Range Rover Evoque vs Toyota Land Cruiser

What's the difference?

The Range Rover Evoque is more highly specified and more luxurious than ever, and this plug-in hybrid version makes the most of what’s on offer with its slick but familiar feel from behind the wheel. 

Unfortunately, it does have an eye-watering price tag to go with its classy design and the options list is a bit rude, all things considered, but the core offering is a solid luxury buy for city-slickers, nonetheless. 

What makes the Evoque P300e stand out for me is its impressive EV driving range and excellent charging specs which make it as convenient as possible to make the most of its electrified features.

It’s up to the buyer whether these conveniences and the Range Rover badge are worth swapping into a car a full size down from its luxury plug-in rivals for the same money.

The LandCruiser 300 in Sahara grade is a very impressive seven-seat 4WD wagon. It's nice to drive, it's refined and – bonus – it well and truly retains that renowned legendary LandCruiser off-road capability.

It's very comfortable and – as with previous-generation Cruisers – has heaps of potential as a top-class touring vehicle, but it has a big price-tag to match, there's no denying that.

While there's plenty to like about the Sahara spec, the GXL offers a nice compromise between price and features as long as you don't mind missing out on leather seats, the cooler box, 14-speaker JBL sound system and a few other bits and pieces.

The Evoque has always been a car all about its sleek, city-slicking design, an iconic piece of modern SUV art from Jaguar Land Rover head of design, Gerry McGovern.

With its shapely proportions, clever descending roofline, and a silhouette which successfully reflects a miniaturised version of the Range Rover, the Evoque is at once classy with a faint suggestion of toughness under the skin.

The blacked-out grille, slimline headlights, and contemporary strip across the tailgate all serve to add intrigue to this SUV, and the extra detailing in the front bumper, shapeliness of the bonnet, and contrast black trims (with extra contrast panels on our test car matching the gloss black wheels) serving to add to its premium appeal.

It’s important to remember, while the Evoque slides into a busy small SUV landscape now, it was one of the first to make a premium car so successfully appealing in this small SUV space way back in 2011 with the first Evoque, following Land Rover’s historic trend of being in front of the SUV curve.

Rival small SUV designs may have caught up in the minds of many with the likes of the Audi Q3, BMW X2, and Volvo XC40 shining in recent years, but few have won as many design accolades as the Evoque.

Range Rover seems to be leaning into a more upper luxury trend, not just with the pricing, but with the vibe of the car’s interiors, too.

The new generation Evoque, for example, took a big jump in the look and feel of its interior appointments when it launched in 2019, and over time has only consolidated its market positioning.

The HSE grade which our P300e hybrid arrives in is lavish on the inside, with lovely suede-like seats, intricate contrasting grey cloth trims in the doors (do I detect an influence from Volvo here?) and a plush-looking dash, all finished in soft-to-the touch materials.

Attention to detail, like the silver bezels which adorn the centre console and media screen, add to the premium flair which lifts the Range Rover badge above the Land Rover one, and I do like the way the additional function screen seamlessly melts into the piano finish and integrated dials. While it’s always a nightmare to keep gloss piano finishes clean, it looks oh-so primo.

It’s a little odd the P300e has analogue dials, which seems to miss the premium edge which a fully digital dash might provide although the 7.0-inch centre dash screen has a great resolution and speed, as well as a mostly well laid out operating system.

I found the R-Dynamic modes, which can sharpen up the accelerator response and steering buried two menus deep, unnecessarily hard to find, as were various EV information screens and other less important functions.

The Sahara is 4980mm long (with a 2850mm wheelbase), 1980mm wide, and 1950mm high. It has a listed kerb weight of 2630kg.

The Sahara's exterior has that distinctive LandCruiser appearance, but modernised: it's chunky, tough-looking and ready to be kitted out with accessories, whether they be Toyota genuine accessories or aftermarket gear.

Otherwise, there are chrome exterior mirrors and door handles, and dynamic indicators front/rear that add to its overall quietly classy appearance.

The 'Celestite Grey' premium paint on our test vehicle costs $675. Other paint choices include 'Glacier White', 'Ebony', 'Crystal Pearl', 'Silver Pearl', 'Graphite', 'Merlot Red', 'Eclipse Black', 'Saturn Blue' and 'Dusty Bronze'.

While it still plays the role of Range Rover’s smallest SUV, the current Evoque is much bigger than the car it replaced in 2019. I would go so far as to say it’s deceptively large on the inside.

