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2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

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Curious about the newer model? Check out the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Overview

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2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Review

By Micah Muzio

KBB Expert Rating: 7.4

Land Rover's rugged-yet-luxurious Range Rover line has long appealed to the well-heeled and adventurous elite. But with rising gas prices and ever-more-stringent fuel-economy and environmental standards, even the mighty Range Rover needs to adapt. Enter the 2012 Range Rover Evoque, a comparatively compact Range Rover crossover SUV that comes in five-door and coupe flavors, offering up a striking shape nearly identical to the Land Rover LRX concept car on which it is based. With an efficient 240-horsepower four-cylinder engine, improved aerodynamics and a smaller, lightweight body, the all-wheel-drive Evoque reinterprets the classic Range Rover formula with a renewed sense of style and a newfound environmental conscience.

You'll Like This Car If...

You'll like the 2012 Range Rover Evoque if you want a seriously stylish luxury SUV that drives well in the city, but isn't afraid of the wilderness. The new Evoque also returns up to 28 mpg on the highway, a number inconceivable in anything else wearing a Range Rover badge.

You May Not Like This Car If...

If your vision of Range Rover ownership involves treks across the Serengeti or bashing along craggy mountain trails you may not like the Range Rover Evoque. Its Haldex all-wheel drive system happily varies the torque front to rear, to the wheels where added traction is needed, but the low-speed transfer case and locking differentials found on higher-end Range Rovers–and essential for hardcore off-roading–are missing.

KBB Expert Ratings

Overall Rating

7.4
Driving Dynamics

7.8
Comfort & Convenience

6.2
Design: Interior & Exterior

9.2
Value

6.2
Safety

N/A

How It Ranks

#2

out of 48

MPG

#47

out of 48

Horsepower

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Consumer Rating

7.7 out of 10

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consumer ratings

What's Significant About This Car?

The 2012 Evoque is the lightest and most fuel efficient Range Rover yet, representing a substantial departure for the Land Rover brand and giving cues about where the rest of its vehicle range might be headed. With 20,000 Evoques pre-ordered before cars even arrived on dealer lots, it looks like Land Rover's bold departure is paying off.

Driving the Range Rover Evoque

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Front angle view photo

Driving Impressions It's a known fact that most SUVs are never taken off road. Given that reality, we are pleased with how well the Evoque performed on road. Body motions are controlled,...

the steering feels good, and the six-speed automatic transmission and 2.0-liter turbocharged engine work well together, reacting eagerly to produce quick acceleration when needed. From a comfort perspective, the Evoque rides smoothly, feels stable at higher speeds, and limits the noise getting into the cabin. But what about that rare driver who does venture off road? We tested the Evoque on muddy, rutted back roads, in wet fields and up and down steep slippery hills. Throughout these trials, the Range Rover Evoque impressed, ably getting power to the ground, absorbing impacts from rough surfaces and generally doing whatever we asked of it. We wouldn't recommend it for crossing the Rubicon Trail, but we'll bet the Evoque is capable enough for most drivers' needs.

Favorite Features

Panoramic glass roof
Given the Evoque's narrow side glass, we expected the interior to feel confining. Not so, thanks to the standard panoramic glass roof. This unbroken expanse of glass is positively huge, letting in an abundance of sunlight and it giving those inside a brilliant view of the wonders above.

Pop-up shift knob
When the vehicle is started, a rotary shift knob ascends from the center console to give the driver control of the transmission. Found on the top-line Range Rover models and throughout Jaguar's lineup, the ceremony of the pop-up shift knob reminds you that you're about to drive something special.

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Details

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Dashboard, center console, gear shifter view photo

Interior

Contrasting the flashy exterior is a simply laid out five-passenger interior. Material quality is excellent but it's subtler details like the buttons and switches that really impress. These operate with a refined click that conveys a sense of quality. The seats are comfortable yet supportive and passenger space is good in all positions in the five-door model, though we suspect the rear seats might feel cramped with three aboard. Accessing the coupe's cozier rear quarters is a challenge, but once aboard, occupant comfort remains generally good. Cargo space is good in both models with fold-down rear seats included for larger loads.

