Ever since the beginning of the line, Range Rovers have always been seen as trendy vehicles in America, but with a certain toughness about them; they've been known to be status symbols of wealth, but also symbols of class. Owning a Range Rover meant you wanted a durable vehicle, a vehicle that could get you damn near anywhere you wanted to go. Land Rover was the off-road king, and Range Rover was the posh king, but still retained immense off-road prowess. Now, with the introduction of the Evoque, Range Rover seems intent on catering to the on-road crowd.
Honestly, when I first got word through Car and Top Gear that Range Rover was building a vehicle that was more car instead of truck, I was admittedly worried; I thought for sure it would be a dud. Apparently, I was wrong.
From the outside, the styling is simply stunning. The relation to Jaguar is undeniable. It fits right in with even an XKR styling-wise. The front features (as you can see) semi-slim headlights, and a high bumper line that's obviously geared more toward aesthetic than safety. Out back, the treatment is much the same, with jewel like taillights being sandwiched between glass and bumper. It's a theme that visually makes the car look lower than it is. The profile is elegant, with a touch of sport, mimicking the slim glass treatment found at either end. The "floating roof" trend starting en masse by the first iteration of BMW's Mini is carried over here, and I like the execution. Couple these styling cues with the bigger wheels found on the Dynamic, and you've got yourself a hell of a looker, in both two and four door guise. Usually, I generally hate a four door and love the two, or vice versa. Here, I like both equally.
I have not sat in one yet, but I hope to soon. The interior looks amazing, at least from the pictures I've seen. It looks like a wild cross between a Sci-Fi set and an Jaguar interior, definitely no bad thing. It's almost as if this vehicle was designed from the onset to look good in four or five years, like the Infiniti FX. I just hope the styling doesn't end up looking dated with all the new ideas that are coming out.
I have heard hit or miss things regarding Land Rover's (and Jaguar's) quality, but since they're both owned by Tata, I hope the quality levels do go up. This latest stride from JLR is truly a stunner aesthetically, and I've never said that about one of their "new" products before until now. Here's hoping the mechanical reliability will be on par with its figure.
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