2025 Range Rover Evoque Review: Smooth, Stylish And Thirsty

Land Rover is an odd brand. It's steeped in history with models like the Defender and Series II, and a symbol of wealth with cars like the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. It's also a brand that is perfectly content in doing exactly the same thing for decades on end, and only changing a little bit over the years: its biggest announcement over the past few years was the resurrection of an old nameplate. 

As a result of that preference for gradual evolution, a 2025 Range Rover Sport doesn't look radically different from a 2007 Range Rover Sport. Sure, the edges have been smoothed out, there's better tech, and some different sheet metal. Yet no matter the vintage, a Land Rover is immediately recognizable.

Last year, I reviewed the Range Rover Velar, the brand's somewhat newer (comparatively speaking) entry into the mid-size SUV market. Now, it's the turn of Range Rover's compact SUV, the Evoque, though sadly it's not a convertible.

Aesthetically, the Evoque runs with the same styling cues as every other Range Rover. It has a narrow grille, a boxy shape, classic oval "LAND ROVER" badging, huge lettering across the grille and rear hatch, and a sense of superiority. This isn't meant as a negative, but the Evoque just looks like a shrunk down Velar. It helps that the Velar is as handsome as it is. Flashy the Evoque is not. The Range Rover badges are not "stealth wealth" by any means, but it certainly isn't as ostentatious as a BMW or Cadillac.

That general lack of unnecessary flair extends to the mechanical components of the Evoque. It's powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder that makes 246 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. Those are not impressive numbers by any stretch of the imagination, and serve entirely to move the vehicle forward in a way that doesn't impede of any luxury experience contained therein. The engine and nine-speed automatic transmission are a means to an end for the Evoque. It's the metal on the outside and the seats on the inside that count the most.

Unlike the sensory overload that is the interior of a lot of luxury SUVs, the Evoque is–much like the Velar–understated in its delivery. It's entirely gimmick free in a way that could be refreshing to some, and seen as boring to others. Broadly speaking, I fit into the former category, though I think it could maybe do with some visual highlights, so it doesn't fall back down into the realm of "luxury dentist office." The Meridian sound system was excellent and the perfect way to listen to financial podcasts or freeform jazz.

The generally minimalist interior does away with most buttons in favor of a curved infotainment display in the middle of the dash. If the screen was finicky or difficult to use, then this would be a problem. However, Land Rover made it easy enough to navigate and I never felt caught myself cursing at the screen for a desire of tactile buttons.

Driving the Evoque carries much of the same ethos as the design. It's not going to pin you back in your seat and melt the tires off the rims with its wild performance. It just smoothly–somewhat slowly–accelerates to your desired speed in a way that won't distress your Cole Haan shoes. It's not a performance car by any conceivable metric, and it certainly doesn't echo the same vibe as supercharged Range Rovers of the past. Frankly, I would have appreciated a little more hustle.

The performance metric I really did wish the Evoque achieved better in was fuel economy. It's frankly dismal. Land Rover says it can get 22 combined miles per gallon and that's mostly accurate, although sometimes that would sink to 19-20 miles per gallon. 

That's really low for a four-cylinder powered car, and pretty ridiculous for a small SUV, especially when luxury crossovers from other brands have no issue getting upwards of 30 miles per gallon (or even 40 in the case of hybrids). Plus, the Evoque prefers premium grade fuel, so you will be filling up a lot and spending a lot when the car gets thirsty. The cost might not be a problem, but it's certainly a knock against convenience.

Generally, the Range Rover Evoque is everything you would expect from a Range Rover, only smaller. It looks exactly like a Velar if you were standing far away, and the interior is just as subtle. It's all very cohesive and orderly.

For that cohesiveness, what would you expect to pay? The badge tells you it's expensive, and there's a pretty decent chance the target demographic won't care in the slightest. The 2025 Range Rover Evoque Dynamic SE starts at a steep $54,900. That comes with heated seats, heated steering wheel, 19-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, selectable off-road modes, and the sense that whatever SUV your neighbor rolls up with won't be as suave as yours. 

The Cold Climate Pack–that consists of heated rear seats and a heated windshield–costs an additional $960. The Technology Pack, with a heads-up display and additional camera views, sets you back $1,400. Arroios Gray paint tacks on $950, the black roof another $600, and the Meridian speakers an additional $560. Hold on, there's more. The Evoque I drove also had Wi-Fi connectivity for an extra $450. Lastly, the Emergency Pack and Range Rover Handover Pack added on $140. Take the delivery fee of $1,275 and you finally arrive at the as-tested price of $61,615.

North of $60k is a healthy sum of cash for such a small SUV, though it's not outside the range of competitors like Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Certainly, if you wanted something a little less pricey, brands like Lexus, Acura, or Genesis might present a better deal. That said, those rivals just don't have the same panache as Range Rover, and that cachet is worth the extra spend to some people.

I don't own a horse, and I'm not particularly interested in vintage wines or soccer: I'm probably not really the target demographic for the Evoque, and that's perfectly fine. That said, it was an exceedingly pleasant experience behind the wheel. It wasn't mentally taxing at all and it coddled me in a way that left me feeling refreshed when I got to my destination. I just wish it was a little quicker on its feet, and didn't like to hang around the gas pump quite so much.