Land Rover Reviews

Land Rover's V6 diesel does a 'Stirling' job of moving the bulky Ranger Rover. The Ranger Rover portfolio also includes V8 petrol and diesel engines as well as a supercharged petrol V6 that was added recently. But with an impressive 190kW of power and 600Nm of torque, why go past the V6 diesel? The answer is that for some, enough is never enough - especially when it comes to cars.There are four rungs on the large Range Rover ladder. Our TDV6 Vogue sits one up from the bottom. Priced from $178,900 it's not cheap. In fact, the Ranger Rover is the most expensive vehicle in its segment - but then some people will find that attractive in itself.And before you ask, it's still manufactured in a new, state-of-the-art aluminium manufacturing facility at Solihull in the UK - not on the Sub-Continent. Standard features include leather, wood veneer, satellite navigation, heated seats and even a heated steering wheel for those cold mornings - plus a hi-end Meridian sound system.They've managed to shave 420kg off the weight of the vehicle through the adoption of a totally aluminium monocoque body/chassis. In fact, it's this dramatic weight saving that has allowed them to introduce the acclaimed V6 diesel. The interior finish is impressive too.The instrument panel has been decluttered, with 50 per cent less switches and as a result it's a lot less intimidating. Even the off road dial has an automatic setting which means no driver intervention is necessary - the car will do it all.The driving position is claimed to be 90mm higher than other premium SUVs affording a clear view of the traffic ahead. Some of the more often used controls have been moved to the sides of the touchscreen to stop the screen acquiring dirty finger marks.A reversing camera is standard and it comes with more acronyms than you can poke a stick at, including Hill Descent Control (HDC), Gradient Release Control (GRC), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Electronic Traction Control (ETC), and Roll Stability Control (RSC). If you option active cruise control, you also get automatic emergency braking which is particularly handy in heavy traffic.It's fitted with a ground-breaking next-generation version of Land Rover's Terrain Response system. Terrain Response 2 features an Auto setting that uses sophisticated `intelligent' systems to analyse the current driving conditions, and automatically select the most suitable terrain program.It's surprisingly quick for a vehicle that weighs in excess of 2100kg. With an eight-speed ZF auto the dash from 0-100km/h takes 7.9 seconds, but it feels quicker than this - with a top speed of 209km/h.It's quiet inside too, so quiet that you'd be hard pressed to tell it's a diesel. The thing sits on air suspension and some body roll is apparent, but it firms up once you get into it.Fuel economy is a claimed 8.5 litres/100km and that's exactly what we were getting from the 85-litre tank, giving the car a theoretical range of 1000km from on a single tank. Trailer stability control is standard and it can tow a 3500kg load.The best of both worlds. The Range Rover is tough and luxurious, a car that is as much at home in the city as it is in the back lots. Time was when Rangeys used to suck fuel like a vampire - but not so anymore.

A decade ago fundamentalist greenies accused SUV owners of damaging the planet's climate and plundering fossil fuel reserves.Today, a 5m long, near-$180,000 Range Rover SUV uses the same amount of fuel as an automatic 2012 Toyota Corolla. Argument over. The Range Rover Vogue - even in its entry-level TDV6 version - may be out of financial reach for most people but nothing can deny it a place as one of 2013's most remarkable motoring exhibits.The all-alloy Vogue's versatility, perfect form and outstanding function will arrest prospective luxury-car buyers. The equipment level, the superb ride comfort and spaciousness put it above saloon cars and its performance smothers many so-called sports cars.Show it the dirt and it'll plunge through where no normal SUV would dare. It is, in fact, the motoring equivalent of Inspector Gadget - a car that is everything to all buyers. Damn shame it costs so much.My wife wants a Thermomix because it's one kitchen appliance that does everything so we don't have to buy five devices.The Range Rover falls in the same category. Of course, like the Thermomix, the price is five times the price of a single-purpose appliance. So at $178,900 (plus $13,420 of options) the 3.0 TDV6 Vogue isn't cheap but can be all cars to all men. And women. The warranty is ordinary, the service costs are high-ish but fuel costs are low.Hot features include massage and heated front and rear seats, huge sunroof ($3080 must-have option), dual-view touch screen ($1300 option) and superb audio. Your