficiency and low-emissions advantages help offset the larger, more powerful, and thirstier engines in the rest of the Land Rover and Range Rover fleet.

Vital statistics
2012 Range Rover Evoque

• Base price, including manufacturer’s $850 destination fee: $43,995
• Price of test car including options: $50,020.
• Size: 171.5 inches long, 104.8-inch wheelbase, 3,902-pound base curb weight
• Engine: 240-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder; 6-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
• Fuel economy: 18/28 mpg city/highway, 22 mpg combined (EPA ratings)
• Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles bumper-to-bumper and powertrain

Automotive journalist Chuck Giametta has covered the auto industry for more than 25 years as a newspaper reporter, Executive Auto Editor of Consumer Guide books and magazines, and as Managing Editor of iGuida.com. This test vehicle was provided by the manufacturer.