Handling Found Wanting

That's a cool video, Jitenc. I think Mark likes to stir up conversation, and although he can be rough edged, he makes some excellent and well considered points. I think we have to give it to him that this generation of the Evoque is not all the Evoque could be in the handling department. I suspect some on this forum may be the first to purchase the newer, higher-powered engine, that some say Land Rover have been testing for a while now...

(13-03-2012 05:25am)olde Wrote:  That's a cool video, Jitenc. I think Mark likes to stir up conversation, and although he can be rough edged, he makes some excellent and well considered points. I think we have to give it to him that this generation of the Evoque is not all the Evoque could be in the handling department. I suspect some on this forum may be the first to purchase the newer, higher-powered engine, that some say Land Rover have been testing for a while now...

I agree in some ways about 'some' of Mark's comments. Then again this is my first purchase of a LR product coming straight from a BMW family. So my thoughts are more toward comparing the RRE to the Bimmer, while most on the forum seemed to have previously owned LRs, so naturally they are comparing the handling of the Evoque to the older brothers... But guess what, the RRE RALLY, had a BMW 3 ltr engine....... Food for thought....

I would be very interested is a faster, firmer, sportier RRE. Otherwise I am going to be changing to a Macan or a BMW when they come out!

I think the handling on my Dynamic is great and is what I expected from the car. BUT I would love a sportier version. Got to agree with the bit about the 3 model ranges. They could have made the Dynamic more sporty (inc a better gearbox) and not just improvements in the looks department if you ask me.

(12-03-2012 11:02pm)mark_n Wrote:  I am emphatically not expecting the Evoque to perform like a 911, of coursse not, how could it? However, with 3 model profiles in the range, I think the Dynamic could have been set up to provide more sporting handling. There should be more to choosing between Prestige and Dynamic than different leather vs body kit and fake bonnet vents.

This is a very fair point. I chose the Dynamic because it looks better than the Prestige (IMHO) and not because of handling...Land Rover could have given the Prestige a superior ride (in terms of comfort) along with better insulated glazing etc (which I accept would have added weight and slowed it down) to provide a more luxurious experience...and they could have given the Dynamic a more sporty ride (all the talk of a hard ride to knock your teeth out before launch is nonsence, the ride in dynamic mode is still very comfortable).
This would have made my purchasing decision too hard so I'm glad they didn't do this! But they could have and that would have satisfied a lot of people I suspect.

I could not make my mind up either with the Dynamic versus Prestige so specified the Prestige with optional Adaptive Dynamics – including Dynamic Mode. I spend about equal time in Dynamic mode and normal mode so am glad I have got the option. The Dynamic option certainly firms things up in hard cornering.

I really like the way this car drives and am glad the standard mode is quite soft as this is still a luxury ride, it does have a bit of body roll but it great for its weight and height and 150kg of glass roof up top, and dynamic mode doesnt really change that much, its a bit stiffer, but usually I quickly put it back to standard. I find im going much faster than I realise into some bends and it handles them admirably.

If you've seen this thing climbing a gritty slope you could not climb yourself by hand stop on that slope and pull away again with barely a scrabble of grit under tyre, youd forgive any small misdemeanors on road for that capability, it cant have it all but it does a damn fine job of being an affordable luxury nice on road full offroad capable vehicle!

A sporty version maybe better for you but it will compromise comfort and offroad capability, for me dynamic mode is enough for a bit of fun now and then while keeping the comfort and capability.

150kg? That roof is putting weight on by the day... The most I have ever seen quoted is 63kg. I accept that the off road performance is really excellent and I wouldn't want to see that compromised.

(14-03-2012 04:09am)mark_n Wrote:  150kg? That roof is putting weight on by the day... The most I have ever seen quoted is 63kg. I accept that the off road performance is really excellent and I wouldn't want to see that compromised.

Interesting topic but find it slightly pointless. It’s not going to handle like a hot hatch at best and i don't see why anyone would think anything differently. Is the point of this thread that the Dynamic isn't quite as dynamic as you think it should be..? do you expect it to handle like something on rails..? i looked at the Dynamic, but in truth i just thought it was essentially a body-kitted 'sporty' looking version of an Evoque with fancy dampers but didn't expect any other than a very composed driving barge.

150kg roof? Talk aboout morbidly obese!

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