neighbours will hate you.This 2013 model softly reflects the original Range Rover silhouette but does so with a bigger, more accommodating body.There is more subtly with the styling - note the neater grille, headlights and tail lights - while 21-inch alloys ($3240 option) give power to the design. Cabin design is beautiful. Lots of leather and wood, excellent graphics and switchgear, superb seats and a wide field of driver vision.It's also big inside with giant-size leg and headroom in the rear and an expanded cargo area that fits a mountain bike without removing its wheels. The electric tailgate, electric fold rear seats and rear-seat control panel adds icing to the cake.The big news is its all-aluminium body that shaves up to 400kg off the old model. The 190kW/600Nm 3-litre V6 turbo-diesel may pale against the optional V8 diesel and Porsche's new 4.2-litre oiler, but it's the right choice for owners who don't tow heavy gear.It's mated to an eight-speed auto that goes through a constant all-wheel drive system. Unlike most rivals, it has a low-range gearbox. The suspension is air adjustable, electric-assist steering, there's Terrain Response to electronically dial in the wagon for different off-road conditions and even stop-start to save a bit of fuel. Brilliant.It's (only) a four-star crash-rated car with nine airbags, electronic stability and traction control enhanced with roll-stability and cornering brake control, cruise control (adaptive is $3240 extra), all-wheel drive and a full-size spare wheel.Boat lovers will salivate over the aquatic bent of this vehicle. It moves forward like a luxury launch, cutting a fluid path and gently pitching and rolling with an unseen ocean's swell. That underbody cushioning - attributes of air suspension - and leather armchair comfort create the feeling that your loungeroom is suddenly capable of motion.There's a cautious vagueness about this marshmallow ride but even when thrown into a corner, the wagon reacts immediately, hardening the suspension and steering so it unrelentingly follows its confident line through the bend.The engine is quick to respond, though there are moments when it gets caught napping and the turbo fails to quickly ignite the engine. In terms of response though, it's a better engine than the optional V8 turbo-diesel that in comparison feels almost truck like.Acceleration to 100km/h is a quick 7.9 seconds and it feels like being pushed in the back by a powerful, velvet-encased glove. It's an incredibly quiet car as well. Electronics run this wagon, from the steering to the optional adaptive cruise to the ride-height air suspension and the five-mode Terrain Response system.In the sand and gravel this never even looked like slowing down. The low-range box, gobs of torque and diff locks sneered at sand. Pump the air suspension up to the max (from 220mm to 295mm) and while wheel travel is reduced, the wagon will clear some really big hurdles.Towing is rated at 3500kg so it may suit a lot of holiday haulers.This is a clever vehicle. Few cars come close to its flexibility while being luxurious, secure and even fun to drive.

I love the new Range Rover. And I hate most SUVs. I'm not in love with the price, or the thirst of the supercharged V8 engine, or the long history of Rangie horror stories, but I love the idea of a full-sized luxury limousine that can turn left at any time and head out for Kakadu.And, make no mistake, the all-new Range Rover is really a luxury car that's only dressed up like an SUV. It can easily tackle the worst off-road conditions in the world, but would you honestly go bush in a car that costs more than $200,000 and has a cabin as plush as a five-star hotel?These days, the cabin of the Range Rover is as comfortable and cosseting as any Benz S-Class or BMW 7-Series, although you might need a step ladder to climb aboard if you forget to lower the air suspension to the loading level."It's the halo. The flagship. It's what people look at when they think of Land Rover," says the brand's boss in Australia, David Blackhall. "The money we put into this car, which is about $1.5 billion, tells you how important the car is. It's the one people look for, and our owners come back time and again."A couple of hundred wealthy Australians will take delivery of a Range Rover this year, with around a four-month wait from placing an order. The Vogue with a 4.4-litre diesel engine is expected to be the most popular choice.A new Range Rover has never been cheap, but you can get at least get one now - an HSE with 3.0-litre diesel V6 engine - from `only' $168,900.Blackhall describes the starting point as "pretty much unassailable", but there are cheaper quality choices including a fully-loaded and lovely Porsche Cayenne GTS from $164,400.For perspective, a Benz ML now starts below $100,000 but