• No front-wheel drive version; TD4 is cheapest
• Petrol-fuelled Si4 is the costliest Convertible
• Super residual values soften the blow

Standard turbocharging is designed to boost both the Range Rover Evoque Convertible’s performance and fuel efficiency, but thanks to it being almost 280kg heavier than the equivalent Coupe derivative, both suffer, making the soft-top more expensive to run.

Of the engines available, it’s the TD4 diesel that is the less costly to refuel and tax. Land Rover claims an average of 49.6mpg with CO2 emissions of 149g/km.

The alternative is the Si4 petrol unit, with quoted figures of 32.9mpg and 201g/km in 240hp form.

All engines are only available in combination with a nine-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive.

Residual values are impressive so expect your Evoque Convertible to have a resale value in excess of 50% after three years and 30,000 miles of use.

As fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions figures are intrinsically linked, you don’t need forensic powers of analysis to realise the diesel engines are the least polluting of the pair of engines, nitrous oxide and particulates output aside.

At 149g/km of CO2 the TD4 diesel is the cleanest of the lot. The Si4 petrol weighs in at 201g/km.

• Land Rover doesn’t have the best of reliability reputations
• Evoque has already been subjected to six official recalls
• Material quality and assembly do feel strong, though

As it’s not an all-new car, Range Rover Evoque Convertible reliability should be decent right from the off.

Unfortunately, the hard-top Evoques have suffered from six recalls so far to rectify electrical, airbag, fuel leak and steering maladies. Convertibles were manufactured after many of these problems were remedied, though.

Mechanically, the Evoque Convertible’s a reasonably well-known quantity – the Si4 petrol engine, four-wheel drive system and nine-speed automatic gearbox are familiar, while the 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel in the TD4 has been on sale in various Jaguars and Land Rovers since 2015 with no major problems reported.

The only real question mark is over the Webasto-manufacturered fabric roof, which Land Rover cites as being the longest, widest hood on the market. Land Rover enlisted the help of engineers who’d worked on the Jaguar F-Type Convertible’s roof in order to ensure a perfect fit and usability at speeds of up to 30mph. Time will tell how successful the transition has been.