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FireFlyz | 67
The Features
The Terrain Response system gives the Evoque off-roading capabilities
by adjusting the engine, transmission and suspension for grass, gravel,
snow, mud and sand. It’s good to know you can, even if you don’t take it
off-road. Hill Descent Control is also another off-roading feature which can
be employed on the road i.e. steep slopes where the Evoque will maintain a
constant speed in descending and brake individual wheels where necessary.
The powered tailgate has a hands-free feature; just wave your foot under
the rear bumper to open and close. Further, the review unit came with the
optional Meridian Surround Sound System which packs 16 speakers and a
subwoofer in the cabin to excite your auditory senses.
And just when you think you could no tbe more spoilt, you can also opt
for Park Assist, which helps you parallel park and unpark.
In Conclusion
There is no doubt the Evoque is still a looker but at its price range, you’re
spoilt for choice. Yes, you can get something a little bigger, a little faster or
even a little cheaper but if you’re looking for something en vogue and out to
make a statement, the Evoque still has that appeal.
0 - 100 km/h : 7.6s
Fuel Consumption : 7.8 liters / 100 km (combined cycle)
Price : FromRM430,000 (review unit: RM493,460)
Extras : 5 years or 150,000 kmwarranty; 5 years or 80,000 free
scheduled maintenance; 3 years roadside assistance
Fast Facts
produces 240 PS and 340 Nm of torque. Paired
with a ZF nine-speed automatic transmission,
the Evoque claims a 0 - 100 km/h time of 7.6
seconds.
The nine gears help push the Evoque to a
maximum speed of 217 km/h; the last two gears
are for cruising and helps with fuel efficiency.
And rather than a conventional gear shift lever,
you get a rotary dial which pops up from the
console when you start the engine, which is a
cool party trick.
The steering-mounted paddle shifters make
short work of moving up and down the gears
but since the gearbox does a good enough job
on its own, they are seldom used except during
very spirited driving.
The Drive
The Evoque has a solid, stable feel on the road
and when pushed into corners on the trunk road,
shows a surprising amount of composure. This
is likely due to the four-wheel drive, dynamic
stability control and torque vectoring by braking
features.
There’s enough grunt from the engine to get
up to speed fairly quickly but that won’t do you
any favors in the fuel efficiency department. This
review unit is fitted with optional 20” wheels
which look great on the Evoque but comfort and
fuel economy take a slight hit. There’s also some
road noise intrusion at high speeds but it could
be due to the bigger tires or tire compound.
Although the Evoque is technically capable
of some off-roading adventures, I’ll wager most
Evoque buyers will not take it out for any more
than the beach or that dirt trail leading to a
waterfall. But for your knowledge, it also has
a maximum wading depth of 500 mm, which
makes it suitable for our monsoon weather.