2020 Range Rover Evoque Engine & Performance

Land Rover is offering the Evoque with a choice of petrol and diesel options. We drove the D180 diesel that is powered by a 2.0 litre four cylinder turbo motor that puts out 180 hp and 430 Nm of torque. The engine has better refinement levels than before. It picks up nicely from the low end and has a great mid-range as well. Howver, the engine does get vocal after 3500 rpm and performance tapers out soon after. The 9 speed automatic gearbox is smooth with its shifts, but does tend to get a bit confused and takes a second or so  when executing a kickdown and choosing the right gear. You can take manual control via the paddle shifters though. The Evoque does make for a fantastic highway cruiser. It can drive  at 100 – 110 kph in 9th gear at 1700 rpm all day long. And to be honest, Im actually looking forward to driving the petrol Evoque with the P250 engine. That motor is a riot and Im sure it will be fun in the baby Rangie as well. If performance is what you want, that should be the pick.

2020 Range Rover Evoque Ride & Handling

The Range Rover Evoque features a suspension setup that is on the stiffer side, so you do feel the bumps and undulations at lower speeds, but flattens out and becomes better as you go faster. The stiffness keeps body roll in control and the Evoque darts nicely into corners. The steering does offer nice feedback too. With its compact dimensions, it is easy to drive in the urban jungle as well.

When it’s a Land Rover, you do expect a lot of off-road tech and the Evoque doesn’t disappoint. It gets goodies like Terrain Response 2, All Terrain Progress Control (ATPC), Low Traction launch, Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control. Ground clearance stands at 212 mm and there’s a water wading depth of 600 Nm. While I did not have a chance to try the off-road hardware during this drive, I had the chance of putting the previous gen Evoque through some hardcore obstacles at the Land Rover Above and Beyond Tour last year. I’m expecting this one to be even better and hoping to get a chance to do something similar with the new Evoque in the not too distant future.

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