Handling Found Wanting

Car geek and proud of it!

To be honest mark, I can understand your frustrations and I'm not all too bothered about your first line/paragraph as I'm not one to get worked up over things that simply I don't care about. I.e your patronizing comments. You're entitled to your opinion and so be it.

In regards to The handling, for what the car is and and what it was intended for, I think it absolutely fantastic. In regards to the suspension, I have no doubt that the millions invested into the salaries of the engineers that designed the suspension system, allowed for those engineers to purchase their own 911s, AMGs, BMW M-lines and other various sportier cars. However you must realise that a firmer stronger suspension would provide for the most horrific offload experience.

I cannot imagine driving offroad in a higher version of a 911. That would be stupid, and absolutely pointless. I'm sure the engineers have put enough thought into this car to be able to get the best of both worlds and I believe they have.

I will admit it looks absolutely stunning, but I still question whether I would've bought it if it didn't drive so well. I've already had a fair share of minor issues so it's not like I'm being biased. But at the end of the day, it is a first generation car. And based on that point in particular, I think the car needs to be commended and appreciated.

I've has a truckload of people sit in my car, many of them drive SUV/4WDs. Landcruisers, Prados, Jeeps, Lexus', Audis and BMWs and the ML. Each and every one of them has loved how it goes around corners and how grounded it feels. Mainly because you don't "roll" around a corner like a normal SUV.

I think it's a superb car and especially for a first generation car. Not saying a few minor things couldn't be changed, but then again I'm more of the appreciative type.

(11-03-2012 11:57am)defender_uk Wrote:  ...and actually Mark, I thoroughly object to that first sentence. Arrogant, rude and down-right patronising.

+1 but nothing new!

It's a Range Rover, it isn't a 911/Boxter/M3/S4. Apart from the lack of horses it deserves to be called Sport far more than any of the 2.7lt TDv6 powered RRS's that wobble and wallow round corners like an ocean liner in a storm but LR had a pretty good stab at it with the Supercharged and the TDv8 RRS, but their weight and high CoG does them no favours when it comes to fast cornering, and as for the BIG DADDY FFRR, well unless you have one of the latest 4.4's then even the S/C doesn't like to corner fast. So Evoque is a revelation for those of us used to Land Rovers and maybe it's why LR chose not to fit arm rests to the front seats as you need them in the other models to stop you sliding across to the other seat when corning with any spirit!

Tim
I agree the Evoque with Magnaride is the best handling Land Rover I have driven. Even in dynamic setting I find mine will understeer at quite low cornering speeds, I have tried on a quiet roundabout in the dry and it handles like an executive saloon car but no better. I have 19" standard prestige wheels with Pirelli Scorpion Verdes.

However is there a 4 wheel drive with the same or better ability in snow and mud that handles better? I am not aware of one. Yes there are better road handling 4 wheel drives but with their road biased tyres they grind to a halt on snowy icy slopes - we all have probably seen this on the roads in the winter.

So the Evoque may be the ultimate combination of on road handling and snow/off road capability.

(11-03-2012 11:57am)defender_uk Wrote:  ...and actually Mark, I thoroughly object to that first sentence. Arrogant, rude and down-right patronising.

+2. Why buy a RRE???

(11-03-2012 07:58pm)xxxx5 Wrote:  +2. Why buy a RRE???

This thread is reminder why you need to get a test drive before buying any car, on roads you know or will drive often.

(11-03-2012 08:01pm)Sarcastrix Wrote:  This thread is reminder why you need to get a test drive before buying any car, on roads you know or will drive often.

@sarcastrix - very good point

It also highlights that everybody is entitled to their own opinion, mark finds Evoque a bit wanting in the handling department, that's his opinion and he's told us where he is coming from with his conclusion, whether you agree or not does it really matter? It would be an extremely boring forum if we were to agree with each other 100% of the time......................... although sometimes I wonder if we don't need a little more dissension.

(11-03-2012 09:52pm)XFullFatTim Wrote:  It also highlights that everybody is entitled to their own opinion, mark finds Evoque a bit wanting in the handling department, that's his opinion and he's told us where he is coming from with his conclusion, whether you agree or not does it really matter? It would be an extremely boring forum if we were to agree with each other 100% of the time......................... although sometimes I wonder if we don't need a little more dissension.

Fair point but it's not what you say but how you say it at times.