3000 miles in a Range Rover Evoque: the low-key luxury superstar

But the argument goes that the average distance travelled daily in the UK is 19 miles, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Let’s see. The combined 265bhp and 398lb ft of this set-up enables 0-62mph in a very respectable 6.8sec, on the way to a top speed of 118mph.

The options list (see ‘Test data’, right) makes for interesting reading. It’s all personal preference, of course, but I reckon the £705 Tribeca Blue paint is worth it. I’m not so sure about the £650 contrast bronze roof complete with accents. A couple of friends have praised it, however. The priciest option is a £715 Comfort pack, which includes configurable cabin lighting, two-zone climate control and cabin air purification.

There’s a sliding panoramic sunroof, which is a no-cost option yet configurable dynamics cost £235. I’d probably expect to pay for the first and not the second. These days, you also pay £170 for a reduced-size spare wheel…

Because this is a top-of-the-range Autobiography, the standard specification is high: an 11.4in touchscreen; wireless charging; heated windscreen, washers and steering wheel; and 3D surround camera, plus all the required driving assistance systems.

Climbing into the Evoque is a pleasant experience. The minimalist interior feels relevant and modern. It’s dark in that safe but boring way so many cars are today, but there’s no question it feels plush and refined.

The fabrics are Kvadrat and Ultrafabrics, two trademarked names, both of which are materials offered as a sustainable alternative to leather and I prefer them. They are soft to touch and comfortable.

When JLR revamped its infotainment system a few years ago, it elevated the set-up back to where it should have been in the first place and that remains true today. Apple CarPlay connected easily at first go, and even though I would still prefer analogue buttons for the climate control, this is one of the more intuitive systems.

My first objection in the car came from the speed limit bong, which is loud and annoying. That’s perhaps the point, but my previous long-termer, a Bentley Bentayga, did a far superior job of creating an audio alert that didn’t instantly rankle.

As with all cars, I’ll need to turn it off every time I start the car or else put up with it when I mistakenly go 1mph over the limit. That’s an early complaint, but the other ADAS functions have been unobtrusive.

So far, this has been an effortless car to assimilate into daily life, both tootling around town and on longer journeys. Having come out of the Bentayga, this (unsurprisingly) feels compact: big enough to feel there is ample space inside but small enough to park easily and thread down narrow streets.

As well as that convenience factor, it feels luxurious and cosseting, both in its quality finishes and the experience behind the wheel. It may be ageing but early signs show it’s largely holding its own.

Update 2

A few years ago, I ran a Jaguar E-Pace long-termer. Remember those? I enjoyed it immensely, but one of my few complaints was the execution of the powertrain. Now in this new Evoque I find the same set-up – and, sadly, the same gripes remain.

It’s a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, the type of which have become very common in recent years as car makers (a) desperately clamour to make engines more efficient and cleaner and (b) realise they are a good choice to pair with an electric motor for various hybrid options. In this case it’s a plug-in hybrid that offers 29 miles of electric-only range.

So what’s the problem? Two things. First, the lack of refinement from the petrol engine. Go above 2000rpm and it’s gruff, feeling like it’s working way harder than it should or even is.

The counter-argument here, perhaps, is that JLR (or Range Rover, in JLR’s new world order) assumes it will be used predominantly with the electric motor – and under those conditions it is very agreeable.

The problem is, though, that often I don’t use it with the electric motor. That’s not something I’m proud of, but it is the stark reality, and research has shown that many PHEV owners use their vehicles in the same way.

The other issue is more a matter of how clearly aged this 2018-vintage second-generation Evoque is. Yes, it has had plenty of facelifts – and, as mentioned before, I think it is dating very well aesthetically – but only having 29 miles of electric range makes it a poor show compared with rivals, many of which are fronting numbers comfortably double that. 

Day to day, those 29 miles are more than enough for most people, but it seems the headline number could be a deciding factor for buyers if another equally premium brand’s PHEV can double that figure.

That gets you into the realms of visiting slightly farther-away family at the weekend entirely on electric power, for example, especially if you know you can plug in when you get there.

Talking of plugging in, at least that’s an easy affair: there are two neat storage bags in the boot for the respective cables, and it’s simply a case of pressing the charger port on the rear passenger side (as opposed to the fuel filler flap, which persists with the annoyance of having to press a button low down in the footwell to open it) and plugging in.

Any time I have charged, it has quickly kicked into play, and I’ve been in no doubt that the tech is working as I lock the car and leave. The third-generation Evoque is due in 2027, and it’s a given at this stage that there will be an electric version, but a PHEV is likely too, which will presumably have a much more significant electric range. I did ask JLR, but it won’t comment on future product strategy.

The above is worthy of note, for sure, but shouldn’t take away from how much I’ve been enjoying the Evoque as an overall daily driving experience.

There’s plenty of opportunity to muse on the car’s execution, because I see so many of them on the road. I remember not being that keen on the original Evoque (maybe I felt it was a bit brash at the time), but when I see how it has evolved, I think it looks slick and premium. 

