Evoque surprise
Launch of the second-gen Evoque means early models will be getting more affordable, says Dave Phillips
THE RANGE Rover Evoque got off to a bad start with enthusiasts when design boss Gerry Mcgovern infamously invited Posh Spice along to help choose the curtains and soft furnishings. But it didn’t put off the general car-buying public, who loved the idea of an entry-level Range Rover to impress the neighbours.
Since its launch in 2011, the original Evoque has been JLR’S top-selling model, comfortably shifting well over 100,000 a year. Over 900,000 had been sold by the time the second-generation model was revealed, late last year.
As always, the introduction of a new model sees values fall for its now obsolete predecessor. With hundreds of thousands of used Evoques around, it is also very much a buyers’ market, simply because there are so many to choose from.
But don’t expect a sudden influx of cheap Evoques in the showrooms and auctions. The old model looks too much like the new one for that to happen. Values won’t be falling by thousands of pounds, but you can certainly expect a discount of a few hundred quid, especially if you are buying from a dealer and not looking for a part-exchange deal.
There’s a choice of diesel or petrol engines, although the majority of Evoques produced had oil-burners under the bonnet. With demand for diesels falling due to political uncertainty (some would say incompetence), the scarcer petrolpowered models will be snapped up quickest, which means diesel prices will drop further.
If you’re worried about committing your hard-earned to diesel, be reassured by the fact that JLR expects 75 per cent of buyers of its new second-generation model to also opt for diesel. Despite the
political posturing, diesel isn’t going to be banned any time soon. And if you’re still uncertain, perhaps the fact that a diesel Evoque in Eco mode can achieve 50 mpg might sway you.
Eco mode, incidentally, is accessed via the same Terrain Response knob that offers Grass, Gravel, Mud and Sand options (as well as Sport if you’re not feeling so frugal).
Despite all our misgivings over that Victoria Beckham involvement, the Evoque has gone on to win over many enthusiasts, not least because of its offroad competence. Its excellent reliability has also earned it plenty of praise, but it should come as no surprise as the Evoque is essentially a posh version of the Freelander 2 – and we all know how reliable that proved to be.
There’s no such thing as a cheap Evoque, but if you’re shopping for a Land Rover and have over £10,000 in your back pocket, you could be pleasantly surprised.