What is it?

The Range Rover LRX concept car made real. Goes on sale in September as a three-door Coupe and a family–friendly five-door, initially with a 237bhp turbo petrol and 187bhp and 148bhp turbodiesels. Prices range from £28,700 to £44,300. Range Rover expects Evoque to grow its volumes significantly, with most sales coming at the expense of obvious rivals - Audi Q5, BMW X3 - and the not-so-obvious, such as BMW 3-series Coupe and Mercedes C-class estate. It’s reckoned that eventually there will be a Mini-like 400,000 variables of engine, drivetrain, trim, equipment and body colour offered.

Click for a full guide to Range Rover Evoque prices and specs

Technical highlights?

Structurally, it’s nothing radical; a shell of high-strength and ultra high-strength steel with an aluminium roof and bonnet and plastic front wings and tailgate. However, the packaging is remarkably good, with a surprisingly roomy cabin and decent boot space. LR’s £2m Virtual Reality modeling ‘cave’ helped here. The engines are thoroughly modern, the 2-litre petrol turbo having direct injection and variable valve timing. Like all engines, it is proofed against wading in 500mm of water and running at the bizarre angles all Range Rovers can achieve off-road. Helping Evoque’s dynamic range/adaptability to various terrain is the first off-road application of MagneRide (continuously adaptive damping) which is standard on top spec Prestige models.

What’s it like to drive?

Despite its lower build than other Rangeys, much effort was put into delivering a ‘command’ driving position, and it kind of works, with a decent bonnet view, but there’s a sporty feel thanks to the high waistline. The best news is that the electric power steering is convincingly natural at town speed and has good weight and rate across the speed range - you don’t notice that it’s speed sensitive and variable rate. The 237bhp petrol motor is strong and solid in its delivery and the 4wd chassis uses it well, there being no obvious off-roader squidge in the chassis and a good sense of well-controlled mass (about 1600kg) with MagneRide. It’s very tidy and grippy - impressive on semi-off-road Conti CrossContact rubber – and playful at the limit, too, the tail mobile if you want. Agile and fun, then, perhaps at the expense of some ride quality.

How does it compare?

What makes the Evoque compelling compared to rivals is that the sporty LRX show car look isn’t at the expense of space; it’s at least as practical as its frumpy 4x4 rivals. Add in keen asphalt dynamics and all the special RR off-road features and ability too, and the baby Range Rover is going to have a big impact.

Anything else I should know?

The range will be expanded in early 2012 by fleet-friendly front-drive versions, the entry level £27,995 148bhp diesel delivering a CO2 rating of ‘less than 130g/km’. Better still for enthusiasts, it should feel even lighter and more agile.

Click for a full guide to Range Rover Evoque prices and specs