Is a used Range Rover Evoque a good buy?

The stylish Range Rover Evoque is a small SUV that was designed to bring Britain’s most prestigious off-road brand to the masses (relatively speaking). Its success has been remarkable.

Thanks to those stylish looks, a genuinely luxurious feel and a relatively affordable price compared to larger Range Rover models, Land Rover delivered almost 100,000 Evoques in the first year of production alone.

As a result, the Range Rover Evoque has been the Range Rover brand’s strongest seller since 2011, with sales boosted by an update in 2015 and a new model that arrived in late 2018. This means there are plenty of used models to choose from, so you should be able to find one that matches your wish list and budget.

The Range Rover Evoque remains one of the best SUVs on the market thanks to its evergreen styling, a high quality and classy interior and manageable day-to-day usability. It really does distil much of the flagship Range Rover’s luxury into a smaller, easier to drive and more cost-effective package.

Whichever Range Rover Evoque model you choose and whatever your budget, you can be confident of driving an SUV that ticks all the boxes when it comes to driving pleasure and that all-important feel-good factor. Despite its swoopy styling, the Evoque has never been the sportiest SUV on the road, so if you’re looking for driving thrills, the BMW X1 may be a better bet.

The Jaguar E-Pace shares the structure it's built around with the Range Rover Evoque and is more exciting to drive too, but that’s missing the point of the Range Rover Evoque which has been engineered for relaxed cruising - a task it fulfils very well.

While most Range Rover Evoques won’t ever venture further off-road than a grassy verge - a fact Land Rover recognises by offering two-wheel-drive versions alongside the more popular four-wheel-drive ones - there’s no doubting the smallest Range Rover’s ability when fitted with all-wheel drive.

The latest Range Rover Evoque can wade through a substantial 600mm of water without problems and comes with the firm’s advanced 'Terrain Response 2' selectable driving mode system, which is configured for surfaces such as sand, gravel, grass, snow and mud. It means the Evoque can head far off-road, all without the driver having to do too much to get it there.

There was even a short-lived soft top version. The Range Rover Evoque Cabriolet is a relativey rare sight on the used market but remains one of the few convertible SUVs around.

Read our full Range Rover Evoque review

Which used Range Rover Evoque should you buy?

The three-door Range Rover Evoque Coupe model proved so unpopular new that it was axed in 2018, a year before the second-generation Range Rover Evoque arrived. The Coupe looks sharp enough, but accessing the rear seats is a pain if you carry lots of passengers, and the two-door format seems to be at odds with how most customers want their Range Rover Evoques - which is luxurious and practical. If you love the style of the three-door version, however, it could still be the Evoque for you.

The Range Rover Evoque Cabriolet model, meanwhile, is hardly a paragon of practicality either, but it will appeal to some drivers as a fun, if pricey, alternative to a conventional hatchback with all of the Range Rover styling and luxury, coupled with a high driving position.

The five-door Range Rover Evoque Evoque is the most popular model by far - the roomy hatchback bodystyle accounts for around 95% of models on the market and that’s reflected in the high numbers of five-doors available on BuyaCar, too.

It’s worth picking the second-generation Range Rover Evoque if you can afford it though, as the later car arrived with an attractive interior redesign and significantly upgraded tech - both in the cabin and under the bonnet.

While few Range Rover Evoques are actually used off-road, you may be surprised to find that two-wheel-drive versions are relatively rare creatures, too. The truth is that many drivers don’t seem to want to be seen in the basic models, preferring to spend a bit more for a higher spec, and these generally come with the more sophisticated four-wheel-drive setups.

Engine choices are relatively straightforward, with the majority of first-generation cars featuring 2.0-litre diesel engines in 150PS eD4 entry-level guise with two-wheel drive, or the all-wheel-drive 180PS TD4. If you want a first-generation petrol Evoque, the 240PS 2.0-litre is the only option. It’s a punchy performer, but uses significantly more fuel than the diesels that most drivers prefer.

The second-generation Range Rover Evoque arrived in 2019 with three 2.0-litre diesel variants, the 150PS D150, 180PS D180 and 240PS D240.

