Land Rover's 2012 Range Rover Evoque knocked us out — every single one of us — with its standout styling, interior accommodations and driving dynamics.
I've spent the better part of 20 years explaining to the uninitiated that Land Rover is a manufacturer's name and Range Rover is a model name. With the introduction of the Range Rover Evoque, three of Land Rover's four models in the U.S. use the Range Rover name. Why did I bother?
Replacing the LR2, the Evoque is a new model, technically a compact SUV unrelated to Land Rover's three midsize vehicles: the flagship Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and LR4.
The Evoque comes in two- and four-door versions. Rather than separate trim levels, each Evoque is available with one of three option packages — Pure, Prestige and Dynamic — that represent different color schemes and interior and exterior design tweaks, along with additional features. Customizable elements include contrasting roof colors, 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels, real wood or metal trim, illuminated doorsill scuff plates and more.
A Stunning Vehicle
In either body style, the Evoque is simply a stunning vehicle that drew as much attention out on the road as any all-new model I've tested. The design says Land Rover, but it's clearly something new, characterized by its rising belt line and a downward-sloping roof that, in many color combinations, appears to float because it's supported by black pillars. The low roofline and squinty windows make it look like a concept car that's escaped from an auto show — or a traditional SUV that's been chopped after purchase.
The roof is roughly eye level for a tall adult, about 5 inches lower than it was on the Evoque's boxier predecessor. The styling suggests an interior compromise, and while there's some, it isn't nearly what I'd expected. With 40.3 inches of headroom — an increase of 0.1 inch — the front seats are roomy enough for someone in the 6-foot-tall range. The only anomaly, which I recognize from the LR2, is the raised platform on which the seats are mounted; I felt my heels bumping up against it during longer drives. This annoyance might be my own peculiarity.
Decent Sight Lines
Despite the squinty side and slotlike rear windows, visibility to the rear is surprisingly good: Rear-quarter windows help you peer into your blind spots, the side mirrors are disproportionately large, and the interior rearview mirror provides a decent accounting of what's behind the Evoque through the short rear window. A backup camera and front and rear sonar parking sensors are standard. If that isn't enough for you, consider one of the option packages that includes the Surround Camera System: It has five cameras, including, most notably, one of the first true rearview cameras on the market. (It's not just a backup camera that comes on when the transmission's in Reverse, this one can display a rear view on the center touch-screen the whole time you're driving forward.)
Though I love the rearview camera idea, objects in the display were definitely closer than they appeared to be. Even with the view zoomed in, the scale was more like that of a side mirror than the realistic portrayal you get from an interior rearview mirror.
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