Range Rover Evoque: Compact Premium and Off-Road Capability

Introduction

It happened in 2011 — the company known for its luxury SUVs, Range Rover, released a compact model called the Evoque. Built on the Ford EUCD platform, this elegant crossover instantly became a bestseller. In its first years of sales, it sold more than half a million units, winning the hearts of buyers with its striking design.

Thanks to the Evoque, many consumers became acquainted with the Range Rover brand for the first time. Essentially, this vehicle is a smaller version of the Freelander, with the same wheelbase but in a more compact and stylish body. Despite the tight rear row of seats, which is hardly suitable for comfortably carrying adult passengers, this doesn't deter owners who value the attractive appearance of the vehicle.

In this article, we will examine all the features, advantages, and potential problems of a used Range Rover Evoque to determine whether its "cosmic" design is worth your attention.

Body and Exterior

Even years after its release, the Evoque continues to look vibrant and modern compared to its competitors. The body is painted to a very high quality, ensuring the durability of the paintwork. The bumpers and wing trims are securely fastened, so even if the owner occasionally ventures off-road, traces of such use will hardly remain on the vehicle's exterior.

The Evoque's geometric off-road capability is particularly noteworthy. Thanks to its minimal overhangs, its cosmic appearance combines with quite decent off-road capabilities. Of course, much depends on the driver's care and skills.

Owners sometimes face the need to replace decorative body trims. These may be weakly secured and can lift at high speeds, creating a characteristic noise. However, the problem is easily solved by properly fixing the elements.

Moldings along the lower edge of the windows can also detach during careless washing with pressurized water, and if the fasteners are damaged, they can even fly off while driving on the highway.

The factory rear door gaps on many Evoques are not ideal, but this cosmetic defect can be corrected by adjusting the door hinges.

An interesting feature inherited from the older Range Rover models is the tendency of wheel nuts to "swell" over time. This makes it difficult to unscrew them with standard tools. In such cases, the nuts are simply replaced with new ones.

Interior and Comfort

The Evoque's interior looks truly premium. You'll hardly find hard plastic here — most of the interior surfaces are covered with vinyl or leather, depending on the trim level. The crossover was offered with a huge number of color options and interior trim combinations.

The materials have high wear resistance — the steering wheel cover and seat upholstery maintain an attractive appearance even after prolonged use.

The multimedia system in early Evoque versions drew criticism. It worked slower than competitors, had a less user-friendly menu, and virtual buttons.

On models before 2015, owners faced issues with non-working buttons on the left spoke of the steering wheel (multimedia control and call reception). Interestingly, the functionality of these buttons depended on the brightness of the multimedia display and the activation of the low beam headlights. The problem was often solved with a special conductive lubricant for contacts under the buttons.

In the early years of production, the dial for changing transmission modes could present an unpleasant surprise — it could lock up, preventing the engagement of any position (e.g., Drive). The cause was a crack in the soldering of several resistors on the electronic board under the selector. The solution required removing and disassembling the selector to repair the board.

On Evoques with high mileage, a malfunction of the heating system fan may occur, which begins to work only at maximum speed. The cause is the failure of the heating system thermistor, access to which is deep inside the central console.

Near the cabin filter is a small additional battery, necessary for switching the selector to neutral in service mode when the main battery is discharged. When replacing the cabin filter, it's necessary to correctly disconnect and reconnect the wires of this battery, otherwise an automatic transmission error may appear on the instrument panel.

Engines

Diesel Engines

2.2L (pre-facelift)

The pre-facelift Evoque was available with a 2.2-liter turbodiesel of French design. This engine, created by Peugeot-Citroen engineers, made its way to Range Rover through Ford, which owned Land Rover at the time.

The engine was offered in two power variants — 150 and 190 horsepower. There were no physical differences between them; the difference was only in the software. The 150 hp motor can easily be reprogrammed for higher power.

The engine proved reliable and with proper maintenance can easily run up to half a million kilometers. It has a cast iron cylinder block and a combined timing drive, typical for Peugeot diesel engines of the early 2000s: two camshafts are connected by a chain, and a toothed belt connects them to the crankshaft, which is recommended to be changed every 120,000 km along with the water pump.

Among the rare problems of this motor are a bursting air pipe to the intercooler and a sticking actuator rod for the turbocharger's variable geometry. In both cases, the engine loses power. It's important to periodically lubricate the rod from the turbocharger actuator and rev the engine to high rpm for normal operation of this component.

On some diesel Evoques, oil leaks were found from the transmission side through the rear crankshaft seal and the fifth crankshaft support. During repairs, it's necessary not only to replace the seal but also to pay attention to the fifth support, removing the oil pan and crankshaft support, replacing the rubber seal, and applying sealant around the perimeter of the support.