go for the GL that really runs against the Range Rover - arriving in April with claimed quietness to beat an S-Class - and you'll be spending at least $130,000. A BMW 7 Series also stickers from $204,700.The Carsguide test car is towards the top of the Range Rover line, priced at $234,960 thanks to a bunch of extra equipment added to the $224,200 base of the supercharged V8 Vogue SE. But there is incredible value in everything from the sumptuous leather to the safety systems, cracking infotainment package and a suspension and driveline system that sets the benchmark.Ultimately, though, the price and thirst are the worst things about the Range Rover. And the things that cost it a five-star Carsguide rating.A full aluminium body, eight-speed automatic gearbox, an updated and automatic terrain response system for four-wheel drive work, radar cruise control, air suspension, a classy touch-screen infotainment package with rear displays, remotely-adjustable electric rear seats, and even a night light that projects a Range Rover logo onto the ground beisde the doors. The Range Rover has it all.There is more and more and more, but the key things are the alloy construction that slashes more than 400 kilograms from the Rangie's heft, a modern and techno-loaded cabin, adaptive dynamics to match the drive feel to the conditions, and the safety and driver-assist systems.For perspective, the new Range Rover still runs to five metres in length, but its drag is down with a roofline that is 20 millimetres lower, fuel economy is better by as much as 22 per cent on the diesel V6.The chassis package means the car can still handle the toughest off-road conditions - perhaps not with the optional 22-inch alloys - that means it is still a paid-up member of the Land Rover crew. Horse people will be happy to know it has a 3.5 tonne towing capacity.There is no disguising the sheer mass of the new Range Rover but, for an SUV, it's not bad looking. It's not as svelte as the Cayenne GTS, but definitely nicer than a Lexus LX. Design chief Gerry McGovern says he needed to maintain a historical link to the three earlier generations of Range Rover, but developed a package with considerably more interior legroom.It's the cabin that shines, with lovely seats, lots of technology and a logical layout. It takes time to learn your way around the controls - even with voice activation for the infotainment - but even back-seat passengers are pampered and the signature clamshell tailgate is fully electric.ANCAP is not going to be slapping a Range Rover into a wall, but it's sure to be a five-star car thanks to everything from the rigid body structure to emergency braking as part of the radar cruis control system.Apart from the regulation ABS braking and ESP stability control, it comes with eveything from a roll stability control and trailer stability assist to blind-spot monitoring and hill-descent control for off-road work. There are also a variety of operating heights to match the terrain, together with the latest Terrain Response system to make any dummy into an off-road winner.The Range Rover won me in less than a kilometre. I was captivated by the cabin and the sumptuous ride, which is such a contrast to the thumping and wallowing of lesser SUVs. And then I began to pick up the sound system, and the steering feel, and the impressive brakes, and all the rest.I confess that I did not go seriously off-road, barely away from the bitumen at all, but I just know what a Range Rover can do from plenty of previous experiences with Land Rovers of all sizes and prices. And Craig Duff, who drove for Carsguide in Morocco, reports that the new Rangie is just about unstoppable and superb at speeds well beyond Australia's 110 limit.The supercharged V8 in the test car is thumping and impressive, with massie torque for towing, but not so good with economy running at 17.4 litres/100km in a mix of conditions. I'd definitely take the 4.4 diesel V8.Even passenger who rides in the Rangie is impressed by the equipment and the comfort and quietness, although they are often shocked by the price. And every day I spend with the car I find something new to enjoy, like the Range Rover logo that's projected onto the ground at night like some sort of corporate Batman callout.As I said at the beginning, I'm not a fan of SUVs. I like the new Cayenne GTS a lot, the Benz GL is plush and enjoyable, but even X5s and MLs feel bulky and I'd much prefer a station wagon to the vast majority of affordable SUVs. But I don't think of the Range Rover as an SUV. For me, it's a luxury car with the works.When the end of the world is coming, I want to be driving the new Range Rover.

The new Holden Commodore is the most important new car of 2013. The upcoming VF, and the VF alone, points to the future of motoring in Australia.

