The Range Rover Evoque Hybrid, Compact Luxury

The Range Rover Evoque hybrid is a sorted car. It’s compact it’s easy to get around but it brings that measure of luxury of the status of a quality brand.

The model we drove is a plugin hybrid and I’ve only got praise for its driving characteristics sending the power of a 1.3L turbo to the front wheels and the hybrid battery pack to the rear. You’ve got a mix of characteristics that overall deliver a great result. With one click pop it in EV mode and it’s a delight to drive with the electric power going to the rear wheels and the steering precise and responsive. It’s a pleasure both around town and if you’re going any distance the benefit of a plugin hybrid means you get the economy of electric, ease of petrol and a very good range well in excess of 500 kilometres.

This is the top-of-the-line model with the fabulous Meridian sound system. All of the drivers aides, an expansive panoramic glass top with an automated screen that is essential if you have a glass lid. Leather seats complement a selection of recycled materials that are all high quality and with a pleasant light colour scheme keeping the vehicle cool and making for a refreshing cockpit. It’s so Range Rover that the cup holder conveniently holds a bottle of champagne!

Interior electronics are very good with a unique, lightweight, stylish design on the console screen. A very large and flexible driver display and a comprehensive heads-up. A heads-up display is table-stakes these days but some manufacturers think you don’t deserve it. But you do!

The steering wheel is well laid out with tasty metal gear paddles if you want to pretend you’ve got a Jaguar or maybe if you’re off-road. Speaking of off-road there are a variety of terrain modes, plus Eco and comfort for the road of course. This is a Land Rover-based car and everything Land Rover does, they make sure it’s stunning off-road. So we took it offroad. And oh it’s very good. Tackle your chosen path, and you just shoot through it. In style of course. “Wow, this thing’s impressive” I shout as it sails through areas you think you might think it would struggle, but it just doesn’t stop. It’s easy and outrageous fun….oh my lord, it’s just so hilarious it just makes you want to find mountains that you can drive down for a laugh. I’m gonna do it again. That was just too much fun.

Four years ago I spent an incredible day in the far distant reaches of Auckland toward the Kaipara harbour exploring forest, sand dunes, rivers and every imaginable terrain. Put on by Landrover, they bought all of the best vehicles, all mind-bogglingly capable. An experience like that gives you a taste for this brand. A lot of four-wheel drives or SUVs look like they tick the boxes, but you know for sure if you’re driving a Range Rover that it can haul in any terrain. The Evoque is no different, despite its petite size. 

It’s similarly set up to some other plugin hybrids. I do like them. You jump in and use it like a petrol car without knowing anything about its hybrid capabilities yet you can run out of gas and still get up to 50 kilometres of range in all-electric mode. Again it’s a delight to drive in electric mode. And knowing that petrol engine as their means never any range anxiety.

This is one of the best daily drivers I’ve ever had that’s more capable that most SUVs.