How large is it?

• Design-led package means rear space is compromised
• Visibility out of the narrow rear windows is poor, too
• Plenty of boot space, though and a decent tow car

With five doors and a higher roofline than its counterparts, the Range Rover Evoque SUV is the most practical of the trio of bodystyles, although many of its rivals are more spacious, particularly for back-seat passengers.

That said, it’s more than suitable for a couple of young children where picnic baskets, pushchairs and other paraphernalia are part and parcel of regular trips. There are also plenty of cubbies and well-chosen locations for water bottle holders.

While the styling will get you plenty of looks, visibility is significantly compromised. The shallow rear window doesn’t give you a great view out of the back and oversized door mirrors mean your view when you are turning at tight angles isn’t great. We’d also like some grab handles for the passenger, too.

Height aside, the Evoque takes up a similar amount of room on the road as a conventional family hatchback, so slotting it into a supermarket parking space shouldn’t prove tricky.

Will my luggage fit?

The design-led Evoque isn’t as impractical as you might think: there’s 575 litres of loadspace with the rear seats up and 1,445 litres with them down.

Land Rover is also keen to point out that it has taken the trouble to make the Evoque pastime-friendly, with room for a couple of golf bags in the boot, by using spare space at the side of the car.

Will it fit in my garage?

The Evoque’s footprint isn’t huge compared with other Range Rover products, but rearward visibility isn’t great so the acoustic parking sensors, rear-view camera and automatic parking system could be useful if this is a concern. 

Safety

• Five-star Euro NCAP safety rating
• Not all Evoques benefit from four-wheel drive
• Suite of on-board electronics to keep you safe

Safety is a Range Rover Evoque strong point, even for models not fitted with Land Rover’s four-wheel drive system and the extra traction that set-up affords.

It scored a full five-star Euro NCAP rating when put under the crash-test experts’ microscope, no surprise given it’s inherently strong. All-round airbags help cushion occupants in collisions and two Isofix child seat mounting points are located in the rear seat.

There are a number of active safety systems installed, all designed to try and prevent the Evoque’s driver from being involved in an accident in the first place. Electronic stability control is complemented by autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assist and a driver fatigue detection system.

All barring base-spec Evoques are fitted with bi-xenon headlamps and LED day-running lights for additional safety.