Range Rover ever made prices from £30,000

Finally – our first good look at the smallest, lightest and greenest Range Rover ever made! With order books opening in three months and prices from £30,000, has had exclusive access to the Evoque, and spoken to design boss Gerry McGovern about the most striking car the company has ever produced.

The Evoque retains the bulging arches, sweeping headlights and sleek profile of the LRX concept shown at the Detroit Motor Show in 2008. The bluff front end and wide stance give the car the same presence as its bigger relatives, but it’s 150mm shorter and 100mm lower than the Freelander on which it’s based.

But despite being shorter than its Land Rover sibling, the newcomer is no entry-level model. The interior is packed with technology, including the ‘dual-view’ screen on the dash, which allows the passenger to watch a DVD while the driver uses sat-nav on the same screen. A 17-speaker Meridian audio system is also an option.

What’s more, the small exterior hides a surprisingly spacious interior, with plenty of room for two adults in the plush leather rear seats. Thanks to clever design, the coupé-like roof offers more headroom than you might expect in the beautifully finished cabin.

As well as being a style statement, the Evoque shows how Range Rover has cleaned up its act. It will be the first Range Rover to be offered with two-wheel drive, further broadening its appeal. The option of front-wheel drive also means that – equipped with the new 2.2-litre eD4 diesel engine and stop-start – the Evoque will return close to 60mpg and CO2 figures below 130g/km.

Two other four-cylinder engines will complete the line-up – a more powerful 187bhp diesel, and a new 2.0-litre turbo petrol unit with 240bhp. But both will only be available with four-wheel drive.

Thanks to the use of materials such as aluminium and magnesium, the Evoque weighs over 100kg less, which should translate to agility previously unseen on the marque’s high-riding 4x4s.

There will be three different trims; Pure, Prestige and Dynamic. Each will look slightly different, with the sportier models getting body-coloured sills and skirts, and bespoke exhausts for a more muscular look.

The expected £30,000 entry price is for a front-wheel-drive Pure, while a fully loaded Dynamic rises to more than £40,000. Order books open in January, with deliveries starting at the end of May, while the five-door version will be unveiled in November.

For more on the Evoque, and the full interview with design boss Gerry McGovern, make sure you pick up a copy of the latest issue of Auto Express, on sale now at all good newsagents.