It’s a pity that in sharing its underpinnings with the newer Evoque, the Freelander gave up its place in the compact luxury SUV sector. Now, this week in Canada, Freelander takes bits back from Evoque and again proves a strong contender to other European SUVs.The changes aren’t big - the replacement of a petrol engine with a new motor and some trim changes, with new paint and better finishes. But they should be sufficient to at least hold its own. Meanwhile, Land Rover is in an enviable place. Sales are booming - up 41 per cent globally on the same period in 2011 - and are so far ahead of predictions that it finds itself unable to quickly introduce new models.Pricing changes with the deletion of the 3.2-litre in-line petrol six-cylinder version and the replacement with this one, the Si4 with the Ford two-litre EcoBoost engine. But they don’t get cheaper. The old 3.2 SE was $52,510 and the incoming Si4, which is in showrooms now, is $55,600. Yes, the feature list is improved and the SUV gets some small exterior trim features to lift it a bit.More interesting is the upgrade inside. It looks better by borrowing a lot of switchgear from Evoque. It gets a far superior audio - standard is a 380 watt 11-speaker Meridian but a 825W 17-speaker is $1815 more - while sat-nav returns in-house with a $2500 tag.A rear camera and leather is standard as is 18-inch alloys. Build quality is up and in warranty terms, Freelander remains the most trouble-free Land Rover. Spec can be similar to rivals but remember this is a wagon that actually can go off the road.The good news and the bad news are the same - no change to the look. Yes, there are small changes to the headlights and tail lights and the grille has edges. The alloys have a new pattern. Not much else outside and that’s excellent because this is one neat hauler. Inside the Evoque switches lift the Freelander from Discovery to Vogue grade.The wagon still feels small inside compared with the Volvo XC60 but many buyers don’t need the extra space. For me, it is very well proportioned and just the right size.The main change is the introduction of the new Ford 177kW/340Nm two-litre engine. This engine is in practically everything - Ford Falcon and Focus, Volvo XC60 and S60, Jaguar XF and Caterham - for good reason. It replaces the thirsty 179kW/320Nm inline six-cylinder petrol which continues in one of the Volvo XC60 models.The gearbox remains a six-speed auto and drives all wheels continuously. The clever Haldex clutch that spreads the power to the wheels with traction also remains. New is a smart electrical system that only allows the alternator to charge the battery when the battery needs it. It saves fuel this way. There’s also an electric park brake that adjusts itself to ensure the car remains stationary.This is a five-star rated wagon - note that the sister car, the Evoque, is a four-star - with seven airbags, all the necessary electronic braking aids and extras like roll mitigation. The rear camera is standard and includes a guide path and also a new “hitch assist” that takes the towball directly under the trailer’s coupling. The spare is full size. There’s also heated side mirrors.Land Rover has honed the Freelander range and while the diesel was driven, I concentrated on the new petrol mill. From experience in other cars, we know this is an excellent engine with heaps of grunt and reasonable economy. The weight of the Freelander (1775kg plus occupants and fuel) slows down the engine’s verve a bit.The brick shape of the wagon also makes the engine noise apparent and though it’s minor, it’s more audible than say the Falcon model. An excellent seating position, great visibility (thanks to slim pillars) and comfortable seating makes any driver feel at home. Same with the location of controls.The touch screen gives quick access to data and sat-nav (optional) graphics are a decent quality. The engine’s response is aided greatly by the six-speed auto. Though the box’s mapping tries to maintain a higher gear - to improve fuel economy - it has a manual mode. Despite its smallish cabin dimensions, the Freelander feels “right”. It’s easy to park, manoeuvre in tight spots and solid on the open road.It can’t shine in the spotlights like Evoque, glide expensive city streets like the Range Rover or mercilessly pound the deserts like the Discovery. But despite a wave of luxury SUV rivals, the Land Rover Freelander does an exceptional job of being good at everything from toughing it out in the dirt to scrubbing up for a night out. 

If we judged content before appraising appearance, the little black dress and Zegna suits immediately would be obsolete.Expressions such as “love at first sight’’ would be redundant and we would choose products and partners by delving into their intimate specifications. Which sounds more like a life not worth living. For without being captured by the looks, the style and the individuality of a person or something less innate, we would all live in grey concrete boxes and drive grey Trabants.The Range Rover Evoque is one of the most desired moving metal objects on the market. It has the hallmarks of a product you just want to own - style, individuality and function within its pretty form. It’s just damn expensive - in fact, it’s more expensive than can be justified by the sum of its parts. Which is why no-one spotted this test car as the cheapest Evoque and one that doesn’t even come with the Range Rover hallmark of all-wheel drive.Poor. This is the Evoque eD4 Pure manual that costs from $49,995. It has