The award-winning Cars of the Year, Range Rover Evoque had a success when it arrived in 2011. About 800,000 units were sold by this model worldwide.
Now there is also a new model standing against fierce rivals. It’s about the Volvo XC40.
The Swedish SUV has shifted the sector with luxury interior and driving experience. Can claim the Range Rover Evoque the class that created itself?
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Range Rover Evoque
The new Evoque has a great name for which he lives but will have to defeat the XC40 to win the crown of victory. The model we will compare is the D180 diesel in R-Dynamic S cut, which costs $52,770.
Design and engineering
Outside, Evoque looks like an evolutionary step (no major style changes) but underneath it is hiding a brand new platform called Premium Transverse Architecture.
This configuration is designed to accommodate electrification, including hybrid engines in the future.
But for now, there are a number of diesel and petrol engines you can choose. The comparison version is a 2.0-liter 178 hp horsepower, combined with nine-speed automatic transmission, incorporating a mild-hybrid system to reinforce responsiveness and efficiency.
Use MacPherson-strut amortization with a multi-connector configuration at the back, which is standard in this class, while additional shock absorbers are optional ($1,040).
Rotating power uses the brakes to make Suv more versatile, with some driving styles, including off-road. Evoque has a Terrain Response system that monitors driving conditions and changes engine configurations to fit the conditions.
It also has mountain driving controls as well as diving depths up to 600 mm. Driving with all active tires is activated only when needed.
The R-Dynamic S comes with 18-inch wheels, LED lights, heated leather seats and satellite navigation. The information system includes a 10-inch screen as well as a WiFi hotspot, connected to applications and features, Android Auto and Aplle CarPlay.
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Driving
Evoque is one of the best class cars that focuses on its driver. The comfortable driving position is easily noticeable compared to the extremely high seats at Volvo. The same thing is with the wheel.
The wheel’s return is much sharper than the XC40. As a result, Evoque has a better body control of the car.
But performance does not come at the cost of comfort, as Evoque is also driving lightly. Since Range Rover forgives the driver’s self-confidence and comfort, it is not so important that he is a little slower in the straight line. The acceleration 0-96 km/h took 9.7 seconds of driving, 0.9 seconds after the XC40. While at speeds of 50-110 km/h, Evoque defeats its rival.
The D180 is a bit noisy when the car takes the gas at first, but the Range Rover speed is much quieter and more relaxed than the rival. The engine responds faster than the XC40 thanks to the mild-hybrid system that shamng delays.
Practicality
Evoque has always been a style-focused car, and the new model again features a typical roof. Despite the low and panoramic roof, the space at the back and the space at the feet is acceptable, and why the XC40 is a bit bigger in this regard.
Ownership
Land Rover does not have the best reputation in reliability, yet among the 26 vehicle manufacturers, it marks the fifth in the 2018 driving pleasure study. The car uses the latest technology of the company.
Security Assistance is a real match for the two rivals. Both cars have lane holders, and automatic emergency braking.
Like the XC40, Evoque has seven standard airbags, including one for pedestrians. Both models marked five stars at Euro NCAP in safety testing.
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Volvo XC40
The Volvo XC40 is one of its best class cars. It’s a key model for Evoque if you want to reach the pinnacle of this sector. The comparison model is a D4 R-Design Pro, which costs $49,790 – a little cheaper than Evoque, though extremely close.
Design and engineering
Many of Volvo‘s major machines, such as the XC60 and V90, are based on Scaleable Product Architecture, but the XC40 uses a smaller Compact Modular Architecture platform.
This is a scalable chassis that uses MacPherson-strut amortization with a multi-connection configuration at the back. The 2.0-liter diesel engine with 187 horsepower has a revolving 400 Nm of power, and is therefore a little more powerful but has a smaller torque than Evoque. There is an eight-speed automatic transmission and four active tires as well.
Interior quality is a strong point for modern Volvo, and the XC40 is no exception. The materials are of a weaker quality than the larger models, but the clever way they are used and the design of the headset make the XC40 feel like a very high quality even though it’s as premium as Evoque.
The information system is very good, but the Range Rover looks more modern. In R-Design Pro cutting, Volvo has a satellite navigation feature, a digital instrument panel, autonomous braking, practical sensors and LED headlights, as well as a heated seat and heated windscreen.
Cameras with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality are additional add-on options. Meanwhile, both are standards at Evoque.
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Driving
Volvo has designed the XC40 to deliver comfort during driving. There is a balance between driving and monotone. Its amortization makes the car not feel even in the worst hits and holes both in the city and at high speeds. But it does not respond as fast as the Range Rover.
The 2.0-liter D4 diesel engine is less bulky than Evoque when driven normally, as it is well insulated from the cabin. But road and wind noise are a problem for the XC40, and at 110 km/h speeds there is a large de-fuel in the finite terms.
Transmission of the gear is gentle but not as fast as we would have liked in some situations, for example when it slows down and then gives the car gas. This is a problem for Evoque, but in a smaller amount.
The extra power and lower weight work in favor of the XC40 in the performance test, where the Swedish model was about 1 second faster at 0-96 mk/h and 80-110 km/h. However, it was slower than Evoque in the fifth gear, six, seven, and eight.
Practicality
As we said above, the XC40 has more interior space for rear passengers and footrests. Also the luggage space is larger. Volvo is able to pull 100kg more than its rival, which can pull 2,000kg in total.
Ownership
Volvo managed to occupy the 13th place in the 2018 Driving Experience study. The automatic foot restraint recognition and lane holder are standard, as are seven airbags. The Volvo XC40 marked five stars at Euro NCAP in safety testing.
It is worth noting that the IntelliSafe Surround extra cost package, which adds blind spots to announcements and automatic braking when the car is moving backwards.
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