New generation

Fresh styling and new diesel engines make the Evoque an even more tempting proposition as Paul Acres finds out

There’s a new Evoque on the block. Okay, so it doesn’t appear a great deal different but, look closely and the differences, subtle as they are, will become apparent.

Perhaps the most obvious is the addition of adaptive LED headlights and revised front bumper with enlarged air intakes, but there are also two new grille designs and new alloy wheel styles.

At the back there’s a new tailgate spoiler and high-level LED stoplight.

The chunky, chiselled profile with a tapered windowline that combines both a utilitarian and sporty look remains, as does its deceptively small footprint.

That also means the prefacelift model’s shortcomings are also unchanged. The shortage of legroom in the back is noticeable but there’s plenty of headroom despite the tapered silhouette.

Visibility, thanks to the shallow side windows and letterbox-like rear screen, can make manoeuvring difficult which is probably why parking sensors are included as standard right across the range. The view out the front, in contrast, is excellent thanks to the commanding driving position.

In the cabin you’ll find new seats and door casings, more soft-touch materials and there’s a new range of colours to choose from.

Under the bonnet of my test car was JLR’s new Ingenium diesel producing 148bhp. You can opt for a more powerful version producing 178bhp but the smaller output engine was certainly no slouch and, with the manufacturer claiming a combined return of 65.6mpg (I averaged closer to 46mpg with a reasonably heavy right foot), it makes a strong case for itself.

Unusually, perhaps, my test car also arrived with a sixspeed manual. The eight-speed automatic boxes in JLR’s cars have always proven to be excellent and so it was with the manual. Slick, precise and with a positive action it really was a pleasure to slip through the gears.

Options fitted to my test car included a fixed panoramic roof fitted with, thankfully, a retractable blind. Without it I’d have just as likely be growing prize-winning tomatoes in it as driving it. The premium HDD navigation is a £600 option while the InControl Touch Plus coupled to the Merdian surround sound system and the InControl Connect Pack adds another £2,250.

The suspension has been reworked to take account of the lighter engine with new front suspension subframe and revised rear bushings, as well as larger brake discs.

On the move the Evoque