front-wheel drive, good - but hardly excessive - equipment levels and five doors. Amazingly, the three-door Evoque is $1500 dearer. Because people pay for style and it’s presumed that the less number of doors makes it more desirable.The money buys an interior with partial leather upholstery, eight-speaker audio with Bluetoth, 125mm information touch screen, cruise control, rear park sensors and 17-inch wheels. The tester added the Pure Tech pack ($4500) then added 19-inch alloys (another $1000), metallic paint ($1300), contrasting roof colour ($955), premium sat-nav $3400) and rear vents ($190) which helped bring the total price to $61,340 plus on-road costs. But it looks good.Amazingly, this car looks almost identical to the LRX concept car shown at Detroit in 2008. That’s a good thing and the reason why it’s still in such huge demand and, cynically, why Range Rover can charge so much for it. It’s a basic Freelander body from the waist down with a wedge-shaped turret above, highlighted by narrow side glass.It’s a big car - much more than the photos indicate – and impressively wide. But it’s not efficient in its cabin area mainly because it is designed to be a luxury car rather than - in the case of the AWD versions - an off-road machine. Cabin design is similar to the bigger Range Rovers, with striking good looks, simple switchgear design and good use of high-quality materials.The dash material in the eD4 is soft-touch plastic with contrasting colours - in this case, a tasty coffee and cream. The rear seats split and fold almost flat, there’s a space-saver spare under the floor and there’s plenty of room for four adults.Range Rover follows the leads of others by lopping off the drive shaft to the rear wheels. The engine is a 110kW/380Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel - as fitted to the Jaguar XF and Freelander, though maybe in different power outputs - which drives through a sweet six-speed manual gearbox. Pity is that almost no buyer is going to get the manual. There’s a six-speed auto as a $2480 option. All the running gear is from the Freelander and this includes electric park brake, independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes and electric-assist steering.The Evoque carries over the Freelander’s so-so four-star crash rating. It also gets seven airbags and a host of electronic aids including roll and trailer stability on top of the electronic stability and traction control. The spare is a space-saver. There are rear park sensors but no rear camera as standard.If you think the Evoque is all about style, wait until you drive it. Clearly it is made for the driver who places comfort above other factors. Yet that doesn’t mean the Evoque is slow or a wallower through the bends. In fact, you have to push the 2WD Pure quite hard before you know it’s not an all-wheel drive. The handling is very good and the body roll is minimal.The electric steering could have a bit more feel but it’s more than adequate for the car’s role. Ride comfort is very good and road noise is minimal, and this despite it being a diesel. The gearbox is smooth with crisp, short throws and the clutch action is light. But the market still wants this as an automatic. But it’s not perfect. The visibility is poor to all sides, worsened by the huge side mirrors. Yes, they’re great for lane changing but they mask a huge area alongside the car.

Noxious brown water was lapping over the bonnet of Land Rover’s new flagship. Forget towing a boat, I’m in danger of turning the $200,000 Range Rover into one. At the time — midway through a 5km survival swim up Morrocco’s Oued Ourika — it is only of passing concern.I was far more focused on what was happening under the surging torrent as the luxury four-wheel drive lurched from boulder to boulder. I could feel the Terrain Response software shunting torque to alternate wheels trying to scrounge grip against the current and shifts in weight.The result was technology and engineering won out and the 2.2-tonne turbodiesel kept ploughing resolutely on, despite being literally out of its 900mm wading depth and coping with ground that was causing a Defender with off-road rubber nearly as many problems.It had already survived some axle-deep sand dune runs and a rock crawl that had Land Rover PR Tim Krieger wincing on the few occasions when the 260mm of front and 300mm rear of wheel travel were exceeded and the Rangie did bottom out. That wheel travel was tested again in the river run, where one of our group managed to drop two wheels off a silt ledge and can’t the SUV on a 45 degree lean that no one believed it could recover from.We were already discussing how they were going to extricate the car from the bottom of a ravine when the driver managed to recover it — despite doing almost everything wrong, from trying to swing back up the ridge, thereby increasing the tilt, to gunning the engine and making the Rangie jump. The car was built from the ground up for just this purpose and it’s a travesty that very few owners will be have the chutzpah to test the extreme capabilities of their decidedly luxurious SUV. One wouldn’t want to despoil the leather interior now, would one? It’d be like mucking out the stables in a pair of Gucci loafers.Regular owners can rest easy though, because the Range Rover is probably even more composed on the freeway, where revisions to the steering and suspension have all but eliminated the head-shake that beset the previous model at speed and improvements to the insulation make it a serene workplace. Even