2012 Range Rover Evoque Coupe HD Video Review

Land Rover products have always been part status symbol, part mountain goat. Let's add fashionista to the list. The Range Rover Evoque is the smallest, lightest, and most efficient model they've ever created. And when's the last time you've seen a sport ute without back doors? Evoque is available in a more traditional five-door version, which would go up against BMW X3, Audi Q5, and Mercedes GLK. The three-door Coupe here competes against, um, uh, let me get back to you on that one. Because of its bold silhouette and unique mission in the market, the Coupe Evoque's strong responses. The gunslit windows are straight off a concept car. Things are different under the hood too. The turbocharged two-liter four-cylinder pumps out 240 horsepower. Pretty dramatic back end. There's drama inside too. This controls the six-speed transmission, complete with sport mode. Manual shifts are done here. Based on the Range Rover LR2 architecture, Evoque is some 350 pounds lighter, so zero to 60 rushes up in about seven seconds. EPA-rated fuel economy is good at 18-city, 28-highway. Equipped with MagneRide magnetic suspension that can instantly soften or firm up, body roll is practically non-existent. Cornering is very engaging for a sport youth. Ride quality on the stiff side. The cabin is quiet, making it easy to drift up over legal speeds. Bopping around in stop-and-go urban driving, you'll notice a little bit of turbo lag off the line. Also, the four-cylinder in the Range Rover, a bit more coarse than the six-cylinder competition. Evoque is available with front-wheel drive and it's quite possible that this is the roughest terrain most of them will ever see. But before you think it's all stiletto heels and no hiking boot, remember this is a Range Rover with all-wheel drive and terrain response. Match the icon to the surface you want to cross and you're good to go. This is just light off-roading. Evoque can handle more than this. It can also tow up to 3,500 pounds. There's hill descent too. Things get even more interesting inside. Materials, from this aluminum to the soft instrument panel, look great. From this Volvo-esque space to the dramatic sweep of the center console, Evoque impresses everyone that sits down in the supportive leather seats. I find the interface busy and hard to read at a glance. There is one of those automatic parking systems available for Evoque and some really cool cameras. Whether it's to keep wheels and bumpers free of scrapes or check out terrain when off-roading, there are enough camera views here to start your own cable network. Audiophiles will love the Meridian sound system. There's an acre of glass in the roof and the gauge cluster gives a strong signal when terrain response is set for street performance mode. A nice luxury, the tiller gets heat. If you're often in a hurry to get people into the back, the Coupe version may not be for you. You might want to check back in a minute. Time for gripes. The huge side mirrors block forward visibility, something not found in abundance here. There are no grab handles, bottle holders in the doors, ventilated seats, or much adjustment in the visors. Once you're in, there's a surprising amount of room, but only belts for two back here. That's actually an option. There's storage galore, but no cup holders or power port for friends to charge phones. Hauling cargo is one of the reasons why people buy rigs like these. If it rolls around, it's easy to tie down. Hard to call AAA if you're out in the wilderness, so this is appreciated. The pinched back end helps keep usable space down. For example, Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLK each hold 8 bundles, so 5 packs of the 2-ply is on the low side. It's been a long time since people have been so polarized over a design. Some folks just don't get the Evoque. Personally, I find it very interesting. It was fun to photograph this car. In white, it sort of reminds me of a Star Wars Stormtrooper. Nerd alert. So what will these brains, brawn and beauty set you back? Well, it starts at $44,000. This one is $58,400, which will also buy a well-equipped Mercedes M-Class or Audi Q7. This has a style the others can't match though. Looking to add a piece of art to your driveway? Range Rover Evoque delivers. For those who don't find enough style here, Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice, was named Creative Design Executive to the Evoque program. She's working with Land Rover on a special edition of the Evoque. Save up your quid, kids. There you go, folks. That is my opinion on the 2012 Range Rover Evoque Coupe. Know that Land Rover believes that 80% of these sold will be the more practical 5-door. That only makes sense. And if you're looking for an opinion other than mine on this vehicle, know that this has been named, drumroll please, Scottish Car of the Year. Can't beat that. You can always trust those Scots. That's Driven, I'm Tom Voelk.