Range Rover Evoque Review 2024

The Range Rover Evoque has always been one of the most stylish cars in its class, and when style is the very reason that most people buy SUVs, that really counts for a lot. However, the latest version now has the substance to back up the style. Not only is it great to look at inside and out, it’s comfortable and enjoyable to drive, practical enough for a small family, and comes rammed with luxury equipment. Now the car it arguably always should’ve been.

There’s something to be said for making an entrance, and when the first Evoque came along in 2011, it certainly did that.

The small premium SUV craze had yet to take off at quite the same stratospheric rate as it has done since, primarily because the offerings of the day - including the Audi Q3 and BMW X1 - looked rather dowdy and awkward, resembling jacked-up hatchbacks rather than scaled-down off-roaders. So, when the Evoque rocked up, it was a complete revelation.

Among the awkwardness, there was suddenly elegance. The bold, angular details and crisp lines of the Evoque made it stand out a mile against pretty much any car, let alone the humdrum competition, and pretty much anyone who gave a hoot about cars at that time wanted one for that reason alone.

In truth, it wasn’t that brilliant a car in a lot of other ways, but it’s jaw-dropping looks ensured it was an enormous success nonetheless.

Fast-forward to 2019. Small SUVs - prestige or otherwise - are all the rage. The competition from Audi and BMW has seriously upped its game, in terms of its styling and in a whole host of other areas, and the popularity of this type of car means that there are more contenders than ever before.

That means the second-generation Evoque really has its work cut out in keeping the affection of a spoiled-for-choice public.

It’s just as well, then, that the latest Evoque is an absolute cracker of a car. The competition may have upped its game, but don’t go thinking that Land Rover has rested on its laurels.

The first big improvement comes in the form of the driving experience. Where the first Evoque was rather lacklustre on both ride and handling, the latest car rides with a plushness to match most other cars in the class, and also deals with corners in an impressively secure and controlled way.

Big strides have also been made on refinement, with quieter, smoother engines and really good suppression of exterior noises. Practicality was once a weak, point, too, and again, the Evoque now has what it takes on that score to match most rivals, with a roomy cabin and a very decent booth.

Quality has also been kicked up a notch, with really impressive cabin materials, and on SE trim and above, a cool-looking twin-touchscreen arrangement for the centre console adds a real touch of glamour. What’s more, most versions come with all the luxury and safety kit you need.

Looking for a second opinon? Why not read heycar's Range Rover Evoque review.

This was an area in which the previous Evoque was merely so-so, but this version does much better, providing an impressive balance of abilities.

The suspension is fairly absorbent, so it can deal with most potholes and sharp-edged bumps with minimal fuss, yet the ride is still pretty well controlled, so the body doesn’t bounce around wildly over crests and dips. Things feel settled and serene on the motorway, too, making this a comfortable way to munch through the miles.

The steering is responsive and nicely weighted, so placing the car where you want it is always easy.

You’d expect any Range Rover to be good off-road, and sure enough, the Evoque will take you where rivals from Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Volvo fear to tread thanks to its clever off-roading system.

All of the Evoque’s regular engines - petrol and diesel - are 2.0-litre units. The diesels come with 150PS, 180PS or 240PS, while the petrols come in 200PS, 249PS and 300PS forms. The entry-level 150PS diesel can be had with front-wheel drive and a notchy manual gearbox, or with all-wheel drive and a slick nine-speed automatic, but from then on, all other Evoques are of the latter persuasion.

The entry-level diesel will be muscular enough for many drivers, with enough urge to pull you around reasonably easily, and you won’t struggle to keep up with motorway traffic.

However, the D180 provides a good bit more urge making life a bit easier in many day-to-day driving situations, so we’d definitely say it’s worth the upgrade. 

The petrols are quicker still, with only the entry-level 200PS version failing to outpace the most powerful 240PS diesel. However they don’t deliver as much low-down pull as the diesels, meaning you have to work them much harder to extract that kind of performance, so they don’t actually feel as eager. 

The P300e plug-in hybrid is perhaps one of the most rewarding powertrains in the Evoque line-up. It's silky smooth and quiet at low speeds, with the battery powering it up to 34 miles on a single charge. The 1.5 turbocharged petrol engine is also hushed and punchy, with the hybrid system generating a substantial 309PS.

Whichever version of the Evoque you go for, you’ll get safety kit that includes LED headlamps, tyre pressure monitoring, lane keeping assistance, automatic emergency braking and six interior airbags. There’s even an airbag on the outside to help protect pedestrians.

From then on, the amount of safety kit changes with each step up the trim structure. S cars have traffic sign recognition with automatic adjustment of the cruise control, while SE trim gives you upgraded LED lights with high beam assistance, plus front- and rear cross traffic alerts and a system to help steer you into a parking space.

HSE cars also add blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and high-speed automatic braking. Euro NCAP has diligently and scientifically smashed the Evoque into things, and the car emerged with a full five-star rating. Some won’t like the fact that no spare wheel is provided, though, with a pot of sealant your only protection against being stuck in the event of a puncture.

