The Range Rover Evoque Convertible is a strange car with a lot of charm
Here's our verdict!
Here's what it's like to Drive:
On the road, the Range Rover Evoque Convertible is a rather pleasant experience, but it fell short in several areas
The combination of 2.0-turbo-four and 9-speed automatic transmission, while delivering enthusiastic acceleration, proved to be laggy. The gearbox simply took too long to react, especially when transitioning from cruising to hard acceleration in situations such as highway lane changes.
Since the part-time all-wheel-drive system only sends power the rear wheels when it detects slip in the front, the Evoque also exhibits torque steer under hard acceleration. Admittedly this is a common trait among front-wheel-drive focused crossovers.
With that said, the ride was smooth and compliant while the handling proved to be quick and perky. However, scuttle shake made frequent appearances, especially on bumpy roads. It's evident that cutting the roof off compromised the Evoque's chassis rigidity.
("Scuttle shake" is annoying vibrations commonly exhibited by cars with lower chassis rigidity that experience too much flex.)
With the top down, the Evoque proved to remarkably quiet and did not require the services of a wind deflector.
For the Evoque, Range Rover dumped its traditional body-on-frame construction in favor of a more car-like unibody setup. It's a sign that the Evoque's on-road performance superseded the need for off-road prowess.
The Evoque Convertible is equipped with a 9-speed ZF automatic transmission and part-time all-wheel-drive.
According to JLR, the Evoque Convertible can hit 60 mph in 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 112 mph.
Under the hood, the only engine available in the US is a 240-horsepower, 2.0-liter, Ecoboost turbocharged four-cylinder sourced from Ford. However, JLR's new Ingenium four-cylinder engine is expected to replace the Ford unit in the near future.
It's just enough for a week's worth of shopping. For one person.
The convertible roof certainly compromises cargo capacity. The Evoque drop top comes with just 8.9 cubic feet of cargo room. That figure remains the same regardless of whether the roof is deployed.
When not in use, the roof tucks away neatly in a compartment behind the rear seat.
The power-operated fabric roof deploys in just 21 seconds and can fold away in 18 seconds.
In addition, the Evoque is equipped with a strong 380-watt Meridian sound system and Range Rover's advanced Terrain Response System.
The InControl system works well in the Evoque. We liked the intuitive menus and quick response. While this system has had reliability issues in other JLR models, we didn't experience any hiccups during our time with the Evoque.
The cabin is stylish and well designed. The Oxford leather seats were extremely comfortable. The center console is dominated by the JLR's signature rotary gear shift and a sizable 10.2-inch touchscreen running JLR's InControl Touch Pro infotainment system.
There's room for two in the back, but don't bother if you're more than six feet tall.
Inside, the Evoque is surprisingly spacious, especially for front-seat passengers.
.... The five-door.
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