India-bound 2020 Range Rover Evoque revealed with Velar looks and hybrid tech

-    The second-gen Range Rover Evoque adopts Velar’s styling inside out.

-    It now uses a 48V hybrid system with a new range of Ingenium motors. 

-    Expected to come to India sometime in the second half of 2019.

Range Rover has taken the covers off the new generation Evoque at a special event in London. The second-gen of the Baby Rangie comes with a whole new styling, revised underpinning and a completely rejigged powertrain which makes it the first Land Rover to get mild hybrid technology. 

The sleek headlamps flanking the upright mesh grille is straight out of the Velar. The bumpers are restyled both fore and aft but the overall silhouette of the Evoque has been retained. Even though the new-gen Evoque moves on newer underpinnings – Land Rover’s new mixed-metal Premium Transverse Architecture – the dimensions of the five-seater remains unchanged. However, the new platform helps it clear up more space inside the cabin compared to the previous generation car owing to a 20mm longer wheelbase. The tail lights too are sleek, placed high up on the waistline, and get a black strip running across the tailgate just like the one seen in the Velar. Unfortunately, the two-door version of the Evoque has been discontinued due to poor demands. 

Inside, the Velar inspiration continues with two high-definition touchscreens dominating the centre console. The upper screen controls the infotainment while the lower screen has a facility for air conditioning and other essential controls. The gear lever also shifts to conventional joystick instead of the previous car’s (even the Velar’s) circular dial. Moreover, the steering wheel and instrument cluster also seem to be scrounged directly from the Velar, thus lending the cabin a premium feel. There are a host of modern connectivity features as well, apart from new-age driving aids. 

Powertrain options include a new crop of Ingenium petrol and diesel engines. The entry-level model gets a manual two-wheel-drive, whereas all the other models come with four-wheel drive and automatic transmission. The 48V mild hybrid tech is added to make the Evoque more efficient as well. A full-fledged hybrid will join the range soon owing to the new compatible architecture. 

The new-gen Evoque will hit the international markets by the middle of 2019. We can expect the high-selling Baby Range Rover to arrive at our shores by the end of next year. It continues to compete with the likes of Audi Q3, Volvo XC40, Mercedes-Benz GLC and the BMW X2.