Range Rover Evoque long-term test: Report 4
Does plug-in hybrid power make sense in a hard-working small SUV? And is nearly-new the best way to buy it? We're finding out...
The car Range Rover Evoque R-Dynamic HSE 1.5 plug-in hybrid AWD Run by John Bradshaw, chief photographer
Why it’s here To find out whether this plug-in hybrid SUV really is at home in town as it is in the countryside, and whether nearly-new is the way to buy one
Needs to be fuel efficient in town and on the road alike, and as indulgent as it is practical
Mileage 7876 List price new (2023) £55,560 Price new with options £57,795 Value now £35,180 Official economy 189.4mpg Test economy 35.7mpg
21 March 2024 – Never mind the width, feel the quality
When you go to a really first-class restaurant, you can bank on the portions being on the small side. The idea is, it seems, that you should savour the flavour, rather than stuffing your face with it. Well, so it is with my used Range Rover Evoque. As a small SUV, what there is of it is delicious, but I find myself wanting more.
I wish it was a bit bigger. Whereas the Cupra Leon Estate I ran previously had an insatiable appetite for luggage, the Evoque forces me to be a lot more selective in terms of what I pack. As What Car?’s chief photographer, this means extra forward planning in order to turn up at photo shoots with exactly the right kit for the job.
Okay, judging its capacity against that of an estate car isn't entirely fair, but the BMW X1 I was running some time ago was also rather more eager to wolf down my bulky kit. Still, I appreciate the space under the Evoque's boot floor for its charging cables.
Credit where it's due, though, if it didn’t have to serve as a van during the working week, the Evoque would fit in with my life just fine. The rear seats are spacious enough that most people I’m likely to carry around will be happy; I’m 5’10” tall, and can sit comfortably in the back, behind the driving seat when the latter is set to my position. And while the side windows are rather shallow, the presence of a panoramic roof allows plenty of light in to stave off claustrophobia.
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