The Range Rover Evoque line-up now includes a plug-in electric hybrid model, the Range Rover Evoque R-Dynamic HSE P300e, which I recently drove. The electric hybrid technology gives the option of driving in full EV mode or parallel hybrid mode to improve overall fuel efficiency.
Exterior styling of the MY23 Range Rover Evoque reflects the other new models in the Range Rover stable with features like the flush door handles and a familiar front grille design. This Fuji White Evoque has the Black Exterior Pack ($1,680) and Santorini Black Contrast Roof ($1,050) for an even more distinctive look.
The HSE P300e is powered by a 1.5 litre, Ingenium turbo charged in-line, 3-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor to deliver a total power output of 227kW and 540Nm of torque, which is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. This gives the Evoque the ability to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 213km/h. The official combined fuel economy is 2.1L/100km and for my week I used 7.7L/100km, which is less than the 11.3L/100km I used in the 20MY Range Rover Evoque P250 R-Dynamic S that had a 2.0 litre petrol engine.
Land Rover claim that the Evoque has a pure electric range of up to 62km, but for my week this was more like 50km. If the battery goes fully flat, charging from vehicle while driving is negligible, so you need to plug-in to charge the battery. The claimed charging time up to 80% of battery capacity is 30 minutes with 32kW DC rapid charging. Some public charging locations are shown on the sat nav with information on whether or not the charger is AC or DC, but it does not show real time data indicating if they are available.
That being said, for my week I simply charged the Evoque overnight using the home charging cable (a $528 optional extra) plugged into a standard power plug and it was charged again in the morning for me. When you plug the charging cord in a green light next to plug indicates that charging is in progress and a graphic on the dash shows the time remaining.
There are six drive modes available in the all-wheel drive Evoque R-Dynamic including Eco, Comfort, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud ruts and Sand with Auto Terrain response. I spent the week in Comfort mode driving with the EV system on the parallel hybrid option. Although the ride was pleasant in the Evoque, I found the engine was a bit coarse.
The interior quality on the other hand was up to Range Rover standard with an elegant dash, centre console and steering wheel design. The steering wheel is heated and has lovely metal paddle shifters to ‘manually’ change gears. The cup holders in the centre console are a little too deep for my liking and there is no mat at base of them to make it easier to clean up spills.
The seats are upholstered in Ebony perforated Ultrafabric and Kvadrat premium textile with an Ebony interior. Kvadrat textiles are made using natural wool sourced from sheep farmers in Southern Australia or New Zealand. The dual use of materials looks nice and the seats in the Evoque are very comfortable although not heated, which is something you will miss in winter. Both front seats have power adjustment for recline, forward/back, seat height front and rear, and 4-way lumbar support. The driver’s seat also has side bolster adjustment and three memory positions.
Wool can be a bit rough to touch and for this reason I would not have it covering the arm rest in the Evoque as I found this scratchy on my elbow. The arm rest has a dual split so can be moved individually and opened separately and in the cubby under the arm rest you will find one USB-A and one USB-C port. These connect the Evoque to your phone useing wired Apple Carplay and Android Auto for display on the Pivi Pro infotainment system. You also get wireless charging for your phone on the ledge under the front of the centre console.
The Evoque has an upper 10″ touchscreen that allows you to adjust the angle of the screen combined with a 10″ lower touchscreen. The upper screen is for the infotainment system and you can also use voice control to access some of these functions by pressing the button on the steering wheel that has the feminine looking silhouette on it. Voice control worked well for me to make a phone call and change the radio station but when I asked it to set a destination on the sat nav it said the nav was ‘Not Available’ and this is because the Range Rover uses the Alexa app for that function.
The lower touch screen is for vehicle settings and climate controls. One thing that I didn’t like with the climate controls was that you have to press the air speed graphic on the screen to activate the rotary dial on the left-hand side in order to adjust the air speed.
Passengers sitting in the rear seats do not have separate climate controls and can only adjust the direction and on/off controls of the two central air vents. Under the vents there is one 12V outlet for charging devices. The centre seat can be folded down as arm rest with two shallow cup holders with grippy sides at the front of it.
Rear seat head and leg room was adequate for me, but a taller people may find it a bit tight back there. The Evoque has two ISOFIX/three rear tether child seat restraint points, but would most likely only fit two car seats due to overall vehicle width.
The Evoque I drove was fitted with the optional Convenience Pack ($1,360) that includes a gesture open tailgate, but when I attempted to use this, it didn’t work. You can also open/close the tailgate using the button under boot lid, on key fob or in the cabin. The boot size is adequate and would fit a weekly shop or a pram and a small shop and it has four substantial tie down points, two hooks, two lights and no 12V outlet. The charging cords need to be carried in the boot as there is no space under the boot floor for them, here you will find a temporary use spare tyre. If more boot space is needed the rear seats have a 40:20:40 split fold mechanism.
All variants in the current Range Rover Evoque range have a 5-star ANCAP (2019) safety rating with an Adult Occupant Protection score of 94% (36.0 out of 38) and a Child Occupant Protection score of 89% (43.7 out of 49). Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtain) airbags are fitted as standard.
When you reverse in EV mode driving the Evoque a soft beep is sounded to alert nearby pedestrians and you also get a rear view camera with front and rear parking sensors. For convenience the Evoque is fitted with auto dusk sensing headlights and rain sensing wipers.
Active driver safety aids fitted to the Evoque include Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Rear Collision Monitor and Rear Traffic Monitor. ANCAP tests of the autonomous emergency braking system at highway speeds showed GOOD performance with collisions avoided or mitigated in all test scenarios. ANCAP tests of the lane support system functionality showed some GOOD performance, however the system does not intervene in more critical emergency lane keeping scenarios and overall performance was classified as ADEQUATE. The overall ANCAP Safety Assist score for the Evoque is 73%.
The Range Rover Evoque R-Dynamic HSE P300e is backed by a 5-year/unlimited km warranty with 5-years Roadside Assistance. A 5 years/102,000km (whichever occurs first) service plan can be purchased for $2,650.
The 23MY Range Rover Evoque R-Dynamic HSE P300e combines fuel efficiency with natural materials to offer consumers a stepping stone towards more sustainable personal transportation. It’s priced from $105,060 plus on-road costs and as tested $114,860 plus on-roads. Find and Reserve yours on the Land Rover website or visit your preferred Land Rover retailer for more information.
| Pros | Cons |
| Elegant interior design | Location of air speed adjustment on climate controls |
| Incorporates natural fibres in upholstery | Material used on arm rest felt scratchy |
| Ability to drive in full EV mode | Home charging cord is an optional extra |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.