What's the difference?
Would you consider a European-made small SUV with a terrific turbo engine from one of our all-time favourite hot hatches, a reliable torque-converter auto, ample room for five plus luggage, and all from under $40K?
You’d be at the very least a bit curious, right?
Behold the latest Suzuki S-Cross! Okay. It’s been around the sun nearly a dozen times. And you can clock its age in a couple of key areas.
But this crossover from the class of 2013 is not even close to being the oldest-in-show (stand up, Mitsubishi ASX). And, as our testing revealed, the S-Cross can still teach far newer rivals like the Kia Seltos, Mazda CX-30, Haval Jolion and Subaru Crosstrek a thing or two.
Because thoughtful design is timeless. Time, then, to crack open the S-Cross.
Range Rover has developed a bit of an image problem in the last few years.
To many the brand is still the face of a quintessentially British aspirational luxurious off-roader. But to a growing group, it has become synonymous with the concept of an environmentally reckless fuel-guzzling SUV.
They’re big, heavy, and still feature V8 engines, but Range Rover knows all too well the writing is on the wall for its increasingly infamous range of combustion vehicles.
The trouble is, customers love them, and while the I-Pace from sister brand Jaguar is a big leap into the future, there needs to be a happy medium for easing some of its existing customers away from combustion, while still offering the kinds of excess and aspirational performance the Range Rover brand is associated with.
Enter this car, the Evoque HSE P300e. It’s a plug-in hybrid, notably only available in the top trim level, with top-shelf performance, too.
Is it the right car to represent Range Rover’s entry-level model at a critical time of technological transformation? Let’s take a look.
Back in the day, you’d hear people say they’d never buy an all-new car, but instead get the last of the old model that would have had all the bugs ironed out.
If this sort of homespun logic makes sense, then maybe the latest S-Cross might just be the perfect SUV car for you.
Not only has it been in production for years, there is nothing fundamentally wrong with it. Indeed, for performance, packaging and ease, it does plenty that's right. Thoughtful design is timeless.
But there are newer alternatives that look way fresher (particularly inside) yet cost the same or less, and offer more, including updated driver-assist safety.
Still, you can do a lot worse than take an S-Cross for a test drive.
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.