Maxed braked towing weights for the Evoque range from 1600kg all the way up to 2000kg, which means it is a capable tow car. However, as a general rule, you shouldn't tow anything that exceeds 80 per cent of the weight of the car, so always check the limits before buying or towing anything substantial.

The Evoque does a thoroughly respectable job in this area. There’s loads of space in all directions up front, and in the back, there’s a very similar amount of headroom and legroom to what you get in rivals. Six footers will fit comfortably, and because the rear of the cabin is also a little wider than in rivals, things won’t feel quite so pinched when you have to sit three across the rear bench.

That said, the back seats don’t slide or recline or anything clever like that, which they do in some rivals.

The boot is a very decent size, so it should cope with most of what a family needs from it, including the ability to swallow pushchairs or golf clubs, depending on your day’s activities. It is marginally smaller than those of rivals, though.

The rear seats fold down in a versatile 40/20/40 configuration, and they go down more or less flat, leaving you with a flush load area. There’s no boot lip to contend with when loading heavy items, either.

When you’re competing in a class of car that includes Audis, BMWs and Mercs, it might be very easy to get left behind in this area.

Don’t worry, though, because there’s not a bit of that with the Evoque. The glossy, shiny-fronted touchscreens certainly do their bit to jazz things up, too, and the assembly feels sturdy and solid. This is a cabin, that’s a match for anything else in the class in terms of poshness. 

All versions of the Evoque have a 10.0-inch central touchscreen system that brings together Bluetooth, DAB and Apple Carplay/Android Auto. Upgrade from the basic spec to S trim, and the system is upgraded to also support navigation, a wifi hotspot and a variety of connected services.

However, most buyers will upgrade a stage further to SE trim. That’s because this adds a second screen underneath - this time with inset dials - which can change  its functionality according to which menu you’re in at the time, although as a default, it mainly handles the ventilation and off-road systems.

It looks the absolute business, and it also works reasonably well once you’ve got used to it, but it is a little distracting on the move. Whichever grade of car you go for, though, the central touchscreen isn’t perfect. The graphics are sharp and the on-screen icons are big enough, but the menus could be more logical,  while the screen could be quicker in both its reactions and its transitions.

At the time of writing, prices for brand new Evoques began at £32,000 for the D150 front-wheel drive manual in standard trim, and rose to a maximum of almost £52,000 for the P300e R-Dynamic HSE.

The one we reckon most buyers will want, the D180 SE, came in at just over £43,000, while the cheapest PHEV version, that being the S, set buyers back £44,000. Compare these prices with those of rivals, and they’re quite a bit higher.

However, it’s also worth bearing in mind that the Evoque also has stronger residual values than its rivals, which will help to offset the higher prices when viewed on a long-term basis, because you’ll get more of your investment back come resale time.

These strong resale values will also help to keep monthly finance payments down, and it’s always worth checking Land Rover’s website for any deals or promotions that may be running. At the time of writing, we saw the entry-level diesel version being advertised for just over £300 per month on a four-year PCP deal following an initial deposit of just over £8300.

The D150 diesel in front-wheel-drive form will return a maximum combined figure of almost 45mpg according to the official WLTP figures, but you don’t pay too much of a penalty for adding four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox, that version having a figure of 42mpg.

The D180 returns about the same, where the D240’s output drops to around 40mpg. Whichever version of the 2.0-litre petrol engine you pick, you’ll get a very similar fuel return of around 31mpg, according to the official figures.

Remember, though, that these official figures are derived from laboratory tests, and matching them in the real world could be very difficult. In the case of the P300e, it’ll probably be nigh-on impossible. To get anywhere near the maximum average figure of 141mpg you will need to recharge the battery before every journey.

Insurance groupings range from 26 at the bottom of the scale to 40 at the top (1 being the cheapest group and 50 being the most expensive). Keeping your choice of engine modest will help minimise your costs. You might want to stick a few quid aside for repairs, mind, because Land Rover doesn’t have the best reliability record according to the various surveys and studies we’ve seen.

All versions of the Evoque come with jazzy door handles, along with alloy wheels, automatic lights and wipers, two-zone climate control, a heated windscreen, heated fabric seats, a leather steering wheel, front- and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, cruise control and four powered windows.

Upgrading to S trim brings leather, electrically-adjusting front seats, navigation and a wifi hotspot, but most buyers will upgrade a step further to SE for those funky twin screens, digital dials and a powered tailgate. HSE trim adds keyless entry, upgraded leather, a hands-free powered tailgate and the upgraded Meridian sound system, while if you find a First Edition car, it’ll be tooled up with a head-up display, panoramic roof and a heated steering wheel that adjusts electrically.

At every stage of the game, you can also add an R-Design Pack that brings a variety of exterior and interior design embellishments, and varies the nature of the leather upholstery you get.