The Evoque remains one of the coolest cars ever made due to its evergreen style quotient. The basic shape and proportions are spot on with a chiselled surfacing along with the addition of various clever detailing all round. The new Evoque follows a minimalistic design but the slim new headlamps layered with the grille are spot on while there is a lack of needless detailing all over too. The roofline is tapered and low for an SUV but that gives it a strong stance. The strong wheelarches plus the detailing below the grille also look great. Another neat trick is the addition of flush door handles which remain tucked away while again not spoiling the overall look of the car. There are two new colours- Corinthian Bronze and Tribeca Blue while there are new alloy wheels as well.

The Evoque has been a stand out design because it does not buckle down to the SUV coupe trend while also looking cool with Land Rover not having tampered with the basic shape of the car. Inside, the same minimalist design philosophy is carried over with a lack of physical buttons since the touchscreen has all the functions. The removal of physical buttons also means that there is more storage space and it also looks neat without the clutter. The curved touchscreen sits flush and follows the overall design theme set by the exterior. The raked roofline does eat into the space on offer but it is better than what it looks and the seats are comfortable as well along with a commodious boot capacity which has enough luggage holding capabilities for those long road trips.

The Evoque inside out remains a very cool car while now there is the addition of a mild hybrid system to the usual line-up of petrol and diesel engines. As a result, it is quieter than the previous Evoque and drives better while the overall suspension is slightly on the stiffer side. The compact proportions do help in the useability of the car as it is easy to drive within the congested cities that we live in. As an urban luxury SUV, the Evoque remains one of the coolest SUVs that you can get in India with a dollop of style on top.

Volvo XC40 Recharge
Volvo is known for its cool designs but the XC40 Recharge in its electric avatar hits it out of the park with a clever use of new-age design detailing. Being electric, it does not have to integrate the usual necessities that are there for the internal combustion engine cars. The blanked off grille looks cool and the latest interpretation of the ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LEDs rounds off a sleek yet minimalist design. The bumpers meanwhile are sharply cut while the roof also tapers slightly. There is a more aggressive C40 Recharge with a coupe like roof while the XC40 Recharge has the traditional SUV silhouette. The massive wheels are pushed at the sides which creates a planted stance too. The rear styling meanwhile has the trademark Volvo vertical tail-lamps.

Inside, the XC40 Recharge will surprise you as you will be busy hunting for the start/stop button but there is none. Volvo has gone for a completely redesigned cabin with removing needless clutter including even the start/stop button! There is nothing as you just press D and you are off with the driver seat having a sensor which senses that you are seated and ready to go! The interior design again revolves around a portrait-oriented touchscreen which controls all the functions but the overall dashboard also has some cool elements like how the interior design pattern is inspired by Swedish architecture too. Space is decent despite the compact proportions while you sit upright in a typical SUV like driving position. Where the XC40 Recharge surprises you are in the driving experience as it is as quick as a sports car with a twin motor layout propelling it to serious speeds in an instant.

It feels ridiculously quick and lays down that power cleanly as well. The sheer performance of the car takes you aback and shows how potent the electric cars are in terms of sheer acceleration. There is also a one pedal driving feature where you do not need to apply the brakes and it also increases the range with regenerative braking. The range is decent and you will not require to charge the car many times a week as well. Showcasing the future of cars, the XC40 Recharge is cool and minimalistic which shows what we really need in cars and what we do not. Volvo is concentrating on an electric future and the XC40 Recharge is the just the start!