Perfectly Formed

It's easy to see why demand for the stylish new Range Rover Evoque has been colossal.

The new Range Rover Evoque, like the TT, is little changed from the concept car that previewed it. It is the smallest Land Rover to date and available as a three- or five-door: the former less practical but the more striking of the two. It looks sharp and aggressive but its smaller size stops it looking arrogant, as many SUVs do. And it doesn’t drive like a typical SUV: those dimensions make it a cinch to navigate and park in tight urban environments, such as Hong Kong, but its extra SUV height aids visibility, and bigger SUV tyres smother the worst urban craters and prevent kerb damage.

When the traffic clears you’ll find that the handling somehow rivals sports cars too: quick steering, plenty of grip, a taut but comfortable ride and virtually none of the roll that usually afflicts tall off-roaders through bends. The two-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine produces a prodigious 240hp with the aid of a turbocharger, enough to endow the Evoque with serious straight-line pace, but small enough to return very un-SUV-like fuel economy at a cruise.

Demand for the Range Rover Evoque has been colossal as it makes its debut in markets around the world. Perhaps the clearest indication that we shouldn’t think of this SUV in the same way as others is that the firm is actually giving serious thought to a convertible version, and concept for which has already been shown at motor shows in China and New York. A car you really wouldn’t expect, from a car company many didn’t expect still to be here.

SCORECARD
How much? From HK$668,000
Engine: 1999cc Turbo Petrol
240hp @ 5500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Performance: 7.6sec 0-100kph. 217kph
How heavy? 1,640kg

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