The BMW X3, which originated the compact luxury SUV market, has “handily outpointed” its new European rival, Land Rover’s Range Rover Evoque, in a head-to-head match up, Consumer Reports said on Thursday.
While the X3 scored an 80 in CR‘s road test, the Evoque scored 60, near the bottom of its category, the consumer lobby group said.
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“The X3 is one of the few SUVs that feels sporty to drive, and a new eight-speed automatic transmission helps bring its fuel economy to a respectable 22 mpg overall on premium fuel,” CR said in a press release.
“With its unique styling, the new Evoque turns heads, but it has many shortcomings, including a cramped cabin, stiff ride, artificial-feeling steering, and troubling emergency handling.”
“The X3 does an impressive job of combining sporty handling, a lavish interior, and surprising fuel economy,” said David Champion, the Briton who is senior director of Consumer Reports‘ Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Connecticut.
“Although the stylish Evoque has won lots of accolades in the press, including North American Truck of the Year, our more thorough testing reveals quite a few flaws.”
The X3 was redesigned for 2011 while the Evoque was completely new for the 2012 model year.
CR said the X3 was ‘recommended’ but the Evoque scored too low.
“Consumer Reports only recommends vehicles that have performed well in its tests, have at least average predicted reliability based on [its] annual auto survey of over 7m print and web subscribers and performed at least adequately if crash-tested or included in a government rollover test.”
The report – live on CR’s website today and in the print magazine out on 7 February – added that the “X3 rides firmly and provides decent isolation from bumps and road imperfections. Noise levels in the cabin are hushed overall. With limited body lean and quick, responsive steering, the X3 is aggressive in the corners. The eight-speed automatic transmission is smooth and quick-shifting. Braking is very good. The interior is well-finished and has a very roomy cargo area. The X3 scores well in its category; it outscores eight other previously tested compact luxury SUVs in CR‘s ratings and is only outpointed by the Audi Q5 3.2.
“The eye-catching Evoque has impressive acceleration and braking, but the ride is choppy, the cabin is cramped and noisy, and the rear view is poor. Too much road and engine noise enters the cabin. The Evoque tackles corners well but its steering feels artificially weighted, impairing feedback. When pushed to its handling limits at our track, the tail slid out and the vehicle repeatedly lifted a wheel during our avoidance manoeuvre. The six-speed automatic transmission is well-mated to the engine. Braking is very good. The interior is well-finished with a neat full-length glass roof, but the driving position feels cramped and the cargo area is small.”
Consumer Reports‘ view of the Evoque is in contrast to opinions in two top-selling UK enthusiast magazines. Auto Express, reviewing the entry-level 148bhp TD4 diesel version of its ‘Car of the Year 2011’, concluded: “….while the Evoque is a big car, it’s surprisingly agile on the move. The steering is light, responsive and direct, and the adaptive dampers make for a comfortable ride, with strong grip in most conditions.
“It’s not as fast as the higher-powered cars, but this smallest diesel provides decent pace and low running costs. It’s no wonder Land Rover bosses expect it to take the lion’s share of sales.”
Autocar was more cautious. Its verdict on the top-trim, 4WD 190hp diesel: “A few of our testers came away feeling merely satisfied with the Evoque — neither disappointed nor blown away. Yet the same was true with the Freelander, and its true appeal and enduring qualities only really told later; it was a four-star car when we tested it, and its rating hasn’t diminished at all with time.
“Similar longevity will be the making of the Evoque. Several of our testers fell for it completely; its showroom and visual appeal is second to none and its dynamics are able enough to make it the premium compact SUV of choice. But, especially at this price, the Evoque will have to prove it is more than a firework car (whiz, bang, fizzle) to become a stand-out car in its class for years. Our bet is that it will.”