Exterior

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque photo

Based on the Land Rover LRX concept SUV, the Range Rover Evoque is unusual for having made the transition from concept to reality with its design almost completely preserved. Signature Ranger Rover details like a clamshell hood and "floating roof" coexist with an ultra-narrow greenhouse and a sharply drawn features to give the Evoque a low, wide, athletic and modern appearance. Pragmatic types might gravitate to the somewhat larger and cheaper five-door body style, while style-focused buyers will appreciate the slightly lower roofline and stylized hood vents found on the Evoque coupe.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

The base "Pure" trim includes a long list of features including keyless entry and engine start, power-adjustable leather seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power tailgate, 19-inch alloy wheels and an 11-speaker audio system with an eight-inch touchscreen. On the dynamic side, all Evoques feature hill-hold and Hill Descent Control along with Land Rover's terrain response system featuring unique driving modes for sand, mud and snow. Standard safety features include stability and traction controls, roll stability control, Trailer Stability Assist (to help when towing), and six airbags.

Optional Equipment

Options are grouped into three trim levels. The Pure Premium trim adds a five-camera surround-view system, navigation, adaptive xenon headlights and a 17-speaker audio system. From there buyers can move up to either the sporty Dynamic Premium or the luxurious Prestige Premium trims, each offering a variety of interior and exterior upgrades. Lastly, the optional Adaptive Dynamics system serves to improve ride and handling by way of magneto-rheological dampers that continually adjust their firmness.

Under the Hood

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Engine photo

Under the Evoque's hood sits a 2.0-liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine that, while turbocharged, exhibits virtually none of the power lag often associated with turbos. Incidentally, the same engine is also found in the Ford Explorer EcoBoost. For Range Rover duty, the engine has been waterproofed and beefed up for operation at more extreme driving angles. Acceleration to 60 mph from a standstill takes around seven seconds–a decently quick time, though the engine sounds less refined doing so than the Evoque's pricier Range Rover kin. The sole transmission offered is a six-speed automatic that includes steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters for manual control.

2.0-liter turbocharged in-line 4
240 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
251 lb.-ft. of torque @ 1,750 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/28 mpg

Pricing Notes

The base 2012 Range Rover Evoque five-door has an asking price of $43,995. Stepping up to the Premium trim adds $4,000 to the price while the Dynamic Premium and Prestige Premium versions check in at $51,495 and $52,395 respectively. Prices for the Evoque Coupe are between $1,000 and $1,400 more expensive than their five-door counterparts. Prices for comparable premium small SUVs, including the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK and Audi Q5, tend to be much lower than the Range Rover Evoque, with base prices starting in the mid- to high-$30,000 range. To see what others in your area may have paid for their Range Rover Evoque, be sure to check the Fair Purchase Price on kbb.com. Products from Land Rover tend to suffer from below average residual values, a trend we expect to be somewhat tempered by the Evoque's strong desirability.

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2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

7.7

Out of 10

Based on 7 Ratings for the 2012 - 2013 models.

Review this car

Value

7.0/10

Quality

7.4/10
Reliability

6.7/10

Performance

8.4/10
Comfort

8.3/10

Styling

9.7/10

Worst car

By eEK (IL) on Thursday, February 07, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,125

10 4.0

overall rating 4 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 4/10
Value: 1/10
Reliability: 1/10
Quality: 1/10
Performance: 3/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 5/10

Pros: "Exterior"

Cons: "Everything else"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"Bought car January 2. Towed after 1 week. All warning lights came on no power steering, car would not shift to another gear. Everything. Took one week to repair. Module replaced. Smart keys stopped working this week. Called everyone to complain. Called first time and this time also. Said I have warranty and they stand behind. No help. Poor service to make sure car one month old repaired. I have owned 20 cars from for focus to Infiniti and this is the worst. Car towed again today."

20 people out of 22 found this review helpful

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Grood bang for the buck!

