What's good?
Chic looks. Generous equipment. Safe.
Review
If you are looking for a safe, sporty and practical car that's not German and features 4 wheel drive, the Range Rover Evoque could be for you. With a powerful 2.2-litre diesel engine available, the Evoque is a car full of character and charm that offers quality above and beyond what you would expect.
In my review, I aim to highlight the things that matter most for you as a female driver and delve deep in to what makes the Evoque such a good car.
Styling
The Range Rover Evoque is the best looking 4x4 money can buy at the moment. Its futuristic styling is what the Land Rover Freelander should look like and no matter what trim specification you go for each model looks chunky and sporty. The rear end of the Evoque is what I like best with dual exhaust pipes and a low rear window. Big alloy wheels complete the sporty profile and the front of the Range Rover Evoque is aggressive enough to shunt other motorists out of the way on the fast lane with narrow headlights and big grills. In the car park, the Evoque sits proudly in its space standing out from the crowd with its gorgeous profile.
Driving
The Range Rover Evoque is quite simply as quick as it needs to be. It isn't on the same level as a Range Rover Sport but my pick of the Evoque range, the 2.2 SD4 190 Pure 4WD 5dr, accelerates respectively. The 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine churns out 190 bhp and 310 lb/ft of torque which make the Evoque a relaxing car to drive both on the motorway and also in town. Kudos needs to go to Land Rover for working so hard to create a car that strikes the perfect balance between sportiness and comfort too - the Evoque rides hard on B roads and soft around town. In many ways, this is like a Land Rover Freelander of the future, or a baby Range Rover Sport that has 90% of the trimmings for a much lower price.
Inside
In the cabin the Range Rover Evoque is a classy bird. The driving position is elevated due to the chunky seats and rear visibility is poor due to the coupe styling roof line. With those two minor gripes out of the way, I can reveal that the Evoque is a comfortable place to be on long journeys and the interior is of an extremely high quality. Everything is soft touch aside from the sides of the centre console which are silver plastic, and the stitching on all leather is seamless. Chrome detailing seems to be everywhere in the Evoque and even the pedals are brushed aluminium. With leather seats as standard, you will travel in style with a Range Rover Evoque.
Running costs
The Range Rover Evoque 2.2 SD4 190 Pure 4WD 5dr will return 43.5 mpg combined and 49.6 mpg on the motorway. Those are respectable figures for a car of this size and the 3 year manufacturer warranty will help you sleep at night. Tax on the 2.2 SD4 190 will cost you £140 for the year and it sits in insurance group 32E.
Trim and equipment
The Range Rover Evoque is available with one diesel engine and one petrol engine. Both are good but the diesel makes more sense. Trim levels start at Pure with the middle one called Dynamic and the top of the range trim called Prestige. All models as standard come with cruise control, electric and heated mirrors, climate control, heated seats, leather seats, Bluetooth, alloy wheels, MPW/iPod connectivity, an RDS CD drive and safety features including side airbags, passenger airbags, ABS, ESP and rear parking sensors. No matter what trim level you opt for in the Evoque you'll get a good amount of equipment as standard.
The bottom line
The Range Rover Evoque is a fantastic looking car that also drives wonderfully in all conditions. It's fast enough and sporty enough to be chucked around B roads and it's refined and comfortable enough to take you and the kids on a trip to the Scottish Highlands. The diesel engine makes more sense in a car like the Evoque and it will serve you well returning good fuel economy figures and reliability.
There isn't a 7 seat pack available in the Evoque and as such if you have a large family this car is not for you. Instead, you should look at Land Rover's or the Range Rover Sport which is significantly cheaper than the Vogue with 95% of the overall quality. The benefit of a car like the Evoque to you is that with bigger than average proportions and 4 wheel drive you'll be safe from snow, rain and other adverse weather conditions.