2013 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Coupe Track Test

Edmunds tests hundreds of vehicles a year. Cars, trucks, SUVs, we run them all, and the numbers always tell a story. With that in mind we present "Track Tested," a quick rundown of all the data we collect at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.

Coupes are supposed to be fun. With fewer doors, less accessible rear seats and a rakish look that simply can't be matched by their practical counterparts, coupes are the exciting, adventurous sibling to the practical, suburban sedan.

But what if the coupe isn't a spin-off of a sedan, but an SUV like this 2013 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Coupe?

Years ago, two-door SUVs (Bronco, Tahoe, Explorer, Blazer, Vehicross, etc.) were all the rage. Before they were marched into a bigger-is-safer arms race, SUVs were kind of fun. A mix of, you may have guessed, utility and sport.

As expected, the Evoque Coupe drops a hint of utility to its four-door Evoque counterpart while still maintaining the 240-horsepower, 2.0-liter inline-four cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission. Is it at least a little quicker, lighter or sportier? Can the 2013 Range Rover Evoque Coupe prove some dynamic superiority over the normal Evoque, or is this simply a well-done styling exercise?

We took it to the track to find out.

Specifications:
Drive Type: Front-engine, all-wheel drive
Transmission Type: Six-speed automatic
Engine Type: Transverse turbocharged, direct-injected inline-4
Displacement (cc/cu-in): 1,999/122
Redline (rpm): 6,750
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 240 @ 5,500
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 250 @ 1,750
Brake Type (front): 11.8-inch ventilated discs with single-piston sliding calipers
Brake Type (rear): 11.9-inch ventilated discs with single-piston sliding calipers
Suspension Type (front): Independent MacPherson struts, stabilizer bar
Suspension Type (rear): Independent MacPherson struts, stabilizer bar
Tire Size (front): 245/45R20 (103V)
Tire Size (rear): 245/45R20 (103V)
Tire Brand: Continental
Tire Model: CrossContact UHP
Tire Type: Asymmetrical summer performance
As Tested Curb Weight (lb): 3,973

Test Results:

Acceleration
0-30 (sec): 2.3 (3.1 w/ TC on)
0-45 (sec): 4.2 (5.0 w/ TC on)
0-60 (sec): 6.7 (7.6 w/ TC on)
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec): 6.4 (7.2 w/ TC on)
0-75 (sec): 10.0 (11.0 w/ TC on)
1/4-Mile (sec @ mph): 14.9 @ 90.8 (15.6 @ 90.0 w/ TC on)

Braking
30-0 (ft): 30
60-0 (ft): 117

Handling
Slalom (mph): 64.8 dynamic mode (63.3 with traction control on)
Skid Pad Lateral Acceleration (g): 0.84 dynamic (0.84 with traction control on)
Db @ Idle: 40.7
Db @ Full Throttle: 76.2
Db @ 70-mph Cruise: 60.8
RPM @ 70 mph: 2,100

Acceleration: Significant turbo lag off the line, no real power until 3,000 rpm. Overlapping throttle and brake to bring up revs and spool the turbo made a big difference. Then the Evoque would jump off the line. Quickest run came in D, not S, with power braking. Impressively quick full-throttle shifts. Manual shifting is via steering wheel paddles. Does not hold gears to rev limiter. Does not blip throttle on downshifts.

Braking: Spongy, long-travel pedal. Abrupt initial application. Exhibited major pedal fade on sixth stop, with much longer distance (128 feet). First stop was 119 feet. Second stop was shortest at 117 feet. Lots of nosedive, pulled to left on every stop.

Handling:

Skid pad: Similar amount of stability-control-related throttle cutting whether DSC was turned on or off. But even with the DSC intervention, throttle adjustments resulted in the tail stepping out slightly, which helped the Evoque Coupe stay on the arc around the skid pad. The steering exhibited an acceptable amount of power assist.

Slalom: Weirdly, the stability control intervention was less on this coupe compared to the four-door Evoque we tested previously. As such, we could get more aggressive around the cones before the system started adding brakes. This was especially true in the "DSC off" setting, which isn't actually fully off. The Evoque has intuitive steering with nice weighting. Body lean isn't excessive. The stability control system even allows for some oversteer moments without completely freaking out.