20" Wheels and Ride

Any chance you've put on the sound system? Was it standard or the 825W version?

(31-07-2011 11:24pm)vision*R Wrote:  Any chance you've put on the sound system? Was it standard or the 825W version?

Was too busy trying not to bash their lovely baby to listen to the HiFi Vision!

(31-07-2011 11:24pm)vision*R Wrote:  Any chance you've put on the sound system? Was it standard or the 825W version?

one i drove have the upgraded sound system and it was very good, not quite up to the harmon kardon i have in my RRS however.

(01-08-2011 10:24am)x5pea Wrote:  

(31-07-2011 11:24pm)vision*R Wrote:  Any chance you've put on the sound system? Was it standard or the 825W version?

one i drove have the upgraded sound system and it was very good, not quite up to the harmon kardon i have in my RRS however.

Bit of a surprise - didn't LR say they were setting new standards of in-car hifi with the Evoque??

Here is a White Prestige on the 20" style 8 alloys doing the Park assist demo

My test car had a clanky rattle coming from the rear too.

My feelings having driven a diesel coupe prestige are as follows:

Pros -

Well put together interior in the Prestige with lots of soft touch materials, squishy padding, damped movements and neat fits to all the edges and closings.
Sat nav and sound system a vast improvement on clumsy system in current FFRR
Auto diesel plenty of oomph when asked for, smooth, quiet.
Rear park camera also an improvement on LR's current system on FFRR.
Boot and rear passenger area pleasantly roomy.
Easy access height to get in and out of car, even into rear of coupe (not sure you'd get a MaxiCosi through the gap into the back of the coupe tho).
Feels like you're driving a mini version of the FFRR in terms of steering weight, stance on road, height. That said, dimensions are nice and neat for maneuvering and parking
Bits all worked well, ie elec seats, air con, pan roof, sound system etc


Cons -

I don't know if the exterior looks of the car blew me away in the way I was expecting. I feel from the front it's still very Freelander, and driving behind one on the road test, again, I'm not sure it filled my eyes with pleasure. It's CUTE and different (because we're not used to it yet). But not stunning. IMO.
Same with the DRLs - there are other cars out there that make better use of these in terms of styling.
The Dynamic interior is flatter/harder than the Prestige - doesn't have that FFRR landscape of luxury that I would expect for the premium price.
Powered tailgate only wants you to work with the motor - doesn't like manual operation at all. So if you're in a hurry you can't open and close it quickly like on a normal tailgate mechanism.
Shadowline wheels are only very subtly darker, not as dark as the website representation.
I thought the ride in the Prestige was hard and bumpy. I was expecting a softer glide given the FFRR's cruiser style characteristics. Reminded me of bumping along in the Mini, which is the sensation I was trying to avoid by moving up to a luxury SUV.
Chrome effect wheels are horrible.
No off road testing (FFRR day took us on off road route, Evoque hiding something?). I will use mine off road so I would have liked to see this in action. (Terrapod no comparison to real off road).


All in all, left a tiny bit lukewarm about the Evoque. It's not as special as the FFRR. It's not vastly unlike a Freelander except the interior finish. It should, I think, be priced about £5-£10k less than it is. I think for £42k I could get a much more special car. Or I could half that amount and get the same driving pleasure and headturning style from a Mini Countryman. I've really been left in two minds now about continuing with the order. Might take that 20% over list WAGs offer mentioned elsewhere!!!

(01-08-2011 04:20pm)Sassy Wrote:  It should, I think, be priced about £5-£10k less than it is. I think for £42k I could get a much more special car. Or I could half that amount and get the same driving pleasure and headturning style from a Mini Countryman. I've really been left in two minds now about continuing with the order. Might take that 20% over list WAGs offer mentioned elsewhere!!!

Yes I think it’s about £3 -£5K overpriced but not £10K .... £3- 5K is the price you pay for being an early adopter. ... however if you spec a Countryman SD up to Dynamic or Prestige spec you are looking at well over £32K .... so the Mini is not half the price – and I know which one I would rather have for that sort of money. I'm sorry but if you want head turning bang for buck I don't think anything else out there comes close. If you spec an Evoque up a Firenze Red Dynamic with Black roof and parked it next to a Lamborghini ........the Lambo wouldn’t get a look in. I would also be interested in your "more special for £42K" list.

Thanks for that Sassy, very informative, but not sure about the 'headturning style from a Mini Countryman'. Should that not read Stomach Turning

(01-08-2011 04:57pm)paulus599 Wrote:  Thanks for that Sassy, very informative, but not shure about the 'headturning style from a Mini Countryman'. Should that not read Stomach Turning

+1

(01-08-2011 04:54pm)Blackseries Wrote:  I would also be interested in your "more special for £42K" list.

Re countryman, ok not head turning in the same way, but it's quirky and the mini interiors are excellent. If I was to get a countryman I would spend about £25k and just forget the luxe element that the evoque would give me.

Re more special for £42k, I'm seriously looking at the M1, there is one available just now if I make a quick decision, altho wouldn't get it til dec. Or if not the TTRS. Or back to a Lotus (and would be less).

Plus second hand I could get a lot for £42k, and that's what's holding me back from Evoque, I just think they're asking too much for it now that I have seen it in person.

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(01-08-2011 04:54pm)Blackseries Wrote:  If you spec an Evoque up a Firenze Red Dynamic with Black roof and parked it next to a Lamborghini ........the Lambo wouldn’t get a look in. I would also be interested in your "more special for £42K" list.

Also problem there is my order is locked, or I would be changing colour for sure. It needs the Wow! of the red colour, or the menace of the dark colours to really pop, and unfortch in ordering blind I've picked a safe silver. Still looks good, just not amazing.