with the speedo needle nudging 200km/h, it was as composed as a well-trained butler. And the steering wheel, which spun like a child's toy on the sand, stiffens up to sports car levels on the road. Other carmakers should tear it down to find out how to make an electric steering system that works at all angles.All models have a 3.5-tonne towing capacity and unless you intend to regularly use it, the V6 turbodiesel’s 600Nm and 0-100km/h time of 7.9 seconds should do the job for most owners. The diesel V8’s 700Nm make it the pick for heavy haulers, while the supercharged petrol V8’s 5.4-second sprint time gives it performance bragging rights.VALUEIf you have to ask, you can’t afford it. Given there’s no direct competition, Land Rover benchmarked the car against everything from BMW’s X5 and 7 Series to the Audi Q7 and Mercedes-Benz GL-Class and S-Class — and says the Range Rover is quieter than them all at highway speeds. The V6 turbodiesel will go on sale in February at $168,900 in HSE trim and will be the volume seller, though a $178,900 Vogue spec will also be offered.The turbodiesel V8 will be a $195,100 proposition in Vogue format, stepping up to $217,100 for the Vogue SE and $232,800 for the “with-the-log” Autobiography trim. The supercharged V8 is the sole petrol engine destined for Australia and starts at $224,400 in Vogue SE spec, rising to $240,100 for the Autobiography. A diesel hybrid will join the range late next year.TECHNOLOGYThe fourth-generation Rangie uses an aluminium monocoque chassis and alloy panels to trim more than 300kg of weight from most models. That is then promptly returned with an apps store of technology, reinforced aerodynamic shields under the SUV and heavy-duty air suspension to give it the legs to go anywhere. Even if anywhere will be no farther than a gravel driveway or grassy paddock for most owners.It is part of the Range Rover mystique that this vehicle is as capable as it is classy. To make life easier for owners, the Terrain Response system has been upgraded with a default auto mode that switches between five settings — general; grass/gravel/snow, mud/ruts, sand, and rock crawl — as it detects the surface it is travelling on. Each setting alters the car’s throttle response, gearbox shift points, centre differential and chassis systems to optimise drive.A dial still lets owners manually choose their preferred mode and there’s an adjacent switch to active the low-range function. The latest Bosch ABS software includes stability, roll and traction control, along with hill ascent and descent control. The V8 models also pick up a lean control system that uses hydraulics to adjust the stiffness of the front and rear stabiliser bars and reduce head-toss on uneven surfaces.All models have automatic variable damping that can be best felt when switching the eight-speed automatic transmission from drive to sport. That also sharpens throttle and steering response.DESIGNThe traditional Range Rover look has been refined and given a sportier makeover. The clamshell bonnet has been kept, the side fins are still there (though moved from the front quarter panel to the front doors) and the floating roof, courtesy of blacked out pillars, has been retained. The bottom of the two-part tailgate can still act as a standing platform at the polo, but both sections are now powered.Designers did sharpen the windscreen angle, which improves looks and fuel efficiency and the roofline itself has been lowered to give the big SUV an edgier look. The “camera style” bi-xenon headlamps are the easiest way to spot the Rangie, especially at night. It still has the presence of a truck, just a very good-looking one.SAFETYIt hasn’t been tested yet, but expect the Range Rover to keep its occupants supremely safe. The only criticism of the last model was it didn’t protect pedestrians. Land Rover has responded by fitting a raised bonnet and optimising the bonnet and bumper to absorb energy.Adaptive cruise control is now linked with an optional queue assist function for stop-start driving and there’s blind spot warning and automatic emergency braking systems. Front parking sensors are boosted with a reversing camera and there’s six airbags to cover all occupants.VERDICTComposure is a learned trait and the Range Rover has learned over the years how to do it with panache. The substantial price is matched by as much substance on and off the road as any potential buyer could desire. It’s not as nimble as an X5 but it is has more presence on the road and behind the wheel. Simply put, it is the most luxurious heavy-duty tow vehicle on the market, with the potential to do much more if the owner dares.Land Rover Range Rover TDV6Price: $168,000Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmService interval: 12 months/26,000kmSafety: Six airbags, ABS with EBD, BA, TC, ECS, hill ascent and descent, blind spot warning, reversing cameraCrash rating: Not assessedEngine: 3.0-litre turbodiesel, 190kW/600NmTransmission: Eight-speed automatic, four-wheel driveDimensions: 5m (L), 1.98m (W), 1.84m (H)Weight: 2.16 tonnesSpare: Full-sizeThirst: 7.5L/100km, 196g/km CO2