Ingenium (post-facelift)

After the facelift, the Evoque received engines developed by Jaguar Land Rover from the Ingenium family. These engines have a chain-driven timing system located on the transmission side, an aluminum cylinder block with cast iron liners, a crankshaft offset from the vertical axis of the cylinders, a variable output oil pump, and an electronic throttle. The 240 hp version is equipped with a bi-turbo system.

Early owners noted some problems with diesel Ingeniums, in particular, wear of balance shaft bearings, turbocharger replacements, problems with diesel fuel diluting the oil due to unsuccessful diesel particulate filter regeneration, and noisy timing chains. However, most of these issues were resolved under warranty.

The newer the car, the higher the probability that all "childhood diseases" of the engine have already been addressed. Many owners note that their diesel Ingeniums have successfully passed the 250,000 km mark without serious problems.

It should be noted that the bi-turbo version of this engine (240 hp) proved less reliable — there were cases of crankshaft failure.

Gasoline Engines

2.0 EcoBoost (pre-facelift)

The pre-facelift Evoque was equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine from Ford's EcoBoost family. In the first years of production, serious problems arose with this engine, including the destruction of pistons due to detonation. Subsequently, engineers managed to solve this problem with updated firmware and improved oil quality.

Another problem was the exhaust manifold, which could crack along welded seams. In the worst case, fragments of the weld could damage the turbine impeller, requiring replacement of the turbocharger, as the exhaust manifold and flanges are an integral part of the hot section of the turbine.

On early versions of the engine with high mileage, problems with the intake camshaft phase regulator stopper could also occur, sometimes leading to a broken timing chain. Such cases were observed if the owner did not pay attention to the uneven operation of the engine after a cold start for a long time.

After 2014, the reliability of this engine significantly improved. The timing chain is usually replaced after about 200,000 km.

Ingenium (post-facelift)

After the facelift, the Evoque received a gasoline engine from the Ingenium family. Gasoline and diesel engines in this lineup are unified by 3/4 to reduce production costs.

The gasoline Ingenium is equipped with many modern technologies, including a continuously variable valve lift system (similar to VVT-i) with electrohydraulic control. The reliability statistics of these engines are positive — owners rarely encounter serious problems.

Transmission

Manual Transmission

The Evoque with a 6-speed manual transmission M66 from Getrag is extremely rare. This configuration was offered primarily in Europe, even in expensive versions. This transmission is known for its reliability; the main thing is to change the oil every 100,000 km. If this requirement is not followed, bearings may start to make noise by 200,000 km.

6-speed Automatic

The first Evoques were equipped with a 6-speed Aisin TF-80SC automatic transmission. This is a reliable transmission, but before installation in the Evoque, the manufacturer made some changes, including simplifying the sealing rings on the input shaft. These rings seal the oil channels to the C1 drum, and due to their design, the transmission could "kick" in the first three gears, as well as give a jolt when engaging Drive mode and starting to move.

Some owners managed to solve these problems by reprogramming the control unit. For a complete solution, disassembly of the transmission and replacement of three sealing rings is required.

Installation of an additional air-type ATF cooling radiator is recommended. The standard automatic transmission radiator is built into the engine radiator and has two circuits — for antifreeze and oil. When the antifreeze circuit becomes contaminated, the quality of transmission fluid cooling deteriorates.

With regular oil changes in the automatic transmission (every 40,000 km) and the use of quality fluid, this transmission can run up to 400,000 km without serious problems.

9-speed Automatic

The nine-speed ZF 9HP48 transmission began to be installed on the Evoque even before the facelift, at the end of 2013. This transmission was used on various models from different manufacturers, including Honda, Chrysler, and Fiat. The Evoque was one of the first vehicles with this transmission.

The 9HP48 design features two dog clutches, which, like friction clutches, perform the function of connecting transmission components. Problems usually start with these, especially if the vehicle frequently participates in overtaking at speeds above 100 km/h. In such cases, downshifting to lower gears (4th and 5th) occurs in a mode unfavorable for dog clutches, leading to their wear and damage to the shaft splines.

With careful operation and regular replacement of ZF LifeGuard Fluid 9 transmission fluid (every 40,000 km), this transmission can run more than 200,000 km without serious problems.

It's also worth paying attention to possible oil leaks between the automatic transmission and the angle gear, where seals and connecting sleeves may lose their tightness.

Cooling System

The cooling fan control unit sometimes fails, which manifests itself in the main radiator fans not turning off even when the engine is off. This can lead to battery discharge if the car is left for a long time.

Another common problem is the bursting upper hose of the cooling system leading to the radiator. Hoses for gasoline and diesel Evoques are different. When replacing the hose, it's also recommended to replace the expansion tank cap.

Steering

The steering rack on all Evoques is electric, with an electric motor mounted on the rack housing and connected to it by a belt. This unit was part of a recall campaign due to a problem with aluminum bolts securing the electric motor, which could break. When damaged, the electric motor housing would become skewed, and the motor could damage the toothed belt when the steering wheel was turned.

