Ok, so this deserves its own (clean) thread in my opinion. Article: Evoque 5dr revealed - Autocar.co.uk ** Not quite the correct definition of tumblehome. It's not the slope of the sides but the slope of the side DLO or glass from the beltline to the roof. This thing looks incredible really - such a bold and decisive move from the JLR Group. Goes without saying, but I love it.
^ And the dash layout reminded me of the KIA Sportage Radio/nav/cd etc. controls and steering wheel similarities...
That interior is so, so nice. I've said it countless times, but JLR are the top dogs when it comes to interior design.
It looks so bling! It's like a royal Range Rover had a baster child with some peasant SUV. The car would fit into Jersey Shore TV series perfectly. :t-hands:
What is this? Seriously? This looks like a vehicle that Ford or Dodge would design, not someone like Range Rover who makes some pretty elegant cars. How could this company have approved the design of this car? I am totally lost with this one.
Land Rover is finally about to clean up in the U.S. market. This thing is going to sell like hotcakes. If Jaguar can come out with a smaller sedan, the Jaguar-Land Rover marriage might actually see some real profits. M
Each to his own of course, but I'm curious as to what you see about that interior that makes it so nice? :t-hands: For me the entire door trim looks about as mundane as what you'd find in a Corolla, the center stack is nothing new or exciting, and the steering wheel looks like something you'd see in a Dodge. Small? There's a shorter wheel-base version coming? :t-hands:
Exterior is nice and modern but doesn't this miss the point of having a Range Rover? It doesn't look unique/exclusive anymore, none more of those royal england touch to it anymore, it's "just" another offroader now, shape even has a trait of some Infinity SUV.
I like the simplicity of the design - it's all straight lines, HVAC down the bottom, entertainment controls up the top. Straight-forward and logical. Those two silver bars on either side of the centre console which run up all the way up the dash are a nice touch as well. It's really a criticism of modern interiors to be honest. I'm sick and tired of it - messy lines and curves going everywhere, no logical placement of controls and tacky trim lines. JLR and Volvo are the only two car manufacturers who consistently seem to get it right. They keep it simple.
I see what you're saying here. There is a purity and sense of straightfoward logic in their interior designs, Volvo and Land Rover. I do see that. Don't see that with Jaguar, they're just different. As far as I'm concerned no one touches the original Range Rover's interior when it comes to SUVs. It is clearly the biggest advantage or asset vs its competitors, IMO. M
I really want to like this. I really do. The exterior looks like a great evolution of the Land Rover design language forging into the future. I do like the interior despite something being a bit amiss. No, it does not remind me of a Sportage. Based on the pics, maybe the materials are not up to snuff of what I think is befitting a Range Rover. What really makes it difficult to get behind this is the idea of a front-drive LR/RR bothers me to no end. I haven't read the entire press-release so I'm not aware of its off-road credentials, but just looking at the clearance from the pics, it seems made to traverse the potholes at your local mall. I could be wrong, so I'll have to read the press release some more. Again, I understand the need to capture a bigger marketshare to stay in business, it just bothers me. Maybe I'll compromise a little as the time wears on, we'll see if I change my tune.
Personally, I think this is one of those cars that's going to be better to look at than to live with. [Man, does it ever so look fantastic.] The Evoque is prime poseur material - and I'll be the first one passing admiring glances the way of said poseur - but I don't think it'll be a particularly delightful nor practical car. The DLO is very shallow and the interior looks tight (as in cramped) and this will lead to a claustrophobic feel to the cabin. Rearward visibility will be poor but supplemented by a reversing camera I'm sure. Rear seat access and occupant space - less than roomy I reckon. Boot space? I've gotta see that! Still, it's a car from JLR that's right for the times, a car that panders to the posh without being socially reproachable in the typical anti-greenie SUV idiom. Would this Forester owner want one? Not a chance - I'm holding out for next year's Forester XT Sport with 193 kW, VTD and Paddleshift auto... But then any prospective Evoque owner would never ever even glance a Forester. And that's why the Evoque's going to succeed. It's all about the visual appeal and image statement.
