Range Rover debuts compact Evoque

THIS is one car small business owners will be keen to see: the new Range Rover Evoque from the four-wheel drive experts at Land Rover.

The dramatic coupe styling and promise of the Range Rover badge are both big draws, but what will also be appealing is the pricing, which is expected to start from £30,000 – that’s £24,000 below the cheapest Range Rover Sport model.

There’s more, too. If you’ve ever lusted after Land Rover’s Range Rover, but winced at the fuel economy, there’s even more reason why you will want to take a closer look at the new Evoque: fuel economy of 58mpg.

That economy is almost as striking as the Evoque’s dramatic styling, but it’s part of Land Rover’s promised low emissions future realised for the first time in the Evoque: it’s the first Range Rover with CO2 emissions of sub-130g/km – that’s a benefit in kind rating of 19% for company car drivers when it goes on sale. Unheard of.

“The Range Rover Evoque will appeal to a new group of customers who may not have considered a Range Rover before,” said Land Rover’s managing director Phil Popham.

How has Land Rover achieved such low CO2 emissions? It’s all down to lightweight construction techniques and the addition of a front-wheel drive variant, says Land Rover.

Latest petrol and diesel engines with direct injection and stop-start help, as does more efficient engineering such as Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS).