Range Rover Evoque

Have just got back from a test drive so thought I’d share what its like.

I have a Range Rover Sport and as soon as I saw the first photos and stats of the Evoque planned on changing. I don’t need the extra space of the Sport and the running costs are getting too high.

I test drove a beautiful white Coupe with the 2.2 SD4 engine. First thoughts were in the flesh it looks a lot higher than in photos, especially at the back which looks very raised up. I was slightly disappointed.

Sitting inside perked me up. The interior is stunning, a step up from my Sport, despite this being a cheaper car. The switches, dials and seats are all well made and feel solid. The view out from the drivers seat isnt as commanding but you still get a good view and visibility is ok all-round.

Starting up the engine is quiet and it moves off nicely. On the road the first thing I noticed was less wind noise, I guess because the Sport is more boxy. The ride is smooth and it felt comfortable (though was only a 20 minute drive).

Ok, so now the negative points. This SD4 engine is meant to be the quickest, it doesn’t feel very fast though. Its quite leisurely and Id be worried overtaking in it unless you had a very clear road ahead.

The other really bad point is how hard it is to get into the back seats (this was a coupe). The gap is tiny to crawl into and the front seats takes ages to slide forward. It has put me off getting the coupe, although it does look better it isnt practical.

Finally, the waiting list is huge. I’d have bought one there and then, but thats impossible. I will look to pick up a ex-demo one in about 6 months hopefully.

Overall it’s as good as it looks, but has a few flaws. Just a big shame about that wait.

Another test driver here! Based on how busy my local dealer was this weekend there’s been a lot of them too.

It’s the first Land Rover I’ve ever driven and only the second 4x4 so have little to compare too.

When lined up next to other bigger Land Rovers it really does look very small but inside the room is quite large. The front seats are excellent, very supportive and comfortable. The view out is great, though the backwards view was limited though that is helped by the absolutely gigantic wing mirrors, which are truck sized.

One essential option that we will order if we buy one is the glass rood. We had the cover over it closed when we started and the back seats felt a bit claustrophobic and dark. With it open though it’s much nicer.

I played with some of the gadgets as well when the salesman drove. The split view TV is clever but a complete novelty. The all round parking cameras are clever but pointless. It’s such a small car that parking should be very easy.

I drove a SD4 and the engine was quite fast and growled slightly under acceleration. The handling was shockingly accurate for a 4x4, it steered very well and wasn’t too light.

All in all impressed with the Evoque. Just not sure about if it’s worth the money. Compared with a Kia Sporatge or Hyundai ix35 it looks like you’re just paying for the style.

I have been waiting to test drive the Evoque for some weeks but given the demand my local dealer was even short on demo cars. eventually I was able to drive a 3 door manual SD4 with tech pack, while I’m interested in a 5 door auto I wanted to see just how good the engine was going to be. In a word, it was fantastic. I drive a 170bhp Tiguan Diesel and have always liked the performance of the car. the evoque felt several classes higher in just about every area.

The engine was very smooth and had really surprising poke, if if put my foot down in top gear in my Tiggy it takes a while to respond, not so in the evoque, plenty of power for me. The car felt incredible to handle and while my Tiguan by no means wallows in corners the Evoque felt much tighter, with the added bonus it dealt with speed bumps far better than my current car.

People will make up their own mind on the styling and the interior, for me both are beautiful and I felt I was sitting in a really high class vehicle. I even like the large door mirrors!

Only downside I could find is it is a little smaller than my Tiguan inside, the boot is near as dam it the same size, maybe a tiny bit bigger in the evoque below the height if the seay backs. Rear legroom definitely less but I am 6’3 and was ok in the back when the driver seat was set up for my needs, so plenty big enough for kids ( for whom 5 door is a must for me).