Modernization is a trend that is worth remembering not only in relation to politics. After a relatively calm decade of noughts around the world, the voices of those who want change have begun to wake up. Automakers were no exception. And so the Range Rover Evoque was born - a model designed to win a new audience among lovers of style and luxury, tired of standards and stereotypes. However, it often happens like this: what is popular all over the world in Russia does not find a corresponding response. But this, however, did not stop Land Rover from introducing the Range Rover Evoque to the Russian market. The first, as always, the car was tested by journalists.
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The venue of the presentation is largely symbolic. Gorky Park, once one of Muscovites' favorite and most beautiful vacation spots, in the nineties turned into an expensive fair with used European attractions, Chinese souvenirs and poor-quality food. But more recently, the park has experienced a rebirth and has become almost the only place in the city that really resembles Europe. Naturally, here Evoque felt at ease. By the way, here he is, or rather, they brought about 60 cars to the presentation. The scope of the event is impressive! However, we are interested in the car itself, and not in welcoming speeches, so I get behind the wheel as soon as possible.
Of the several sites where you could try the Evoque, I chose the “off-road”. But first, a few words about the appearance. The design of the car is attractive. And if the Range Rover brand is traditionally associated with a golf course and people in polo discussing summaries from financial fields over a cup of tea, then Evoque is more likely an aristocrat who prefers such a company for more informal communication in a noisy bar. Trim materials at the level, seat settings allow you to choose a comfortable landing position - from high urban to quite relaxed suburban. Data necessary for the driver collects a large central display of the multimedia system. I will not list all the advantages of the new gadgets, since a colleague who has tried the Range Rover Evoque in the UK has already done this for me. Just to remind you that in Russia the car is available in three trim levels - Pure, Prestige and Dynamic.
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The car is able to overcome the ford to a depth of 500 mm The car is able to overcome the ford to a depth of 500 mm
On the three-door version, I set off to conquer various obstacles, including a ramp for diagonal hanging, rollers, a rise of 30 degrees, dry ice and even ford. It is worth saying that the track is quite narrow, and the car is wide - in the mirrors of 2125 mm. Rescue cameras located not only in the back and front, but also in the mirrors of the car - in the urban crush, this option is useful. The car copes with all the obstacles, in especially difficult situations an instructor sitting next to him comes to the rescue. On dry ice almost everything falls into a skid, and I am no exception. On the "rollers" you have to click on the "gas" more than you expect. Conclusion: Range Rover Evoque is not afraid of moderate impassability, but this is clearly not its main destiny, although the passage of the ford - and the “Englishman” is able to overcome water obstacles up to 500 mm deep! - It was a real pleasure. And ahead of the main test - the streets of Moscow.
I again got the three-door. After some 100 meters on the sign “Follow the road” I understand: “The image exam has passed!” Lexus misses me, and the driver openly stares at Evoque. Further, the picture looked in approximately the same way: the car was paid attention to in “our cars”, and in the budget Daewoo Nexia and Renault Logan, and in the expensive BMW 5-series. There was even one character on the Porsche Cayenne who started screaming at speed and asking for a stop to get a better look at the Range Rover Evoque. What about driving performance?
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The five-door version looks no worse than the three-door. The five-door version looks no worse than the three-door.
Under the hood of the car is a 2.2-liter SD4 diesel engine with 190 hp. This power is enough in the city and on the highway. However, it seemed to me that a 6-speed transmission could respond a bit faster to the gas pedal. The most impatient to the rescue come shift paddles. For those who don’t aspire to racers, there is a less powerful diesel TD4 that produces 150 hp, and those who are used to gasoline will like the 2.0-liter Si4 gasoline, which has a capacity of 240 “horses”.