The solution to the problem is to replace the aluminum bolts with steel ones and replace the damaged belt.

With high mileage, the rack may start to "bind" due to the destruction of the driven gear bearing. This problem is solved by replacing the bearing.

It's important to monitor the integrity of the steering tie rod boots to prevent moisture and dirt from entering the rack, which can lead to corrosion and more serious damage.

Transmission and All-Wheel Drive

A characteristic problem of all all-wheel drive Evoques is wear of the angle gear bearings (which is often incorrectly called the "transfer case"). This unit provides drive to the front right wheel and transfers torque to the driveshaft to the rear differential.

At a mileage of about 200,000 km, a characteristic hum may appear, indicating bearing wear. Typically, the problem starts with the driveshaft flange shaft bearings, then the debris from them leads to wear of the intermediate shaft bearings.

Often along with the hum, there is play in the angle gear flange under the driveshaft. The solution requires disassembly of the angle gear and replacement of all bearings and seals.

All-Wheel Drive System

The all-wheel drive system in the Evoque is typical for crossovers — the front wheels are constantly driven, and the rear axle is connected automatically when necessary.

The pre-facelift cars used a fourth-generation Haldex clutch, while the facelifted ones used a fifth-generation clutch. Both clutches require regular maintenance.

In the fourth-generation Haldex clutch, the filter and oil need to be changed periodically. Attention should also be paid to the condition of the five-core wire going to the clutch — if the wires break, all-wheel drive becomes unavailable.

The fifth-generation Haldex clutch doesn't have a replaceable filter, but there is a small filtering cap on the pump that requires periodic cleaning. With a large amount of contamination, the rear differential may need to be removed along with the clutch for thorough cleaning.

Facelifted Evoques in the Dynamic trim could be equipped with the Active Driveline all-wheel drive system. This system has three multi-disc hydraulic clutches. The first is located at the front near the front angle gear and connects or disconnects the driveshaft from the rear differential. The rear differential doesn't have a differential mechanism; instead, it's a simple angle gear, and two clutches in its housing connect it to the rear axles.

This variety of all-wheel drive was developed by GKN and is called Twinster. Since 2015, it has been used on many all-wheel drive vehicles, including the Fiat 500X, Opel Insignia II, and Cadillac XT5.

Different types of oil are used for the angle gear and clutches of the Active Driveline system: GL5 transmission oil for the angle gear and special CHF11S oil for the clutches.

Drive Shafts

All drive shafts with CV joints serve for a long time and don't fail without reason. The main condition is the integrity of the boots and the presence of grease in the CV joints. Outer CV joints of the front drives can be replaced separately.

Rear drive shafts for the standard transmission with Haldex clutch and for the Active Driveline system are different.

Suspension

In top-tier configurations, the Evoque was equipped with Magneride adaptive shock absorbers, which weren't known for high reliability — they could start to knock and seize up at a mileage of just 60,000 km.

Many owners replace adaptive shock absorbers with conventional ones. This requires installing special bypass devices in the wiring — 1.5 Ohm resistors — as well as installing bumper stops from conventional shock absorbers on the rod. Two bumper stops of different calibers are installed on the rod of the rear shock absorbers.

All Evoque models use an electric parking brake with servomotors similar to those installed on the Volkswagen Passat B6. The problems are also similar — moisture can enter the plastic reducer housing, leading to corrosion of the motor and shaft. This can cause the rear wheels to lock up.

In field conditions, the servomotors can be removed, and the shaft of the handbrake pressure mechanism can be turned until the brake shoes are released.

Suspension Components

The Evoque's suspension is characterized by reliability and a long service life, especially if the vehicle is not operated in harsh conditions. Formally, suspension parts from the Freelander, as well as from some Volvo and Ford models, fit the Evoque.

The original front triangular control arms of the Evoque are made of light alloy with a non-removable ball joint. On the Freelander, the arms are steel with a riveted ball joint, but the mounting points coincide, so they are interchangeable.

The rear suspension consists of rear wheel hubs suspended on three arms — this is essentially the same McPherson strut, but with small silent blocks.

Conclusion

Despite a long list of potential problems, the Range Rover Evoque is not a "money pit." Most problems don't occur simultaneously, and with proper maintenance and timely resolution of minor issues, owning this vehicle doesn't require excessive costs.

Most owners are satisfied with their Evoques and value them for their striking design, acceptable off-road capability, and premium image. When purchasing an Evoque with an Ingenium family engine, it's recommended to conduct a thorough diagnosis at a specialized service, as these engines may not be as well known to universal service stations.

The Range Rover Evoque represents a vivid example of how a compact crossover can combine premium quality, style, and practicality. These qualities have made it one of the most successful vehicles in the history of the Land Rover brand.

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