Range Rover Evoque Diesel Coupe

The Evoque Coupe costs £1,000 more than the five-door, but its extra style is definitely worth the premium. The high-output diesel also gets the thumbs-up, thanks to its blend of gutsy performance and decent  economy. Regardless of the model you go for, it’s easy to inflate the Evoque’s price, yet Range Rover’s new baby has off-the-scale desirability.

It’s 2011’s most desirable car – so much so that the Range Rover Evoque has already sold out for this year. And of the 18,000 orders received worldwide, a third have been for this three-door Coupe.

Aimed at the fashion-conscious motorist, it’s not as practical as the five-door, but it’s even more stylish. As an added hook, Land Rover is offering an unprecedented choice of options which allows owners to personalise their cars.

Video: watch part one of our video review of the Range Rover Evoque

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Watch part two here

Our Coupe Dynamic sD4, for instance, features front sports seats which come as part of the £3,000 Dynamic Plus styling pack. There’s a contrasting roof, too: this costs an extra £500 and is available in white, silver or black, as seen on this example.

Our model’s striking red and black colour combination really works on the dramatic Coupe bodystyle. But while the three-door looks good, it sacrifices some function in the interests of form. Visibility and headroom to the rear are reduced by that rakish roof, and this means that selecting the optional panoramic sunroof is a must on the Coupe, as without it the cabin can feel a bit dark and dingy. Thankfully, it’s 

reasonably priced, at £450.

Another option worth considering is the Magna Ride suspension, which costs £1,150 on Prestige models but comes as standard with Dynamic trim. Its computer-controlled dampers constantly monitor the road and your driving style to deliver the best comfort and handling balance. It works very well and helps smooth out the Evoque’s ride which, on the normal spring and damper set-up, can feel a bit fidgety.

You can even make the Magna Ride suspension slightly stiffer by selecting Dynamic mode, although doing this doesn’t seem to deliver any improvement in the Evoque’s handling for the noticeable loss in comfort.

Around corners, the car hangs on impressively and is very agile. The raised ride height means it doesn’t feel like a sports car, but it’s as close as you’ll get to a hot hatch SUV.

As for engines, the 2.2-litre diesel is the pick of the range. It’s available in either 148bhp or 187bhp guise, and we drove the latter, which covers 0-60mph in only eight seconds. The 420Nm torque output makes overtaking a breeze. That low-down muscle is especially useful off-road, as it hauls the 1,700kg 4WD Evoque up steep inclines with ease.

The diesel is also well suited to the smooth six-speed automatic. That said, the box can sometimes be slow to respond, which can be a bit disconcerting when you are trying to pull out quickly at junctions. The auto affects economy, too – Land Rover claims that it returns 44mpg compared to the manual’s 50mpg. But in reality we got even less, achieving a mere 28mpg over the course of our drive. To be fair, this did include some tricky off-road sections which, incidentally, the Evoque tackled with aplomb.

Yet all these negatives are nitpicking. Overall, this Range Rover is a cracking car which pretty much does it all. It’s good to drive, capable off road, has a desirable badge, feels well built plus is comfortable, luxurious, and very, very desirable –­ especially in the case of the more stylish Coupe. It’s a winner.