Front occupants are treated to a cabin which now feels almost as wide as an actual Range Rover, with plenty of room for elbows on either side, which are, of course, met by lovely soft-touch surfaces.

The raised console helps with the upmarket feel, as does the plush dash. The standard 14-way adjust front seats help to accommodate most passengers, with my only criticism being the large A-pillars and height of the dash can make it feel a little bit claustrophobic compared to some rival luxury SUVs.

Storage is offered through a set of large door pockets, a centre console box, dual bottle holders behind the shift lever, and a healthy nook underneath the climate controls, which also hosts a wireless charging bay.

The rear seats share the same comfortable rim as the front ones, and also have large pockets in the doors. Despite the descending roofline, I had just enough room for my head at 182cm tall although it is notable the space in the PHEV feels smaller with the raised floor needed to accommodate the batteries.

I had a little airspace for my knees behind my own driving position, too. The main drawback for rear passengers is the large transmission tunnel, making it difficult to accommodate an adult in the centre position.

There are adjustable air vents for rear passengers, but it is frustrating Land Rover has chosen to make rear USB-C charging ports an arbitrary $270 option.

The boot is also deceptively large for such a small SUV, measuring in at 472 litres (VDA), it’s above average for the small SUV class and fits the full CarsGuide luggage set, provided you remove the parcel shelf as it's just a smidge too high.

You'll also need to keep your charging cables in the boot, as there's no underfloor storage, the entire space being taken up by a space-saver spare wheel.

The LandCruiser is renowned as a great off-road touring vehicle – due to its practicality and functionality – and that reputation is unchanged with the 300 Series.

There's a sense of familiarity in the cabin – it's a functional yet premium space – and it's easy to get comfortable.

The driver is spoilt with a heated and power-adjustable steering wheel and ventilated and heated, power-adjustable seat (with three-position memory). The front passenger also gets a ventilated and heated, power-adjustable seat.

All seats are leather-accented, comfortable and there are soft-touch surfaces throughout the interior.

The Sahara's 12.3-inch colour multimedia touchscreen is a main feature in the cabin and it's easy to use, with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there's a wireless charging pad near the shifter. There are USB-A and USB-C charging points, as well.

There's a cool box in the centre console and its lid can be opened from either side, so driver or passenger can access chilled drinks.

There's also a powered sunroof/moonroof, whatever you want to call it.

Beyond those features, there are the usual storage spaces, cupholders, receptacles in the doors for bigger bottles, and other spaces for your bits and pieces.

The second row seats are in a 40/20/40 split-folding configuration, and the third row is a power-folding arrangement that stows away forwards and flat.

The Sahara's cargo space, when all seven seats are in use, is a listed 175 litres (VDA) behind the third row. That grows to 1004 litres when the second and third row are stowed away.

The rear cargo area has a 220V/100W inverter and four tie-down points.

The seven-seat Sahara has a manufacturer suggested retail price of $133,881 (excluding on-road costs). Surely a chunk of cash by anyone's calculations.

Standard features include a 12.3-inch touchscreen (with sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), a wireless phone charger, four-zone climate control, leather-accented trim, a head-up display, a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats (with three-position driver's seat memory), heated second-row seats (outboard), and power-folding third-row seats.

There is also cooled centre console storage, a 14-speaker JBL premium audio system and a dual-screen rear entertainment system. The list goes on and on...

Suffice to say, you get a lot for your money, but at this price-point, you'd hope so.

The Evoque now sports Jaguar Land Rover’s hybridised ‘Ingenium’ engine family across the range, and the set-up which appears in the plug-in hybrid model might be the most interesting.

It consists of a 1.5-litre three-cylinder combustion engine which is said to produce 147kW/280Nm, and an electric motor powering the rear axle producing 80kW, the two of which combine for an impressive quoted total output of 227kW/540Nm, driving all four wheels.

The motor sources its power from a 15kWh lithium-ion battery pack under the floor of the car, which provides a claimed 62km of fully-electric driving range.

Land Rover also replaced the mechanical brake pedal with a drive-by-wire one to allow for improved ‘blended’ regenerative braking.

The Sahara has the 300 Series' 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel, producing 227kW at 4000rpm and 700Nm from 1600 to 2600rpm.

It has a 10-speed automatic transmission, high- and low-range 4WD as well as a centre diff lock.

