A Range Rover Evoque with an engine smaller than a Prius? Have the engineers at JLR lost faith?
Cool, poised, and with just the right amount of flash, the Range Rover Evoque hasn’t lost an ounce of its magnetism since its debut back in 2011.
Now in its second generation, with a gentle facelift in 2023, the Evoque is still the sharp dresser at the SUV party, with everyone else trying to copy its collar fold.
Really, a Range Rover with a tiny engine?
Hold on to your pitchforks for just a moment. While it may seem counterintuitive at first glance, this powertrain combination actually works well.
JLR has fitted its P160 3-cylinder porker into this Evoque, and took out its all-wheel drive capabilities. The result is a front-wheel drive looker that pushes out 158bhp and 260Nm.
It might not be as fast as its all-wheel drive siblings, but the engine is electrically assisted and offers up a healthy wave of torque once you’ve coaxed it enough. Step on it, though, and the engine chugs along with a bit of a grumble.
There’s decent pace (0–100km/h in 10.3 seconds), but you’ll feel the car’s heft when cornering or braking with vigour. The 8-speed automatic gearbox is mostly slick, although it occasionally downshifts like it’s triple-checking your intent.
It’s fantastic where it counts
Crucially, Range Rover hasn’t pretended the Evoque is sporty. It doesn’t dart around corners like a Macan, but what it does offer is composure. It soaks up bad weather and bad roads with the same kind of grace you’d expect from a car wearing a royal warrant.
Steering feel is minimal, but there’s confidence in the way the Evoque tracks through corners. In tight city lanes, the narrow body and good outward visibility (rear window aside) are worth their weight in gold. And tyre noise? Whisper quiet.
Want to take it off-road? You could. It’s got 60cm of wading depth and more clearance than any rival in its class. But let’s be honest, with front-wheel drive and the sort of people buying them, most Evoques will never see a muddy trail. Unless it’s the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve carpark after a heavy thunderstorm.
But the digital nanny strikes again
Of course, no modern SUV is complete without its suite of nanny systems. The Evoque is chock-full of them: forward collision alerts, speed limit reminders, the whole shebang. Trouble is, every time you start the car, they reset to the most aggressive settings. Imagine being nagged by your mother… every single time you leave the house. “BONG! You’re going 90 in a 70!” Cheers, mum.
Toggling them off requires touchscreen fiddling or steering wheel menus, not ideal when you’re trying to, you know, drive.
A compact SUV that stays compact
In a world where every car seems to gain an inch with each generation, the Evoque stays true to its city-slicker dimensions. And that’s great news. Because in places like central Singapore, size really does matter.
That familiar wedge shape remains, only now it’s cleaner and sharper. Panels lie as flush as pressed linen, the lights sparkle with pixel precision, and the handles hide away. It’s all rather obsessive, in the most Range Rover way possible.
But don’t mistake this for a rehash of the old. The Mk2 Evoque sits on an all-new platform, and a longer wheelbase hints at its grown-up intentions, namely better ride, more tech, and a touch more legroom for rear-seat royalty.
It’s still got that Range Rover plush. You slide in, not just climb. The seating position is just high enough to lord over traffic, but never so high that you feel like you’re piloting a commercial lorry.
Upholstery and materials are as posh as you’d expect, and the rich leather options have endured enough abrasion testing to outlive your next three smartphones.
Boot space is generous (591 litres with the seats up, 1,383 litres down), making it more cavernous than most of its German peers. There’s also smart storage throughout the cabin: big bins in the doors, a deep centre console, and a cubby beneath the armrest for your coupons and mysterious sweets from your last road trip.
And let’s not forget the gadgets. The Ground View camera system is great for threading through HDB carparks without curbing your alloys, while the digital rear-view mirror gives you eyes even when the boot is packed to the brim.
Goodbye buttons, hello screen
Now, about that facelift. Outside, the changes are minimal, but inside, it’s screens galore. The old dual-display setup has been traded for a single, curved 11.4-inch touchscreen. It looks stunning. Crisp graphics, clean layout, and just about everything you need lives inside it.
Well, almost everything. There’s just one physical control left: the gear selector. Everything else, from fan speed to heated seats, now lives in the digital world.
The system is responsive enough, and the always-visible sidebars help. But do we miss the tactile twist of a good old-fashioned knob? Yes. Yes, we do.
Offering a different sort of fun
The Range Rover Evoque still feels like the most stylish kid on the block. It might not be the roomiest, nor the sportiest, but that’s never been the point. This is a baby Range Rover with proper Range Rover manners.
If you’re looking for an SUV that’s as much about self-assurance as it is substance, the Evoque remains a class act. It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t need to. It just knows it looks good doing whatever it does.
Technical Specifications
Range Rover Evoque 1.5 S
Engine: 1.5-litre in-line 3, Turbocharged
Drivetrain: Front-Wheel Drive
Power: 158 bhp
Torque: 260 Nm
Gearbox: 8-Speed (A)
0-100km/h: 10.3 seconds (claimed)
Fuel Tank Capacity: 67 litres
Fuel Economy: 12.3 km/litre (claimed)
Price: S$172,888 (Standard) or S$182,888 (Premium Pack), both without COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)
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