The entire design language of the Range Rover family is pretty straight forward. Take the big daddy Range Rover, give it a whirl in the drier, and you get the Range Rover Sport. Add on heat and time to achieve the Velar and then, the Evoque. Again, that’s oversimplifying things because the Evoque is the stylish one in the, uh, range.
Now in its second generation, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Malaysia will be introducing the updated 2020 Evoque soon. With the sleek and unmistakable coupe-esque silhouette, the style has always been the strongest point of this compact luxury SUV. The sloping roof and rakish shoulder lines make it one of the most elegant and sporty vehicles on the road today. Refreshing the look of the Evoque with new slim LED headlights and taillights, as well as flushed door handles last seen on the Velar, this new SUV does come with a suitcase full of tricks.
The main highlight of the new Range Rover Evoque comes in the form of an upgraded suite of advanced electronics and driving aids. Inside, the Evoque comes with JLR’s InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system. Incorporating a 10.0-inch high definition central touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, the Evoque offers a fully immersive digital experience for the driver and its occupants.
A notable feature in the interior of the Evoque is the introduction of the ClearSight Rear View Mirror, which turns the rearview mirror into an HD screen when engaged. This feature is especially handy when the small rear window is blocked by heads and cargo. With 609 litres of cargo space, which expands to 1,383 litres with the three-way split-folding rear seats put down, Land Rover says the Evoque now has a much wider and luggage space than its predecessor.
Although it begs belief that someone would take their plush and opulent Range Rover off-road, Land Rover has ensured that the off-road capabilities of their products are second to none should their owners ever wish to do so. The Evoque is brimming with the latest off-road technology Land Rover has to offer.
The 2020 Evoque debuts the brand’s ClearSight Ground View system; a world’s first. The system allows the driver to virtually see through the hood, and have a 180-degree field of vision of the ground under the hood. Land Rover says this system is useful in a myriad of driving situations, from clearing high curbs and tight parking spaces, to tackling rough off-road terrain.
Land Rover has also taken the liberty to fit the all-new Evoque with the brand’s first Smart Settings system. This feature incorporates artificial intelligence to learn the preferences of up to eight different drivers. The system’s algorithms use ‘self-learning’ to recognise different inputs such as climate settings, media preferences, frequently dialled numbers, as well as seating and steering position to create the optimal driving environment for each individual. The system recognises the profile of individual drivers from their unique key fob, and automatically adjust to suit the respective driver, much like your personal butler.
As part of its new safety net, the 2020 Evoque now features Driver Condition Monitor technology, detecting steering inputs that are symptomatic of a fatigued driver, and will automatically trigger an audible and visual warning. The Evoque also comes equipped with Lane Keep Assist, initiating gentle steering inputs to keep the vehicle in lane.
Under the hood, the Evoque features a new 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine from JLR’s Ingenium line of engines. Although JLR Malaysia has yet to confirm the trim and power levels available, it wouldn’t be an unsubstantiated guess that the Evoque would be putting out similar power to the Range Rover Velar P250 trim, with 247hp and 365Nm of torque. The two use the same engines after all. The Evoque’s powerplant will be mated to the nine-speed automatic transmission, similar to the one found in the current Evoque.
The Evoque has always been the vehicle of choice for the well-heeled in Malaysia, no doubt for the vehicle’s size, style and the impression. Although prices are yet to be confirmed, JLR Malaysia will be extending their ‘Land Rover Care’ programme to the new Evoque, which includes a five-year warranty, five-year vehicle service and three-year Roadside Assistance.
Seeing how successful the last Evoque is, there’s little doubt that the upcoming Evoque will turn more heads and open more purses.