It does not have some very handy 4WD-focussed driver-assist tech that is included in the two higher grades (Sahara ZX and GR Sport) but more about that in the Driving section, further down this page.

Claimed energy consumption on the combined WLTP cycle for the Range Rover Evoque P300e is 2.0L/100km. As with all plug-in hybrids though, this will heavily depend on how it is driven.

The 15kWh battery is said to provide a 62km driving range (again, on the WLTP cycle), which seems healthy for a PHEV, and I was pleased to find that my car was reporting about 56km on a full charge, not far off the claim.

Importantly, the Evoque has stellar charging specifications, which make it ideal for a city-slicker with minimal time to conveniently charge.

I was shocked to find a DC charging port when I flipped open the panel, which is capable of charging the tiny battery up in just 20 minutes (at a peak rate of 35kW), while on a slower but easier-to-find AC charger, it can extract 7kW allowing a charge time of around two hours.

This is well above par for a plug-in hybrid, and makes charging quick, painless and convenient, even for those who can’t charge at home.

As a result of this ease-of-charging and therefore minimal time spent in the hold or hybrid modes, my car reported an astounding 1.0/100km of fuel consumption during my week, covering mostly urban kilometres.

The only drawback is the need to fill this small turbo engine with mid-shelf 95RON fuel.

Official fuel consumption is 8.9L/100km on the combined cycle.

Our fuel consumption on this test, from pump to pump, was 12.8L/100km, which is okay considering we did a lot of low-range four-wheel driving.

The Sahara has an 80-litre main fuel tank and a 30L sub-tank so, going by those fuel figures above, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 860km from a fully fuelled start.

The second-gen Evoque is still the lovely, luxury, small SUV it was when it launched in 2019, and this plug-in hybrid version only serves to improve the formula, adding sleek electric driving characteristics to the already-smooth turbo engine and torque converter automatic.

Interestingly, and like its Volvo XC60 rival, the electric motor is located on the rear axle, giving this car the odd characteristic of being rear-wheel drive when driven electrically, or predominantly front-wheel drive when driven in combustion mode.

Speaking of modes, this car does the bulk of the management, with only three driving modes available to the pilot. These include the default ‘hybrid’ mode, which as the name suggests, blends the two power sources with more of an emphasis on electric driving when the battery is charged.

There's also an electric mode, which will only use the rear axle motor until the battery runs out, and a ‘Hold’ mode which will still blend the two sources but predominantly rely on the combustion engine to maintain the car’s state of charge.

You might want to use the last mode if you're travelling long-distance, to maintain the electric range for where it is most efficient - in low-speed stop-start driving.

The regenerative braking is not adjustable, having just a single mild level. It’s far from the single-pedal driving you can experience in a fully electric car, but Land Rover has made the brake pedal fly-by-wire so it can blend increased regen with the mechanical brakes.

It makes for a familiar experience from behind the wheel for those coming straight out of a purely combustion vehicle.

The electrified brake pedal does have the consequence of removing a bit of feel for a keen driver, and the same can be said for the rather slow steering tune in the default settings which makes the Evoque feel more luxurious and less sporty or reactive than it could be.

It’s a shame, because the two power sources combine to make for a thumping amount of power when you stick your boot in, and the all-wheel drive system and nicely balanced suspension keep this little SUV well under control in the corners.

As with my original Evoque range review in 2019, though, it is notable how heavy this SUV feels, particularly compared to some rivals like the Audi Q3.

The heftiness suits the Evoque's expanded dimensions and even more upmarket feel, but despite the power on offer it’s not an agile SUV to be carving corners in.

At least the ride quality and quietness is superb, making the Evoque an ideal SUV for driving around the centre of pothole-stricken Sydney, with a notable amount of poise. At the end of the day, isn’t that what this Range Rover was built for?

Quiet, comfortable, and easy to spend big days in the driver's seat or as a passenger.

Steering is light and responsive and, with a 11.8m turning circle, this 4WD wagon still feels highly manoeuvrable.

The V6 offers up so much power and torque – and it's all managed so smoothly through the 10-speed auto – that the Cruiser is able to go from standing start to punching along the road at a decent clip, or transition from open-road cruising to safe overtaking without any lag of note.

Ride and handling are well sorted but this is a Cruiser after all so ultimately it tends towards being soft and comfortable, rather than dynamic.

