Range Rover recently tweaked their Evoque plug-in adding an extra mile of electric range & tidying up the exterior & interior. We headed to the Cotswolds on one on the hottest day of the year to see if these changes have made a very good car any better.
Engine
We’ll begin with the power train, because this IS the key to the PHEV’s low BIK & emissions. The plug-in features a three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, plus an electric motor that’s located in the rear axle. This gives the Evoque a pure electric range of 39 miles. Whilst the 1.5 petrol engine offers a decent 200PS, it’s the extra 109PS courtesy of the 15kWh battery that really makes the difference, offering 540Nm of torque, enabling the 150kg heavier plug-in, to feel nimble. Indeed, it’s no slouch hitting 60mph in just 6.1 seconds with a top speed of 132mph.
Model range & equipment
The plug-in Evoque is offered in four specs; S, R-Dynamic SE, R-Design Dynamic HSE & range topping Autobiography. S features a rear camera, cruise control & speed limiter, Lane Keep Assist, front & rear parking aid, LED headlights, 18″ alloys, leather seats, 12-way memory heated electric front driver seat, 10-way electric front passenger seat, wireless AppleCar Play & Android Auto, wireless charging, Pivi Pro with Connected Navigation & 11.4” touchscreen plus a 12-month Secure Tracker subscription.
SE adds 19″ alloys, a power tailgate, Blind Spot Assist, Adaptive Cruse Control, dual zone climate control, Traffic Sign Recognition & Adaptive Speed Limiter, a Meridian sound system & keyless entry. HSE is further enhanced with the addition of a fixed panoramic roof, pixel LED headlights with signature DRL & 20″alloys. Range topping Autobiography includes 21″alloys, an ebony interior with extended Windsor leather, Shadow Grey Ash veneer, a sliding panoramic roof, heated & cooled front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel & a tailgate spoiler.
Exterior & interior
Sidle up to the new Evoque & it’s easier to pick up on the differences over the original. There’s a new front grille, slimmer head & tail-lights with revised ‘Pixel LEDs’ & new matrix dimming technology. Outside our test car had extras added including a Tribeca Blue paint job £705, privacy glass £450 & a Corinthian Bronze contrast roof £650.
Inside you’ll note that the previous twin displays have been replaced by a single 11.4″ screen which makes everything tidier. The loss of the lower screen means extra storage & room for a smartphone charging pad. Our Evoque featured the lovely looking ash veneer dashboard finish & the sliding panoramic that is standard on the Autobiography makes the cabin much brighter. Elsewhere, there’s a new stubby gear lever & some new trim & seat finishes including leather alternatives. A couple of changes we didn’t like included the loss of physical climate switches & volume controls which are now adjusted via the touchscreen.
Interior space & practicality
The cabin is a joy to be in.There’s some useful storage on offer, with four storage bins, a cubby under the centre armrest, a rubberised tray on the centre console with two cup holders revealed underneath, decent door pockets & a glove box. Rear space is a little tight & headroom is still a little compromised by the sloping roof & in our case the panoramic glass roof.
Luggage capacity in the plug-in Evoque is unchanged from that of the mild-hybrid versions, at 472 litres. That increases to a maximum of 1,383 litres when you fold the rear seats down. There’s a handy flat boot floor, underneath which on our test car was a spare wheel. There’s also two charging cable bags containing the 13 Amp & 7.2kWh cables which come with the plug-in Evoque.
BIK & charging
With just 12% BIK on emissions of 33g/km, the plug-in Evoque’s 15kWh battery takes approximately 2 hours 15 minutes to charge from empty on a standard home 7.2kWh charger, although this can be done in under 30 minutes, using a more powerful fast charger. If the Evoque hit a 40 mile electric driving range it would reduce the BIK to 8%, which is a shame.
Economy
The city electric range is a claimed 46.0, the all-electric range 37.3 miles. Combined economy is as high as 190.9mpg but this is only achievable if you utilise the electric range as much as possible. Charge up as much a you can, because in petrol mode alone, we only averaged 35.8mpg.
Driving modes
There are three operation modes. Eco which sets the engine & response slightly lower in petrol mode. Hybrid allows the car to decide whether to run on battery power alone or mix electric & petrol power. Whilst EV allows you to drive on battery power alone, perfect in stop-start city traffic. On the touchscreen, you can select ‘Save’ so you can utilise battery power in slow moving traffic, rather than it running out quickly if you drive on the motorway, which is really useful.
When your actually driving the plug-in, you’ll notice a meter on the digital instrument panel, that keeps you informed of the cars electric range level. Otherwise, it looks & feels just like a normal petrol Evoque. You get the same smooth automatic gear change & excellent levels of comfort. This is a satisfying car to be in whether driving or as a passenger.
On board tech
The latest Pivi-Pro on-board tech works well. I connected my iPhone to Apple CarPlay & had a play around with the touch screen system when stationary, as there’s an awful lot in there; Vehicle Dimensions, Weather, Park & Pay & Valet mode anyone ? Some of course are more useful than others including ECO & EV, which give you a hands-on view of how you’re driving & 4X4 for those off-road adventures.
Out & about
On the motorway there’s plenty of power on offer enabling you to overtake slower moving traffic & the Evoque sits happily at motorway speeds utilising Adaptive Cruise Control. The cabin is very quiet with little wind or road noise noticeable. My co-passenger enjoyed the front seat adjustment & on the hottest day of the year the cooling seats as well. All around visibility is good & sat in the drivers seat I was comfortable too.
On a journey along the winding roads around Broadway, the small Evoque handled exceptionally well & after a couple of hours behind the wheel, I really couldn’t fault it. It really is a lovely car to drive.
The previous day, we visited a gastro-pub that is located right next to the Land Rover Experience at Peckforton, where coincidentally five years previously, we had driven the Evoque on a series of challenging tasks, all of which it coped with, to great aplomb. Most customers won’t ever put their Evoque through such a tough environment, but it’s good to know, that if you buy one, the option is there for you to attend one of these UK wide specialist Land Rover off-road centres, to see just what your Range Rover or Land Rover really is capable of.
Pros
12% BIK, fabulous cabin, quiet & comfortable interior, very well equipped, brilliant off-road, premium image.
Cons
With our range topping P300e Autobiography setting you back £60,385, the plug-in version makes most sense as a company car, leasing monthly. Rear seat space is tight. Misses out on 8% BIK by a whisper.
Conclusion
For SME fleet customers who are lucky enough to be in the market for a premium SUV, then we cannot recommend the plug-in Evoque highly enough. The improvements further enhance the model range & we would put the Evoque at the top of the class for SUV’s in it’s sector, until or if, a pure EV Range Rover Evoque is offered, with proper 4X4 capabilities. Until it does, the plug-in will do nicely thank you very much.
The baby of the bunch has a lot going for it 4/5
