New Range Rover Evoque REVEALED - The Evoque goes Velar

New Range Rover Evoque REVEALED

The new Range Rover Evoque has been launched in London, delivering a new car which still looks like an Evoque, but with clear influences from the Range Rover Velar.

Does the new Range Rover Evoque – revealed last night in London – make the current Evoque look old? That’s Land Rover design guru Gerry McGovern’s aim, and although the answer is “yes, it does”, it seems a bit harsh on a design which has fed Land Rover’s bank balance more than 750,000 times since the Evoque arrived eight years ago.

Stuff like the clamshell bonnet and and butch front wheel arches – and the peephole back window – remain, but it’s all been smoothed out elsewhere like a smaller Velar to look more grown-up and less Tonka Toy. And it works.

Under the skin is JLR’s Premium Transverse Architecture, which means it can handle electrification, so all the Evoques with automatic gearboxes (which is just about all of them bar the entry-level) come with 48V mild hybrid help , throwing in a bit of extra torque to fill in lag and deliver economy improvements (never an Evoque strong point).

Out of the gate there’s a choice of three petrol and three diesel engines (197bhp, 247bhp and 296bhp petrol and 148bhp, 178bhp and 237bhp diesel) with a three-cylinder 1.5 litre turbo petrol to come next year, and it will also be available with an electric motor for the first plug-in hybrid Evoque.

Despite looking more grown-up and imposing than the current Evoque, the new Evoque actually shrinks by a few millimetres, although there is more room inside with a longer wheelbase, and more room in the boot too, and the cabin look – complete with screens – will be very familiar to Velar owners. Oh, and the Evoque finally brings Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to JLR.

Clever technology includes Clearsight Groundview – which we first saw as a Discovery project four years ago – which uses cameras to make the bonnet ‘see-through’ – for off-road (and tricky on-road) stuff – and its abilities can also turn the rear-view mirror in to a rear-view screen option too, so the Evoque’s rear peep-hole becomes less of an issue.

The new Evoque comes as an entry level model with 17″ alloys, ambient lighting, climate and heated screen, with the Evoque S adding 18″ alloys, leather, electric seats, less basic infotainment and traffic sign recognition.

Move up to Evoque SE and you’ll get high beam assist, 20″ alloys, interactive driver display and electric tailgate, with the HSE going further with posh Meridian sound, Clearsight and adaptive cruise.

Land Rover is also delivering a First Edition Evoque – for £5,500 over the HSE – which throws in Matrix LEDs, Privacy Glass, Panoramic Roof, Electric Steering column, heated steering wheel and HUD.

The new 2019 Range Rover Evoque is now on sale with prices starting at £31,600 for the D150 FWD rising to £50,400 for the P250 First Edition.