By Aeremis (FL) on Thursday, December 20, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 12,700

10 8.0

overall rating 8 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 6/10
Quality: 8/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 7/10

Pros: "Feature packed, great looks, off road capable"

Cons: "New model bugs, could use more storage"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 7

"You definitely get what you pay for. Camparable crossovers (VW Toureg, BMW X3/X5, Audi Q5, etc.) may start off less, but once you add the options to match the pure plus w/premium package, the others end up being way more than the evoque. Value 8/10: For the amount of features you get and the luxury brand name, it's a decent price. Reliability 6/10: While I've had no safety issues, I've still had to bring the vehicle in for minor things here and there. It's a real pain in the rear when you live about 100 miles from the nearest dealership, not to the mention the unnecessary miles you have to put on your car. From reading other owner reviews, it seems this is a mixed bag and some have problems while others have seen nothing. Too early to tell though. Quality 8/10: excellent materials and well assembled, but I do have to ding a couple points since things are already "breaking" so soon. Driving Dynamics 9/10: Solid performance, great feel, good fuel economy. -1 point as there is noticeable turbo lag and if you don't feather the throttle properly, the sudden turbo kick can be quite unexpected. Design 10/10: There's no denying it. This thing looks amazing. From the head turning headlights and body lines, to the luxurious interior, the Evoque definitely has the "wow" factor. Comfort & Convenience 8/10: While it fits 4-5 adults quite comfortably, the storage is lacking. Not that big of a deal as a city cruiser/commuter. This can be remedied by laying down the rear seats, but you give up the rear seating. It can also be offset by having roof rails, but they aren't standard like a lot of other crossovers in this price range and cost quite a bit as a separate accessory. Overall 8/10: This thing is awesome given that you can accept the drawbacks here and there, but hey what relationship doesn't have its flaws? The things that I've had issues with so far aren't bad considering that you keep in mind that this is a first year model. Overall, I love my Evoque!"

9 people out of 9 found this review helpful

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Disappointed

By Auntie (MA) on Wednesday, November 21, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 5,500

10 4.0

overall rating 4 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 4/10
Value: 5/10
Reliability: 3/10
Quality: 3/10
Performance: 7/10
Styling: 8/10
Comfort: 8/10

Pros: "Love the styling, comfort, mileage power"

Cons: "Interior not as luxurious for the money"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"I am disappointed with my Evoque. I have had it 4 months and it has been back to the dealer twice within two weeks. It has 5,500 miles but now I am having issues with the tires and coolant. When the temperature drops more than 10 degrees, the tires lose air and the sensor light comes on. The dealer has had to fill the tires twice so far. The next thing that just happened was the coolant light came on. Brought it in again and it needed coolant. Dealer said to expect to bring it back a few more times. For the money I paid, I am disgusted and thinking of trading it already. Now I am thinking I should have gotten the Infinit FX35 or FX50 or the Lexus."

15 people out of 17 found this review helpful

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Best SUV Ever

By Watch geek (SC) on Tuesday, August 07, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,200

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: Not Rated
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Awesome exterior and interior, great gas mileage."

Cons: "Limited storage when back seats are not folded."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"The Evoque Dynamic has it all. Great body style, comfortable interior, all the bells and whistles. Driving this vehicle is such a pleasure with the engine/transmission combination that is standard with this vehicle. I enjoy this vehicle so much that I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in a compact SUV. It is at the high end of the price points for compacts...but you are buying a "range rover" and it is expected to be higher priced than others in its class. It is worth every penny, it is the best of the best."

10 people out of 12 found this review helpful

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AWESOME, LOVE IT

By jsb (TX) on Monday, July 30, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 15,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 6/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 8/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"LITTLE PRICEY,ALTHOUGH WORTH IT. A MUST DRIVE TO EXPERIENCE IT'S WOW FACTOR. ONLY DOWNFALL FOR THIS VEHICLE IS YOU CAN'T GET ANY PERFORMANCE MODIFICATION PARTS AS OF YET."

7 people out of 8 found this review helpful

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great

By mark on Sunday, June 17, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 8,100

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Beautiful to look at."

Cons: "Price"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This SUV is so comfortable it unbelievable and the seats are the best I've ever sat in. The steering is so responsive and turns on a dime. I hope you like attention because that what you'll get driving one. Gas mileage is good. The engine is fast and willing. It's works well off road. Love the 825 watt stereo."

7 people out of 8 found this review helpful

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