Economy-boosting mild hybrid tech is fitted to all but two-wheel-drive versions of the D150, increasing fuel economy to the tune of 45mpg in the real world - even for the punchy D240. The 2.0-litre petrol options are less frugal, with the latest P200, P250 and P300 variants returning around 30mpg.

The rapid plug-in hybrid P300e was launched in late 2020 with 310PS from a 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor combo, which allow the car to drive in electric-only mode for up to 34 miles on a full charge - or accelerate from 0-62 mph in a speedy 6.4 seconds.

What used Range Rover Evoque trim levels are available?

If you’re looking at the second-generation Range Rover Evoque, you’ll find the entry model is called simply ‘Evoque’. Mk1 trim levels from 2016 to 2019 kick off with the Evoque SE, and very early models - pre-2015 - featured an entry-level trim known as Pure.

Also introduced with the new generation was the Evoque R-Dynamic option, which is listed as a separate model but is really just an expensive package of body-styling tweaks designed to give the car a sportier look.

Most versions get twin touchscreens on the dashboard with a digital dashboard display replacing the traditional dials. There’s also an advanced plug-in hybrid version that could save you lots of money on fuel if you do lots of short journeys and make sure the batteries are charged before leaving home.

Range Rover Evoque

The cheapest current Range Rover Evoque is reasonably specified, but certainly not lavish. You get LED headlamps and 17-inch alloy wheels, plus black fabric manually adjusted seats and Land Rover’s basic Touch Pro or Pivi (2021-on) media system inside. There’s also cruise control and a rear-view camera but, if you want your Range Rover to feel more luxurious, you might want to step up a rung or two from here.

Range Rover Evoque S

The S trim level is another new grade that arrived with the Mk2 Range Rover Evoque and it’s a much more appealing offer with 18-inch alloy wheels, electric folding mirrors, and electrically-adjusted leather seats in the plusher cabin. You also get an upgraded Touch Pro or Pivi Pro (2021-on) media system with standard-fit sat-nav, while Traffic Sign Recognition and an Adaptive Speed Limiter are also on the menu.

Range Rover Evoque SE

If you’re looking at a first-generation Range Rover Evoque - from 2016 to 2019 - then SE was the entry-level version, and comes with 18-inch alloys, heated seats, climate and cruise control, plus an eight-inch touchscreen media system, as well as safety features such as lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking. SE Tech models added sat-nav, a heated windscreen and automatic headlights.

On second-generation Range Rover Evoques from 2019, the SE spec is a bit more special. Outside there are 20-inch wheels and LED signature daytime running lights, plus scrolling indicators all-round, a powered tailgate and a blind-spot assistance package amongst the tech upgrades. The latest SEs also come with a configurable electronic dashboard display instead of analogue dials.

Range Rover Evoque HSE

For 2016 to 2019 cars, the luxurious HSE spec included upgraded leather seats, xenon headlights, sat-nav and all-round parking sensors, while HSE Dynamic and Lux packs added 20-inch wheels, adaptive suspension, a panoramic glass roof and a serious 825-Watt Meridian audio upgrade.

The current HSE trim brings you additional luxuries such as an extra lower touchscreen in the middle of the dash, keyless entry and a gesture-operated tailgate, plus extended Windsor leather upholstery and a Drive Assist Pack with Blind Spot Assistance, Clear Exit and Rear Traffic Monitor and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Range Rover Evoque Autobiography

The Autobiography model remains the Range Rover Evoque flagship and as you’d expect, the spec sheet includes pretty much everything you can throw at a high-end luxury car. For the latest models that includes Matrix LED headlights, 21-inch alloy wheels with red-painted brake callipers, a panoramic glass roof, grey ash interior trim, suede covering on the dashboard, upgraded carpets, bright metal pedals and fancier cabin lighting, as well as surround-sound Meridian audio.

First-generation Range Rover Evoque Autobiography models also get flashy wheels, a more opulent cabin with heated and cooled front seats, plus many additional comfort and trim features, but lack the latest driver assistance kit.