Its suspension – double wishbone, independent at the front and live axle and multi-links at the rear with coils all-around – manages to soak up most imperfections in the road surface.

The 300 Series' brakes – ventilated discs all-around – brought the big Cruiser to a controlled stop during two of my patented 'Watch out for that bloody roo!' set-pieces.

In terms of on-road ride, handling and performance, the 300 Series impresses. But how does it perform off-road?

First things first: the Sahara-spec LandCruiser does miss out on some of the handy 4WD gear that the two higher grades (Sahara ZX and GR Sport) get, namely Toyota's swaybar-disconnect equivalent electronic-'Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System' (included onboard the GR Sport), front and rear differential locks (GR Sport), adaptive variable suspension (Sahara ZX and GR Sport) and a rear torque-sensing limited-slip differential (ZX).

But in the grand scheme of things that shouldn't impede you too much, if at all, unless you're really going all-out to break your Cruiser while 4WDing.

We managed all obstacles at our testing ground without any strife.

A few years back when Toyota announced it would replace the V8 with the V6 there was quite a lot of concern voiced over the change. Let's be frank here: there was a hell of a lot of whinging.

But people needn't have worried because though the V8 was a bloody good engine the V6 produces more power and more torque than it does (up 27kW and 50Nm).

And that power and torque is consistently delivered across a nice spread of revs.

In combination with the 10-speed auto it's a smooth-as pairing. That auto is very clever – smarter than you and me – because it's never hunting through ratios to try and find the sweet spot, it's always bang-on.

High- and low-range gearing are solid in the 300 Series, and the Cruiser has a 50:50 centre diff lock.

And, on top of all that, you also have access to a comprehensive suite of driver assist tech aimed at making your driving life off-road easier and safer.

The traction control system has been really well calibrated – fine tuned, very precise and seamless in its application.

The 300's multi-terrain select system gives you the option of cycling through driving modes such as 'Sand', 'Mud' and 'Rock' to suit the terrain you're on.

In action, those modes adjust vehicle systems, throttle, engine output, etc to give you the best chance possible of getting through every obstacle safely and in a controlled fashion.

Off-road measurements and angles are decent: ground clearance is 235mm, wading depth is 700mm, and approach, ramp-over and departure angles are 32, 21, and 25 degrees, respectively.

So, all in all, in terms of measurements that are suited to hardcore low-range four wheel driving, the LandCruiser 300 Series ticks all the boxes.

And while there's no denying the 300 Series is a big unit, it feels pretty nimble in the bush, even on tight tracks or pinched approaches to hills or creek crossings.

As well as a dialled-in off-road traction control system and all of those driving modes, it has handy tech such as crawl control, which works like a low-speed cruise control.

So, the only flaw in the 300 Series off-road set-up is its tyres, as its standard Bridgestone Dueler all-terrains (265/65 R18) are better suited to dry-track 4WDing in good weather than taking on any difficult stuff.

In terms of towing capacity, the 300 Series can legally tow a 750kg unbraked trailer, and 3500kg braked.

All of the 300 Series line-up, except the GR Sport, have the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing in January 2022.

Safety gear includes 10 airbags, two ISOFIX anchor points, as well as AEB with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, active cruise control (all-speed), 'Lane Departure Alert' (with brake to steer), 'Road Sign Assist' (speed signs only), 'Trailer Sway Control' and more.

Off-road driver-assist tech includes crawl control, downhill assist, hill-start assist, multi-terrain select, multi-terrain monitor with panoramic view, and active traction control (A-TRC).

As of April, 2021 all Land Rover products are finally covered by an industry-standard five-year and unlimited kilometre warranty, matching its key rivals, and beating out BMW which persists with an old three-year warranty promise. Five years of roadside assist is also included for the duration.

When it comes to servicing, the P300e is available to be purchased with a five-year plan ($2650 - $530 annually) which covers 102,000km of visits.

This pack is well worthwhile as Land Rover servicing is generally quite expensive when purchased a-la-carte.

The LandCruiser 300 Sahara is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty which is par for the course in the mainstream market.

Capped-price servicing applies to the first 10 services at a cost of $375 each (correct at time of writing), which is pretty competitive.

Service intervals are scheduled for every six months or 10,000km, whichever comes first. Which is shorter than the more usual 12 months/15,000km.

That said, owners may extend the engine and driveline warranty to seven years by adhering to service schedules.