Range Rover Evoque 2.0 diesel review

• Published On: 14 June 2017
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The latest update for the chic and sexy Evoque comes in the form of a frugal, new 2.0-litre diesel engine.

The car you see here is the familiar Evoque. It’s the model that introduced style sensibilities into Land Rovers and Range Rovers, SUVs that were popular for their off-road potency but never for being stylish.

The Evoque got a facelift in 2016, and a year later comes another update. This time, however, the big change is under the bonnet. The older model’s 2.2-litre diesel engine has been swapped with a new 2.0-litre diesel unit which hails from JLR's Ingenium range of engines. With the update, the Evoque also gets a fuel-saving engine stop-start system (it switches the engine off when you halt at traffic lights).

New for the Evoque is a new mid-level SE Dynamic variant, which gets a sporty body kit akin to the one on the fully-loaded Evoque HSE. Also, the Evoque now comes with Jaguar’s slick, new InControl Touch Pro infotainment system, which features a 10-inch touchscreen. This unit is as tactile and smooth to use as modern smartphones. It comes with navigation and a host of connectivity applications, but sadly, there’s no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

On the inside
There’s little that’s changed in the car’s interior, and so, you still get the same plush cabin as before. It isn’t as spacious as the Discovery Sport that costs about the same, but quality, fit and finish are several notches higher here.

From behind the wheel
The new 2.0-litre motor makes 180hp and 430Nm on the Evoque, and is paired with the same nine-speed automatic gearbox as the older 2.2-litre diesel engine. JLR claims this engine is more efficient than the motor it replaces, and that’s a lot due to its lighter, all-aluminium construction.

To drive, it doesn’t feel very different from the older model. The engine starts up with a mild rumble, which fades away once you’re on the move. It’s not pin-drop silent, but the sound is more of a drone than a clatter that you’d feel in say, BMW’s 2.0-litre diesel-powered cars. So, in all, this is quite a refined engine, and definitely an improvement over the older motor.

What has also improved is the power delivery, which is even smoother than the older engine. The car, however, doesn’t feel any quicker than before.

What remains unchanged is the slightly clunky nature of the nine-speed gearbox. At low speeds, it shifts a touch too late at times, which results in jerky progress. That said, you’ll be rewarded with a smooth drive if you aren’t hesitant with your inputs. Also, it moves quite smartly when driven hard. Now, this isn’t meant to be a sporty car, but for its proportions, it feels surprisingly comfortable at high speeds.

Is it worth the money?
Despite not being the most value-for-money luxury SUV, Indians have never shied away from the Evoque. And that’s because it looks nothing short of a fashion statement. While the update carries that part forward unchanged, it adds a cleaner, smoother, more efficient, diesel engine into the mix.

It’s also worth pointing out that the new motor, displacing 1,999cc, puts the Evoque (and the remaining Land Rover and Range Rover SUVs that will receive this engine soon) out of the purview of the ban on diesel engines displacing over 2,000cc, in case it’s brought back into effect.

Not to forget, there’s also the new touchscreen infotainment system that lends an air of modernity to the interior. Yes, the gearbox could have been a bit smoother, but that aside, the updated Evoque leaves little to complain about.