10 Facts To Prove That The 2019 Range Rover Evoque Is Worth Every Dime

As one of the most successful Land Rover products of all time, the Range Rover Evoque has just been thoroughly reworked. Despite looking eerily similar to the first generation car, the new Evoque is actually entirely new - based on an all-new platform, with all new exterior and interior looks, and most importantly, with the tech that complements the change and launches the Evoque into the premium stardom of the future better than ever before. As you may know by now, the looks in themselves do not make a car premium.

Heritage, brand recognition, buyer base and, of course, the technology, do that as well. One needs to build on all of these virtues to be considered premium. And, the Range Rover Evoque has it all. Novel approach by its engineers injects a new life into it with the help of the introduction of some amazing features.

I am listing ten must known facts about the 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. It’s quite something.

Range Rover Evoque ClearSight rearview Mirror and ClearSight Ground View

Let me start with something that makes the 2019 Range Rover Evoque dramatically different compared to any of its soft, urban competition. I find the ClearSight rearview mirror technology and the ClearSight Ground View really progressive and almost avant-garde in its execution.

In all its entirety. The camera is positioned at the top of the shark-fin thingy on the roof. The lens is made of a special dirt and water repellent glass, and it is dimensioned in a way to provide 50-degree wider field of vision compared with what you could see in a mirror. However, the rearview mirror is still a rearview mirror as the display is covered with a reflective film. Now, you may ask, what’s the point. Get this - the Evoque's design (that is one of its main selling points) requires a continuously rising beltline which, in effect, reduces the space for the rear window. Fill up the trunk to the roof, or, seat two at the back with their heads blocking the way and you can see the problem. The ClearSight is mandatory. Now, this is not exactly new technology. Intelligent Rear View Mirror camera debuted on the 2018 Nissan Armada. Of course, in the Range Rover Evoque, one can easily switch between the HD display and an actual mirror at a touch of a button.

While you may find the ClearSight rearview mirror less than stellar, the other tech feature called the ClearSight Ground View is just that - stellar. Thanks to cameras in the door mirrors and in the grille, the Ground View system actually creates a 180-degree wide angle view that covers surfaces under the car, in front of the car, and at the sides. The system projects the image on the large central screen and basically allows you to see everything in front of the front wheels. The concept version of this system debuted in 2014 in the Land Rover Discovery Vision Concept “Transparent Hood.” True, for the Concept, Land Rover made the system project the camera feed onto the hood, practically making the hood a see-through estate. I find that this is a rather clever idea. Heck, I will say that projecting the video feed on the central display is even better than making a see-through hood (that would be extremely expensive for mass production anyway).

Obviously, a feature like this separates the Evoque from any other similarly sized SUV and showcases the intention of Land Rover to make its least beasty machine an off-road worthy crossover. I like it even more now.

Flush door handles

You know what? Only cool and quirky cars have cool door handles. In order to prove the point that the 2019 Range Rover Evoque is a cool SUV, designers imagined awesome flush door handles that look a bit like those on the Tesla Model S.

I am not interested in drag coefficient and stuff like that for the time being. Let me just tell you where the 2019 Range Rover Evoque fits with door handles like these.

These are some cars with awesome door handles I can picture right now in my head:

-* Nissan GT-R

-* C3 Corvette

-* Fiat Barchetta

-* TVR Tuscan

-* Tesla Model S

See the pattern yet? There are no boring or conventional cars here! At all! Kudos to you Land Rover!

Slim front lights

In an effort to create a seamless design, sophisticated looks, and add even more to the aerodynamic efficiency, the 2019 Range Rover Evoque received super-slim Matrix LED headlamps. Furthermore, rear headlights are even neater and slimmer. This created a unique look reminiscent of the Velar. Range Rover is obviously building a unique family look that is translated throughout the lineup.

Making thin headlights isn’t easy. At all. Car companies are continuously struggling to reinvent headlight technology so it can save energy, provide better illumination, and make it possible for the designers to translate their ideas into reality. The new BMW 8 Series, for example, has the thinnest headlights of any other Bimmer on the market. The Bavarians could achieve this only thanks to the use of LED headlights with BMW's LaserLight tech installed as standard. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to actually measure the headlights on the new Evoque, or the new 8 Series, but just by the looks of it, the headlights on the 2019 Evoque seem even slimmer compared with the ones on the Bimmer. I am positively amazed by this - more so than with that 180-degree camera vision that shows stuff underneath the car.

Boy is this a well-executed car, I am falling in love with it just as I am writing and researching about it.

It Will Shut Off At Speeds Below 10.5 mph During Braking

Those in the U.S. may not even get the diesel versions of the new Evoque, but we will get the Evoque with a 48-volt system and a cool mild-hybrid setup on gasoline-powered models. Nevertheless, for now, the 48-volt system and the mild-hybrid setup on diesel-powered models in Europe offer a quite smart solution for saving fuel. Well, it allows the car to switch off the engine completely at speeds below 10.5 mph under braking. In effect, the 2019 Range Rover Evoque, which is specifically tailored to save as much fuel as possible, and emit the least amount of pollutants as possible, will do that in an even more efficient way than ever.

The mild-hybrid setup apparently saves up to 6 percent of fuel, but also adds additional 75 pound-feet of torque. It is a standard equipment on all versions, save for the entry-level model. The battery for a concoction like this sits under the co-driver seat without intruding into the footwells. You will never notice it actually.

As you may already know, 48-volt electrical systems are becoming standard in the industry. The new Evoque obviously follows the trends.