It’s an easy driving experience too, with a comfortable ride over my road’s many speed bumps plus light steering that’s well suited to predominantly town driving. No wonder there are so many of them on suburban roads.

Update 3

Can you fit more than 1000 vinyl records in the back of a Volvo EX30? It was a question I had cause to ponder recently, and I doubted the crossover was quite big enough. Thankfully, magazine editor Rachel Burgess was keen to try the EX30 so offered a car swap. Next question: can you fit more than 1000 records in the back of a Range Rover Evoque?

The huge vinyl haul belonged to my late uncle, and it has spent the past few years occupying a chunk of space in my mum’s house. I found a company, Atlas Records, that bought whole vinyl collections – and it was based just outside of Taunton in Somerset, an hour or so down the M5 from my home town.

The motorway trip to Somerset reinforced the Evoque as a pleasingly relaxed cruiser, although, as Rachel has found, the 1.5-litre petrol element of the plug-in hybrid system sounds gruff as you work up the rev range.

It’s a shame the small battery – a reminder that this PHEV technology is dated enough to feel like vinyl in the streaming era – is so quickly depleted, since the powertrain is much more pleasant when it’s electrically assisted. On arrival at my mum’s house I was more concerned with load space and making best use of the Evoque’s 1383 litres of capacity with the rear seats down.

It was a touch annoying the seats didn’t fold entirely flat, but the quick-release mechanisms were easy to operate so there wasn’t much faffing before it was time to start loading boxes.

The Evoque swallowed them all with ease, helped at least by the flat boot floor, relatively low boot lip and wide-opening rear doors. Better still, despite being weighed down with records, the Evoque maintained decent ride composure, even on the final stage of the journey to Atlas Records down some very bumpy Somerset lanes.

It proved that, while the Evoque may be the smallest model in the Range Rover line-up, it’s still hugely practical, and underneath its premium sheen it’s an admirable workhorse load lugger.

Meanwhile, a few days later my mum was able to negotiate an agreeable sale price – more than enough, in fact, to cover the cost of the Evoque’s Corinthia Bronze contrast roof.

by James Attwood

Is the Jaecoo 7 really a cut-price Range Rover?

Final Update

As I write this, no Range Rover Evoques have emerged from the Halewood production line for more than four weeks, due to the cataclysmic cyber attack on its maker, JLR. I sincerely hope that will no longer be the case by the time you read this, but I wouldn’t be surprised if, having now finished its tenure with us, our Evoque was whisked away into the hands of a customer, perhaps waiting for her or his delayed new car.

Having spent a good few months with the Evoque, it’s clear to me why this model is in demand. In fact, even though it was launched in 2017 and sells in significantly smaller numbers now than it did then, its sales have remained fairly consistent for the past four years.

Naturally, there have been updates in that time and the two most obvious ones, I’d argue, have been the most successful in enabling the Evoque to keep up with its much newer competitors.

First, the brand’s design language. The Evoque’s smooth lines, echoed in the Range Rover flagship and Range Rover Sport, make it look very classy, and even though it’s a clear evolution of the first generation, it feels miles apart in terms of refined design.

Furthermore, I loved the blue paint colour from the off and received plenty of compliments, though many people were less convinced by the bronze roof, much like me. Still, it wasn’t enough to cloud my overall appreciation. Second, the interior. The lovely big screen, the bezelled, minimalist centre console, the general sense of luxury.

There are complaints, levelled at most manufacturers, about the lack of buttons – one reader wrote to me: “I so sympathise… It’s a wonderful car, but where are all my buttons?” – but if you can put that aside, it feels sleek and mature in its execution. The interior has also been differentiated from those of the Evoque’s obvious German rivals through its design, which is another of the model’s charms.

When most cars have similar functionality and often similar material finishes, it’s tricky to achieve a point of singularity, but happily the Evoque is able to do this. I always enjoyed climbing into its driver’s seat because of the luxury cosseting feel that it shares with the rest of the Range Rover line-up.

The car always felt a great size to drive too, which I suppose is why compact SUVs are as popular as they are. The Evoque felt right-sized for driving and parking on the tight suburban streets of London but big enough to feel very comfortable for a small family and on longer journeys.

My son had plenty of space in the rear and made full use of the storage and cupholders in the centre console, while the boot always seemed accommodatingly spacious for weekly shops and weekends away.

My biggest gripe was the powertrain. There’s far worse out there but I think, at a premium level of the market, it’s reasonable to expect more refinement from a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine. That said, it’s delightful in electric mode, and probably the majority of people opting for a plug-in hybrid Evoque will run with the battery topped up when they can. As I’ve mentioned previously, 29 miles of official electric range doesn’t seem up to scratch these days, but I’ve every faith that the 2027 third-gen Evoque will address that complaint.

Other than the gruff sound when getting up to speed, the Evoque proved thoroughly enjoyable to drive. Its aforementioned size and manoeuvrability plus light and dependable steering meant I relished negotiating the tight streets near my house and going around the many roundabouts I encounter daily. But it was also an excellent, stable motorway companion and could even be lightly chucked around rural corners when desired.