By Otsile Kadiege

In a bid to remain relevant in a competitive premium compact SUV segment, Land Rover has revealed the updated Evoque which now gets new technologies, luxury materials and a subtle yet noticeable exterior design update.

Exterior

On the outside, the updated Evoque’s reductive exterior presence is enhanced by a new grille and super-slim Pixel LED headlights with signature DRL, which deliver a technical, jewel-like appearance. New exterior accents and colours also complement the characteristic floating roof, unbroken waistline and the flush deployable door handles that define Range Rover’s design DNA.

The Range Rover Evoque’s colour palette now features Arroios Grey, Tribeca Blue and Corinthian Bronze, while contrast roof options enable clients to express their individuality, with Narvik Black and Corinthian Bronze to choose from. Its exterior character is enhanced further with a total of eight alloy wheel designs up to 21 inches in size and five new finishes, with diamond-turned offered on the Range Rover Evoque Autobiography and Dynamic HSE.

Interior

Inside, Range Rover’s reductive design philosophy is amplified with a new 11.4-inch curved glass touchscreen, seemingly floating within the driver’s eyeline for improved visibility, while liberating space for interior stowage and Wireless Device Charging. Powered by Pivi Pro, with regular Software Over The Air drops.

It’s also equipped with sophisticated interior air quality technologies – Cabin Air Purification Plus. Tactile material options include non-leather UltrafabricsTM and KvadratTM textile seats to provide a new dimension of modern luxury. The cabin is made even more inviting with a panoramic roof – which bathes the cabin in natural light – and the availability of tactile leather-free textile options.

Powertrains

Range Rover Evoque continues to offer a range of plug-in electric hybrid and mild hybrid electric power. This includes the advanced P300e plug-in electric hybrid, available alongside a range of Ingenium petrol and diesel engines which all feature the latest Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) technology to boost efficiency and responses.

The P300e electric hybrid offers an electric-only range of up to 62km from its 14.9kWh battery. The electric hybrid powertrain combines an efficient three-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine with an 80kW electric motor, providing a total power output of 309PS (227kW) and has a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.4 seconds. Updated battery chemistry offers an improved real-world driving experience, with an expected real-world electric range of up to 48km (30 miles). On longer journeys, this means a total real-world range of up to 651km.

The Evoque is fitted with an intelligent torque on-demand all-wheel drive (AWD) system. Land Rover South Africa is yet to announce local availability and pricing.