Surprisingly, it is heavier compared with the preceding model

Contradictory to market trends, the new Range Rover Evoque is a tad heavier compared with the predecessor. One could argue that Range Rover should have used aluminum instead of the super-high-strength steel for the architecture, but the thing is that the Range Rover Evoque had to remain a city SUV. Apparently, if it were built of aluminum, Range Rover engineers would have had to integrate much thicker structural supports thus, actually, increasing the size of the crossover. Nevertheless, I am quite sure that using thin steel instead of thicker aluminum enabled engineers and designers to create a roomier cabin. After all, even the wheelbase is a bit longer compared with the predecessor.

Creating the car out of steel had another important benefit. Thanks to this, the engineers could form shorter overhangs. Steel can absorb more energy and surfaces that are to absorb a crash can be shorter. This is something you really need if you want to have a compact SUV with the best imaginable safety characteristics.

Obviously, using steel dramatically lowered the development cost, eased the production, and consequently made the car competitive on the market.

53 500ml plastic bottles inside

This is strange, isn’t it? Well, there aren’t actually 53 500 ml bottles inside the cabin of the new Range Rover Evoque. Instead, in an effort to be as eco-conscious as possible, Range Rover reached out to a Danish company called Kvadrat. This is a high-end company specialized in creating upholsteries for cabins and interior spaces altogether. If you have enough money, I am sure you can even have something upholstered by Kvadrat upholstery in your home. Nevertheless, Land Rover previously partnered with the company on the Velar, one of the first cars out there to have wool upholstery inside.

As the Evoque feels like it is the kid of the Velars, the same principle was applied here. Is this premium enough? Of course, it is. Upholstering the Evoque interior like this is far more eco-conscious compared to, say, all-leather upholstery.

Some other cabin options include the “Dinamica suedecloth, as well as Eucalyptus and Ultrafabrics options”.

“The use of recycled and natural materials in the Evoque along with the addition of the hybrid powertrains not only enhances its appeal but also underpins our approach to sustainable luxury,” says Chris Thorpe Land Rover Head of Sustainable Business.

Off-Road

The Range Rover Evoque is a small compact SUV. A crossover if you will - one that can compete with the likes of the Volvo XC40, or the BMW X1. Despite its competition, as it carries the name Land Rover and Range Rover, it simply has to be good at off-roading. You already learned it has cool ClearSight Ground view, but I about to tell you more about its capabilities.

First of all, its new platform and chassis enable it to ford through 600 millimeters of water (100 millimeters more than before). Second of all, it has a ground clearance of 8.3 inches.

Obviously, the FWD Evoque does exist, however, you don’t want that one. It is a Range Rover for goodness sake. Two AWD versions are available. One for mid-range versions that include a brake-based torque vectoring systems, and the other with a proper coupling torque distributor for the more expensive models. Add to this a Terrain Response 2 system and you have yourself one small, extremely capable crossover. Possibly the most capable crossover you can possibly imagine.

Horizontal tail lamp arrangement stretching across the tailgate

The rear lights are curiously narrow. Not only do they look awesome and feel like slightly evolved tail lamps from the Velar, but they offer another curious association with the latest trends in the industry. The lights are linked with a thin black bar. Yes, the last Evoque had something similar to +show, but in this case, everything feels a bit more upscale. I do not think that the rear bar can actually light up. Instead, it could be that the bar will light up in time for a facelift.

Linked rear lights are a big thing in the industry right now. Porsche uses it, Lincoln uses it, Lambo uses it. Why wouldn’t Range Rover?

Twin-touchscreen Touch Pro Duo

Taking the technology right from the likes of the I-Pace, the Velar and other Range Rover SUVs, the new Evoque is blessed with a twin-touchscreen Touch Pro Duo system with the newest infotainment system. In addition, the Evoque has a Digital cockpit, a full-color head-up display, and that cool rearview mirror. Heck, it basically has five distinct displays to present information.

Finally, the Apple CarPlay and the Android Auto are available for the Evoque. The infotainment, in itself, includes six USB ports, WiFi hotspot that can support eight devices, and an InControl Remote capability. Actually, the InControl Remote is a smartphone app that enables you to check up on “fuel range, lock and unlock the vehicle remotely, as well as pre-heat or cool the cabin.”

Smart Settings technology

Ok, the Smart Setting technology is actually part of the infotainment system, however, I had to make an all-new entry for it. See, Smart Settings actually debuts in the Evoque for the whole Range Rover brand. It is a smart technology that learns the driver’s habits.

Land Rover explains it like this:

“The 'self-learning' technology recognizes the driver from their key fob and phone and will set up their seat and steering column position on approach, allowing for up to eight profiles to be registered. After a few journeys, Evoque remembers the driver's preferred temperature settings, media preferences and commonly dialed numbers depending on the time or day of the week.”

If this does not sound too impressive, bear in mind that I am writing here about an entry-level Range Rover. Smart Setting will most certainly be further developed for high-end cars. Back in 2017, Mercedes-Benz revealed the Energizing Comfort Control. It is an all-encompassing system that automatically adjusts climate controls with fragrances, heater, ventilation, and massage options in the seats, music, and ambient lighting to create a soothing atmosphere in the cabin.

I can only imagine that the Smart Setting will do exactly the same for Range Rover SUVs. Now you can have it in the entry-level model. Amazing.

Final Thoughts

The 2019 Range Rover Evoque is novel, it takes known design cues to the next level, and teems with quirks only special cars or SUVs are blessed with. It is a premium city SUV, now garnished with advanced technology and enough new things to make it matter more than ever. It is a worthy successor to one of the most successful Land Rover cars of all time.