Skip advert
Advertisement

Range Rover Evoque (2013-2019) review – with once exotic style now familiar, does the Evoque still have what takes? - Performance and 0-60 time

Concept car looks and a luxurious interior compensate for some less than inspiring handling

Evo rating
RRP
from £30,760
  • Comfort, interior quality, off-road capabilities
  • Steering feel, tech still a big step behind, rivals better it dynamically

Don’t let the Evoque’s sleek styling fool you, it certainly isn’t the driver's choice. While it doesn’t suffer the same weight issues of its larger brethren, it still tows the party of line of comfort rather than speed.

For the Evoque, it’s four-cylinder engines across the board, with little-sipping diesels leading the efficiency charge. The quickest of which, the 237bhp SD4 drives through all four wheels. This four-cylinder, 2-litre turbodiesel executes the 0-62mph sprint in 6.9sec mated to the nine-speed auto ‘box, the only transmission option available for this engine. The less powerful 178bhp TD4 reaches the same benchmark in 8.5sec coupled to the auto’ and a further second for the manual. The two-wheel drive only eD4 is the slowest of the bunch, recording an 11.2-sec 0-62mph time, and comes with a six-speed manual gearbox only.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Read our SEAT Ateca review here

The two turbocharged petrol models draw power from the same 2-litre block. Both are badged Si4 and one churns out the 237bhp, the other 286bhp. This duo are exclusively paired to the nine-speed gearbox on the four-wheel drive platform. The latter launches from a standing start to 62mph in a spritely 6 seconds, whereas the former manages a respectable 7.6-second time 0-62mph time and can run all the way to 135mph.

The Evoque is no performance oriented SUV, despite its coupe-esque looks and sporting pretensions. None of the models in the range will deliver the focused setup of a BMW X3 in M Sport or Porsche Macan. Driving in anger will bring little reward, they are well suited to the task of cruising calmly and offering a level of useable performance you’d expect of a car in this class.

The two-wheel drive eD4 forgoes even more performance in favour of efficiency. It’s blatantly underpowered and you’ll be stirring the gearbox plenty to extract the torque to maintain the momentum of the 1621kg vehicle. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

TVR: Why we think it’s all over
TVR Griffith
Opinion

TVR: Why we think it’s all over

There’s barely a flicker of life when it comes to TVR and the ‘new’ Griffith. We can only fear the worst
17 Jul 2025
Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!
Range Rover
News

Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!

Discounts on new Range Rovers are so big you could buy a new Renault 5 with the money you save…
15 Jul 2025
​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
14 Jul 2025