I’m currently in the market for a new car. In my quest to become greener, I have decided to test drive crossovers to replace my current mid-size SUV. I was actually thinking of making the switch last year and got side tracked. So I’m putting my previous research to use to narrow down my choices. I see a bevy of crossovers navigating through traffic in Princeton, such as the Acura RDX, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Lexus RX 350, Mercedes GLK350, and Volvo XC60, and most are on my list. I’ve already given the Audi Q5 a whirl, which has a number of nice features, and drives smoothly.
I wanted to make sure my info was up-to-date, so during a search I discovered a vehicle that wasn’t on my radar last year. That’s because it’s new for 2012, and I found it quite intriguing. It’s the new Range Rover Evoque, and it has a starting price a smidgen above the Land Rover LR2. While the other luxury crossovers try to refine their offerings every year, Range Rover has pushed the envelope for 2012, and has become an innovator in the niche thanks to the introduction of the Evoque. The RDX comes closest in regards to styling.
At first I thought the exterior design was too modern for the conservative Range Rover brand, but I understand their forward thinking. Victoria Beckham, a.k.a. Posh Spice, had a hand in the interior’s design, giving it a chic touch. The coupe is intended to appeal to a younger, urban market than the high-end Range Rover, but my question is does the 5-door model entice families in the ‘burbs? According to Land Rover Princeton Vice President & General Manager Jorge Figueroa, the Evoque is very successful in Princeton. Sales guide Steven Budenz predicts an 80/20 split in favor of the 5-door in our area.
Make no mistakes, the streamlined Evoque does live up to the Range Rover name. It comes well equipped with the latest tech, luxury, TRUE off-road capabilities, and for the first time, a progressive profile. The push button start (standard), was nice to see, but what excited me was the rotary gearshift that starts flush (photo right), then rises for use instead of the usual selection lever (inherited from Jaguar). You can choose a Sports mode for a more responsive ride, and if you use the paddle shifters, it simulates using a manual transmission. Getting the Prestige theme with options gets you closer to the high-end Range Rover.
Some standard goodies in the Pure theme are: an electronic park brake, Bluetooth phone & audio, 380 watt – 11 speaker Meridian audio system, and front and rear parking aid with a rear camera. The Evoque has four standard terrain response settings that are for the following driving conditions: normal, grass/gravel/snow, mud/ruts, and sand. I actually drive on the beach and over dunes in search of wild mustang. Score! PLUS, you can drive through 19.7″ of water, and in an area known for mild flooding, that comes in handy. Check near the bottom of the Evoque Explore page for more details.
The Range Rover Evogue is not for everyone. It took a day for me to adjust to the exterior design, but I can tell you that I’ve never been so excited to test drive a vehicle before. Maybe it’s all of those gadgets that come standard and that amazing panoramic roof that have gotten me all revved up. Or perhaps it’s the Range Rover brand at a more reasonable price that has piqued my interest. None the less, the Evoque has truly captured my attention. I will continue to test drive crossovers to make a fair comparison, but in my opinion the Range Rover Evoque has set the bar really high!
What are your opinions about luxury crossovers? What would you recommend to test drive? I’d love for you to share your experiences with me in the comment section, and/or vote below for which crossover I should take for a spin next.
All photos (except Land Rover Princeton) courtesy of Land Rover.
It may not be classified as luxury, but I just got into a Hyundai Tuscon Limited. It has a ton of bells and whistles while still being pretty affordable for the category of small SUV’s/Crossovers. It’s very fun to drive and extremely comfortable. It’s definitely worth a test drive.
Thanks Heather! I was actually looking at other crossovers, and noticed some have more standard features than the luxury models. I will definitely take a look at the Hyundai site to see how it stacks up on paper. My current SUV was a recommendation from a friend JUST before I was going to buy another choice.
Here’s my two cents. None of these luxury crossovers comes close to meeting my definition of fuel efficient. They all get less gas mileage than my 2006 Honda Accord V-6 and most will never visit the rugged side of a mountain. They are SUV for marketing purposes only.
I would suggest ignoring the labels and looking further a field.
Take a look at the Ford Escape Hybrid or Lexus RX 450h.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/best-fuel-efficient-suv-crossover-0223
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byclass.htm
Khürt, it’s true most of the cars listed are more luxury cars than SUVs, but that’s why the Evoque is different from the pack. It’s a true off-road vehicle. I drive occasionally in the sand, on gravel roads, sometimes on grass, and once in a while through high water, so having a great AWD comes in handy. I also like a sporty drive. I had a 5.0L V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee over 10 years ago and it was great off-road, but a gas guzzler. It’s hard to find something that’s fuel efficient, stylish and sporty. The Escape doesn’t cut it for me, though it’s not completely out of the picture. The Lexus is low on the list. The hybrid version brings it to another price category, and it’ll take more than 10 years to break even with the low mileage I put on the car. Thanks so much for your recommendations! I’ll use the link now to help with my research.
As you suggested you “drive occasionally in the sand’. Why by a vehicle for a feature that is only occasionally used.
I once had a friend who bought a huge Dodge Durango because twice a year he needed to pull a boat to and from the shore. When I pointed out that the Durango got horrible every day gas mileage, cost a lot more to insure than a car and that a truck could be rented when needed for about $50 he … shrugged.
“The corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standard was ratified in the 1970s to regulate the fuel economy of passenger vehicles. Car manufacturers evaded the regulation by selling SUVs as work vehicles.[7] The popularity of SUV increased among urban drivers in the last 25 years, and particularly in the last decade. Consequently, modern SUVs are available with luxury vehicle features, and some crossover models adopt lower ride heights to accommodate on-road driving.
Keith Bradsher explained the rise of the SUV with American Motors’ (AMC) lobbying the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a waiver of the United States Clean Air Act. The EPA subsequently designated AMC’s compact Cherokee as a “light truck”, and the company marketed the vehicle to everyday drivers.[8] AMC’s effort to affect rulemaking changing the official definition of their new model then led to the SUV boom when other auto makers marketed their own models in response to the Cherokee taking sales from their regular cars.[9]” ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_utility_vehicle#History
Sorry for the history lesson.
As far as driving on the sand goes, if I don’t have the right vehicle I get stuck in the sand. There goes all of the fun. Then there’s the snow. It seems like my street in the last in Princeton to be plowed. I don’t have time to wait, so I have to venture out. My current AWD does the job, but barely. I’ve also had to drive through high water, and have held my breath the whole way through.
Buying a car is like buying shoes. First, it has to be in your budget, then you have to like the appearance, lastly, it has to make you comfortable and fit your needs. I want a car that satisfies all three. I could buy a Prius for fuel economy, but I’m not fond of the design, and it doesn’t suit my needs. I could veer away from SUVs and crossovers and get a good ol’ fashioned station wagon like the Audi A4 Avant, which I like, has good resale value, and is AWD, but not to the extent of the Range Rover, and the mileage is close 21/29 vs 18/28.
In an ideal world, I’d have a different car for every need. A hybrid for everyday use, an SUV for vacations and carpooling, and a sports car for fun and beautiful design. For now, I’ll have to combine all desires into one vehicle.