Haute Living had the opportunity to test drive the all-new, ultra-luxe 2016 Range Rover Evoque. We were in route to Washington, D.C. for the weekend. Slated to be about 226 miles, roughly four hours contingent on traffic, we began our journey to the nation’s capital.
The keyless, push-button start SUV features have evolved since the last edition. The ultra-sleek exterior has a new bumper, which creates a more muscular appearance and features significantly enlarged lower air intakes. There are full-LED adaptive headlamps, three new alloy wheel designs, all-new front and rear seats complemented by three new interior colorways, revised soft-touch premium surfaces, and the introduction of a new infotainment system.
It was a cloudy weekend and Hurricane Joaquin was slated to make his appearance at a moment’s notice. With grey skies and gusty winds, we thought we were in for a turbulent journey. As we drove along our suggested route, the New Jersey Turnpike S to I95 S and vice versa, the advanced LED technology offered a number of benefits compared with traditional projector headlamps, including a brighter, more evenly distributed light cone, a longer lifespan and reduced demands on the vehicle’s electrical system. More importantly, the headlamps’ adaptive function enabled light beams to be automatically aligned with steering inputs and efficiently follow the curves in the road, thus a more precisely illuminating the road ahead of us.
The trip to Washington D.C., a journey we have done many times with other automobile brands, has never been as smooth as it was riding in the 2016 Range Rover Evoque. The posh interior raises the bar when it comes to comfort. The seat designs features four increasingly sophisticated levels of adjustment, from six-way manual adjustment for both driver and passenger, to 14-way electric memory seats with four-way lumbar support and fully adjustable bolsters. In layman’s terms, even on a long-distance road trip you are helping correct your posture and minimize back pain associated with sitting for an extended amount of time.
The vehicle comes with Land Rover’s advanced 240-hp gasoline engine. Delivering strong performance, the Range Rover Evoque can accelerate from 0-62mph (0-100km/h) in 7.6 seconds and achieve a top speed of 135mph3 (217km/h). It also has a return fuel economy of 30mpg4 highway. One of the coolest aspects of the compact SUV’s engine is its advanced stop-start technology. Stop-start automatically switches off the engine in just 300 milliseconds when Evoque is stationary. The vehicle then restarted before we even had a chance to move our feet from the brake to the accelerator. This, too, reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions between 5 and 7%.
The advanced infotainment and driver-assistance system is easier to use than ever before. In a few simple steps, we were able to connect our mobile device. Gone are the days where the driver’s phone is the only phone that can be connected. The eight-inch touchscreen also offers improved response times, crisper graphics courtesy of 800×480 pixel resolution and a reduced number of steps between functions compared with predecessor systems. Of course, the infotainment features Bluetooth audio and phone capability, a six-speaker stereo system and USB connectivity, while DAB, Sirius and HD Radio are also available in certain markets. Other advanced conveniences include:
- Address entry from a connected phone’s contacts
- 3D terrain and building graphics
- 3D junction view of upcoming junctions
- Auto prompts for parking and coffee stops
- Historical traffic data
- Economical route to minimize fuel consumption
- Traffic congestion view and suggested detours
- A traffic events function, which reads out upcoming problems
- Breadcrumbing and point-to-point navigation for off-road use
The most essential aspect of the Range Rover Evoque is the Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB). The advanced system is able to quickly identify and respond to potential road hazards. If an accident risk is sensed, the driver will be notified through visual and audio prompts. More importantly, in the event a driver fails to take the necessary precautions, the SUV system helps to avoid collisions below 32mph (50km/h) as well as reduce the severity of an impact at speeds below 50mph (80km/h). Thankfully, we did not need to make use of the AEB.
Driving the 2016 Range Rover Evoque was, by far, one of the most seamless, fuel-efficient and comfortable journey we’ve taken in 2015. It’s a definite must-have! The Range Rover Evoque is available in a number of colors like the Lunar Ice, Vintage Tan and Dark Cherry (Autobiography only) and models such as the SE, HSE, HSE Dynamic and Autobiography. It’s also available in both coupé and five-door body styles.
Haute Cuisine
October 27, 2015How PS 214 Is Redefining Dallas Brunch
