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If you’re after a compact premium SUV, the Range Rover Evoque is a great option. Made by Land Rover, it features a commanding driving position and a luxurious interior with space for four adults.
The driving experience is a great balance of comfort and agility with the added bonus of being capable of going off-road if you need to. But at the same time, it’s small enough to feel at home driving around town. There are three-door and five-door versions to choose from, as well as a two-door convertible, along with a variety of engines and front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive models.
The current version of the Range Rover Evoque has been on sale new in the UK since 2019, and followed the success of the first-generation model, which was sold new from 2011 to 2019.
Both generations of the Range Rover Evoque are available as five-door SUVs, while the older model also came in a sleeker (but less practical) three-door body style, and as a two-door convertible. The latest model looks more modern and gives you extra space inside, updated technology, and extra power choices, including diesel and petrol engines plus mild-hybrid and plug-in-hybrid options.
Both the current and previous Evoque are available with front-wheel drive, but most cars you will find will be four-wheel drive. Likewise, manual gearboxes are available but most Evoques are automatic.
First-generation Range Rover Evoques initially came in a range of trim levels called Pure, Prestige or Dynamic. Land Rover has changed the trim names over the years, so now you’ll also find trim names such as HSE Dynamic, HSE Dynamic Lux, Ember, Autobiography and SE and SE Tech, among other special-edition models.
Cars from 2015 onwards were available with a head-up display, which projects driving information onto the windscreen to make it easier to see, and in 2017 cars introduced a larger 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen on the dashboard.
The second-generation Range Rover Evoque has a much-improved infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Trim levels, starting with the most affordable, are: Evoque, S, SE, HSE, R-Dynamic, R-Dynamic S, R-Dynamic SE, R-Dynamic SE and First Edition (which from 2021 is called Autobiography). The R-Dynamic models have essentially the same features as the equivalent non-R-Dynamic cars, but with sportier exterior styling.
Because most Range Rover Evoques tend to be four-wheel drive, fuel consumption can be higher than some rival two-wheel-drive SUVs. If you’re after a first-generation car, look for Evoques released after mid-2015 because they were given newer, much more efficient engines. It’s difficult to give accurate estimates on fuel economy, though, because the way they were calculated has changed over time. Still, a diesel car will give you more miles per gallon than you’d get with a petrol car.
The later Evoque gives you more options, with more-efficient diesel engines and a plug-in hybrid model. Petrol models are also available, although the fuel efficiency isn’t great when compared to its rivals – between 29mpg and 32mpg according to official figures, depending on the version you go for. Diesel engines can manage from 37mpg to 47mpg.
There are several other premium SUVs that you might want to consider alongside the Range Rover Evoque. None can match it for off-road ability, but there are some very comfortable options in the Audi Q3 and Audi Q5, and some that are very good to drive, such as the BMW X2 and BMW X3. Volvo’s XC40 offers an all-electric alternative.
The Range Rover Evoque is more than capable of handling everyday family life, even though some rivals have more space inside and larger boots when you drop the rear seats.
The post-2021 Evoque has more interior space and a larger boot, despite being a similar size on the outside.
The Range Rover Evoque is the smallest car that Land Rover makes, and therefore also the smallest with the Range Rover badge, behind the Range Rover Velar, the Range Rover Sport and the full-size Range Rover. Other Land Rover SUVs include the Discovery Sport and larger Discovery, as well as the rugged Defender.
The latest Range Rover Evoque scored very strong marks when it was assessed in 2019 by the experts at Euro NCAP, earning a full five-star safety rating. It scored 94% for protecting adult occupants in a crash. Driver-safety features include automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assist.
The older Evoque also scored the maximum five-star rating when it was tested back in 2011, but the testing criteria and safety standards have come a long way since then.
There aren’t any hybrid versions of the first-generation Range Rover Evoque, but the second-generation model features a plug-in hybrid called the P300e. It combines a petrol engine with an electric motor and a battery that lets you drive up to 39 miles on electric power only, according to official figures.
There are also several petrol and diesel engines that use mild-hybrid technology, which was introduced to the Evoque line in 2020. These can’t drive on electricity alone, but give some electrical assistance to the engine, thereby saving fuel.
There is no full-electric version of the Range Rover Evoque.
