Evoque your passion

Gallery Video

MOTORING NEWS - If you've never lusted after a car, you obviously haven't driven the new Range Rover Evoque.

Jaguar Land Rover George recently treated a group of guests to a road trip in five of their new luxury compact SUVs... and the magnificent Evoque had even the most sedate of the group drooling behind the wheel.

The guests and their tour guides set off from George in their respective Range Rover Evoques with the five couples taking turns at the wheel to get a taste of both the petrol and diesel Evoque as they headed for the Indalu Game Reserve 30km west of Mossel Bay.

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The driver guides took the convoy to Indalu via the Vleesbaai gravel road, showing off the vehicle's smooth performance and expert road holding off the beaten track.

Group Editors colleagues Glenda Barnard and Ilse Schoonraad, who shared a car, were completely smitten with the new Evoque and very unwillingly gave up the driver's seat when the time came to swap. After all, how often does a woman get the chance to take control of such a magnificent, powerful creature in luxurious comfort while still feeling safe and secure?

Watch a video below:

Five stars for safety
The Range Rover Evoque has been awarded a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, confirming its status as one of the most refined, capable and safest luxury compact SUVs on the market.

Built on Land Rover's new Premium Transverse Architecture to ensure maximum occupant safety, the Evoque comes with the latest advanced driver assistance features, including emergency braking, lane keep assist, front and rear parking aids and a rear camera as standard.

Owners can add two optional packs: the Park Pack adds park assist, 360-degree parking aid, rear traffic monitor and clear exit monitor, while the Drive Pack offers adaptive cruise control, blind spot assist and high speed emergency braking.

A comprehensive system of airbags and restraints - including a pedestrian airbag - means you can rest assured the luxury compact SUV will protect those in- and outside the vehicle.

Sophisticated evolution
George Craul, general sales manager of Jaguar Land Rover George, loves the fact that the Range Rover Evoque is equally at home in the city and on country roads. "The Evoque is the perfect vehicle for adventurous South Africans who enjoy an excellent driving experience in luxury and comfort. Another 5 star Land Rover performance."

He says the original city SUV has now evolved to reinforce its position as a design tour de force. "The new Evoque is setting new standards in refinement, sustainability and capability. Since its introduction in 2014, it has won 217 international awards. The new Range Rover Evoque is a sophisticated evolution of the original luxury compact SUV."

The Evoque sports a range of user-friendly, high-tech features such as a clear sight rear view mirror that transforms into a high definition video screen at the flick of a switch. This offers a wider 50-degree field of vision and superior low light visibility by displaying a rear-facing camera feed from the top of the car - ideal when carrying passengers in the second row or bulky items obscure the view behind.

Clear sight ground view technology is available, effectively making the bonnet invisible by projecting camera imagery onto the upper touchscreen to show the driver a 180-degree view under the front of the vehicle. This is useful when negotiating difficult parking spaces, navigating high city centre kerbs or tackling rough terrain.

The incredibly user friendly touchscreens ensure that your high tech information and entertainment needs are just a tap of the finger away, including a fabulous seat massage!

Choose between the P250 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine with 183kW and 365Nm of torque, and the D180 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine with 132kW and 430Nm of torque. The new Evoque is priced from R734 300.

Indalu Game Reserve
The Evoque's European advertising campaign was shot on location at Indalu Game Reserve, featuring the new Evoque and the Indalu elephants in harmony in the magical landscape.

Gingerly watched by a few rhino, the new arrivals from George interacted with the very same TV stars who immediately recognised the Evoques and happily posed with the drivers and SUVs for a few well-placed shots at their water hole. After lunch the guests were treated to a side show by a tame ostrich and a final serious off-road experience to test the Evoque's all-terrain progress control. This system operates like a cruise control system and enables you to set and maintain a steady speed of between 1,8km/h and 30km/h in challenging conditions.

For some unfathomable reason (nudge nudge, wink wink), the all-terrain progress control of the Evoque driven by the two Group Editors guests was set at its lowest speed, but as they neared the end of the precipitous track, Glenda Barnard pumped it up, causing a few hair-raising moments.

To the hosts' great relief, the Evoque had everything under control... even the fiery red-head behind the wheel.

The word évoque hails from the French verb évoquer that means 'to evoke.' And as you may have gathered, the new Range Rover Evoque lives up to its name, evoking strong feelings and desires.

• To experience the Range Rover Evoque, contact Jaguar Land Rover George on 044 802 5400.

Craig and Barida Back.