Range Rover Evoque is an indication that the British 4WD maker understands the reality of the so-called soft-roader vehicle. The burgeoning compact SUV market, or soft-roader if you like to call it that, initially saw Land Rover moving down in size with the Freelander. But it retained the sort of off-road ability Land Rover owners deemed to be essential. Land Rover then displayed a stunning looking concept vehicle that drew a lot of favourable comments at motor shows worldwide. A concept that eventually became the Range Rover Evoque.Evoque’s 2WD was launched midway through 2012 as a lower cost option, priced from $49,995, for buyers who have no plans to take their little Range Rovers off-road. Which is actually a very large number of owners, though not all of them will be willing to place themselves in that category – they still have distant dreams of one day tackling adventurous routes in the great Aussie outback.What looks like an unrealistically low roof is actually a clever optical illusion. Though the Evoque’s roof slopes sleekly down at the rear, the angle is not as sharp as it seems, because the rising belt line creates what looks to be an ultra-low roof. Even more importantly, it also maintains the macho look desired by SUV buyers.The design and quality of in-cabin materials is impressive and we can envisage wealthy owners of upmarket Range Rover Autobiography models buying Evoques for their fortunate children. We found the front seats of the baby Range Rover comfortable and pretty spacious, particularly for a vehicle of this size.Range Rover Evoque in four-door format has sufficient headroom for a six-footer in the back seats, though that’s probably about the limit, so check for yourself if you’re likely to have tall travellers back there. Legroom – we are talking about the four-door again – in the rear is good if the people in front are willing to give up a few centimetres of their legroom.The view to the side from the back seats suffers because of the aforementioned rising belt line and smaller children may become bored as they can’t see outside properly. Note that the two-door variant of the Evoque, which Range Rover cheekily calls a coupe, has slightly less headroom in the back seat than the four-door. Indeed, the use of the word coupe for the body probably makes sense because owners of coupes of any type don’t expect there to be a lot of room in the rear compartment. Boot space is good and we had no trouble fitting in a couple of fair sized suitcases without having to fold down the rear seats.Our road test vehicle for the last week has been a four-door Evoque with a turbo-diesel engine that produces 110 kW of power and the newly introduced 2WD system. In any case, the engineers have given the 2WD Evoque the same ground clearance as the 4WD, so it can tackle dirt tracks and the like.Fuel consumption around town was impressively low at seven to nine litres per hundred kilometres. It’s possible to get consumption under six litres per hundred on the highway without too much pussyfooting.On sealed surfaces the Range Rover Evoque handles almost as well as a good hatchback. You wouldn't exactly describe it as being sporty, but it comes closer than you might expect. We feel there is more road noise on rough sealed surfaces than is acceptable in an upmarket vehicle.It had decent performance without too much turbo lag. It’s noisier from outside the vehicle than many diesel cars. From the inside, particularly when cruising, it’s virtually indistinguishable from the petrol engine in the way sounds are suppressed.Visibility to the rear is not good as the shallow back windscreen gives a letter-box effect. A reversing camera and parking sensors make life safer.Range Rover Evoque’s use of 2WD may anger some of the purists who love the famed British marque, but the 2WD option makes a lot of sense and will help to secure the long-term future of the company in these tough times. 

The Pure ED4 is where the Evoque model lineup kicks off - at $49,995 but we seriously doubt you'd be able to find one in base spec. Range Rover has a "client customisation program" with Evoque that lets buyers choose what they want (at extra cost).EXCLUSIVEIt means no two Evoques will be the same - they'll all be "exclusive." We got hold of a new front wheel drive super economical eD4 five door and have to say we really like it. Apart from the striking looks, the thing goes like a train - and it's the fuel economy model.ECONOMYWe saw 5.5-litres/100km easily and didn't really try for economy. Range Rover equips the car with a swag of fuel saving technology like engine stop/start (not foolproof), low rolling resistance tyres, low friction engine internals, low aerodynamic drag and electricity regeneration when decelerating.Nothing really ground breaking but hybrid challenging economy and emissions from a 1600kg small luxury SUV is pretty impressive.POWERTRAINThe engine is a 2.2-litre Peugeot unit with 110kW/400Nm output. Extra response is gained from the water cooled, variable nozzle turbo and it's smooth and quiet thanks to a double walled engine block and dual balance shafts. But the really, really good thing is the slick manual gear change.It feels electrically operated with short throws between each cog - snick, snick, snick, and the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts are close ratio. It's the first time we have experienced a close ratio manual diesel and we like it.TORQUE ABOUT ITWith a big whack of torque belting through the front wheels some torque steer is evident under heavy throttle applications but that's quickly doused by the stability control system and other electronics.SHARPIt has sharp, sporty steering that's most un-SUV-like and a sporty ride from the chassis. You can have a good old play on a winding road in full confidence as the Evoque carves a neat, flat arc through corners.As the Pure, it has a relatively conservative interior treatment, attractive