Range Rover Evoque 2020 review: SE D240 R-Dynamic

The new Evoque retains all those things we loved about the first generation; the sloping roof line, the two-tone paint, the stylish grille and front end all still have those signature traits. They’ve now been elevated with some Range Rover Velar features, like door handles that sit flush with the car, popping out and open once you unlock it. The Evoque is undoubtedly sophisticated and still, in my eyes, one of the best-looking SUVs on the market. 

One of the best-looking SUVs on the market.

The interior keeps up with the exterior with a layout that is both refined and practical. There are two screens, one for multimedia and one for controls such as the climate, and a very glossy black finish on most surfaces. 

The car I tested was fitted with the Responsibly Sourced Pack, which costs an extra $4188 and is essentially a vegan interior, compared to the leather one  you will get as standard. The seats are finished in premium wool, which keeps you cool in summer, warm in winter and looks fab while being hard wearing. There’s a lovely, suede-like fabric covering the steering wheel and while I did wonder why they didn’t use vegan-leather fabric for the seats (much easier to keep clean), I wondered more about the cost. Normally, you pay more for leather, which makes sense. Range Rover is charging more for making an ethical choice, which I have a bit of an issue with, and think it should be offered at the same price. 

An interior layout that is both refined and practical.

I drove it over a terribly rainy week and my kids traipsed mud through the car and on the seats, which I thought would leave a stain on the light-coloured fabric, but they just needed a (thorough) wipe down and they were clean again, so perhaps it’s more hard wearing than I first thought. 

There’s a panoramic glass roof ($2040), which is totally worth the extra cash, the seats are heated and 14-way power adjustable, and very comfortable. It's a car that does feel fabulous to sit inside. 

This is the D240 engine, which is the top-spec diesel engine, so while it’s the mid-spec model, you can still choose the engine and configure your Evoque to be exactly how you want it. The driving is superb. It’s super smooth once it kicks into gear and is so quiet for a diesel - there’s none of that ‘chug’ sound that you’ll get on a lot of other diesel SUVs. 

This is the D240 engine, which is the top-spec diesel engine.

All models have a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and I positively zoomed up hills, and the handling is also great. The Evoque is uncommonly agile for an SUV. I took it on a few highway drives and felt very confident with the way it handled. It goes quite quickly, effortlessly, so you actually have to watch your speed if you’re not using cruise control because it can easily creep up. 

Parking was a cinch. There is a high-definition reverse-parking camera, although you don't get a 360-degree camera, and the proportions aren’t large, so getting into spaces is fine. It also has Park Assist, which means the car will park itself for you if you find it all too much.

I always find powered front seats a good thing, and in this car they were 14-way adjustable. There are enough storage areas - two cupholders in the front, a large centre-storage bin and bottle holders in each doors - but the spot for a phone was below the centre console, which I found inconvenient. Also, the sunglasses holder kept popping open and I hit my head on it

Rear passengers also got two cupholders in the centre armrest, their own airvents and pockets on the backs of the front seats. 

The boot opens and closes with a button on the key.

The boot opens and closes with a button on the key, which is one of my favourite features and more useful than you’d imagine, plus there is keyless entry and the park brake turns on and off by itself when you go in and out of Park. It’s the little things. 

The controls on the centre console are easy to use and even the air conditioning is easy to work out, which is not always the case on a completely digitalised control panel. There is also an actual knob for the volume, which I think car companies are finding is essential.

There are a number of advanced safety features that come standard, including auto emergency braking and lane-keep assist, but you will have to option in the Drive Pack ($1340) for the full spread of safety features, like high-speed auto emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring. 

The Evoque has six airbags, two ISOFIX points and three top-tether points to fit car seats in safely. It scored the maximum of five ANCAP stars when it was tested in 2019.

The Range Rover Evoque RDynamic D240 SE costs $87,060 before extras. The options on this particular car took the grand total to $101,193 plus on-road costs. Fuel consumption is a claimed 6.3L/100km for the D240 engine. 

It’s covered by LandRover’s three year/100,000km warranty, which is short by industry standards. The Evoque will tell you when it needs servicing - approximately once every 12 months. 

Land Rover has a three year/100,000km warranty.