and functional capped by a large touch screen in the centre stack. We couldn't figure out what was standard kit and what was optional and gave up. The test model was kitted up to $61,340 with bigger alloys (19-inch), touch screen, audio connectivity, satnav, metallic paint, contrast roof and other stuff.TOURERIt's an excellent touring car with a luxury air others simply can't match. Then there's that styling - motorshow concept for the street. And no, we didn't encounter any rear visibility issues. There's something incongruous about a front wheel drive Range Rover but who cares, the majority of these vehicle won't go off road so the additional weight and cost of all wheel drive is a waste.VERDICTWould have one in a flash. Surprisingly good performance from a diesel four pot, low fuel consumption, excellent six-speed manual, sporty dynamics. The queue starts over here.Range Rover Evoque eD4 PurePrice: from $49,995Warranty: 3yr roadside assist, 100,000kmEngine: 2.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel, 110kW/380NmTransmission: 6-speed manual, FWDThirst: 5.0L / 100Km, 133 g/km CO2

You can spend thousands on options in an Evoque. But what if you don't? Compare a new car with one from a decade ago and it's amazing how much stuff we now take for granted.In test cars, invariably specced to the rafters, it can be hard to work out how much of a car's desirability is inherent and how much depends on the number of options. A case in point is the Range Rover Evoque. When this fashionable soft-roader was launched last year, every test car had thousands in extras.VALUEIn some cases, this pushed up the price by half as much again, to beyond $100k. That left the impression it was overpriced, and I wondered what would be left if you removed all the options. It was impossible to work out if a standard Evoque even feels like a Range Rover.At least it was until last week, when I got into an Evoque eD4, the bottom rung of the range at $49,995. Even in base spec, the Evoque has enough to pass muster against today's raised expectations. Crucial inclusions, for me at least, are Bluetooth phone and rear parking sensors.If you want more, it's available -- although the next rung on the trim ladder is another $13,500 and includes pointless gadgets such as rain-sensing wipers. There are things missing, of course, but many of them I can do without. These would include a reversing camera, sunroof, ambient lighting and powered tailgate.Satnav is a bigger omission and auto headlamps are useful, if only because that means there are no chimes reminding that you've left them on. My expectations for the interior were lowered when I saw the spec sheet. Only two options are fitted: front carpet at $200 and rear vents at $190. If breathing is an option, what will the rest of it be like?DESIGNFrom the outside it's impossible to tell that this Evoque is the bottom feeder. The rear comes well equipped and doesn't feel poverty-pack. And it's like that throughout. The seats are first rate, even though not much of the upholstery is leather. Trim that appears to be metal actually is metal, while much of the dash and door material is soft-touch.The cabin has most of what makes more expensive Evoques successful: the same jewel-effect dials, the same wheel loaded with audio and cruise controls, and the same detailed switchgear. Everything feels solid and substantial.The absence of grab handles is a black mark, but that's not limited to this version. But there's enough here to be convincing. Range Rover has made a sound judgment about what constitutes the lowest common denominator for the brand.TECHNOLOGYEven the brand's trademark four-wheel drive is absent from the eD4. This variant is its first front-wheel drive car in Australia, although we've known they were coming. Both the Evoque and the Freelander, which supplies the engineering for both cars, are sold as 2WDs in Europe.Under the eD4 bonnet is the low-output 2.2-litre diesel four-cylinder already available in Evoque, although here it gets 20Nm less torque. By shedding four-wheel drive, the eD4 loses 75kg and achieves impressive fuel economy of five litres per 100km, or even less for the three-door.However, the only transmission available is a six-speed manual. What will hold the eD4 back in this market is the lack of an auto. The most affordable automatic is another $10k and comes only with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol and four-wheel drive.DRIVINGThe eD4 isn't quick at 11.2 seconds to 100km/h and it sounds like it's just driven across a ploughed field. There are also hints of diesel vices -- a smidgin of torque steer, a little vibration around 1400rpm. However it's far from the most abrasive oil-burner and, as it delivers lots of driveable torque through its mid-range, it's surprisingly easy to live with.Around town, you'll need to change gears a lot but the stubby little shifter has a nice action, complemented by well-weighted pedals. It also drives well, with nicely damped composure and insulated ride quality. Less weight helps the dynamics, and while it's far from agile, it is enjoyable.VERDICTThe demand for Evoques is outstripping supply; it's a worldwide hit the like of which Land Rover has never known. You get the impression it could fit anything under the bonnet and they'd sell.Range Rover Evoque eD4Price: from $49,995Warranty: 3yr roadside assist, 100,000kmEngine: 2.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel, 110kW/380NmTransmission: 6-speed manual, front-wheel driveThirst: 5.0 / 100Km