Looking back at 60 years of motoring it shames me to say that Land Rover, that iconic brand name, has never before come under my scrutiny.

Yes, a decade or so ago I navig-ated my granddaughter in her Series 2 on a couple of rallies and I had a brief spell behind the wheel of a1983 long-wheel-base. To this day I enjoy being a passenger in a strangely-set-up series 2 and a beautiful and rare ‘lightweight’.

The model Evoque that was the subject of this test was an automatic with permanent four-wheel drive.

I’m told that the two-wheel-drive version is hitting all the buttons for an ever-increasing and totally appreciative band of lady drivers, and I really can understand why.

This car, whether it’s in two-wheel-drive or four, is simplicity itself to drive well, with all the comforts of a really exciting, high- market-end family car; and frankly, whether the two-door coupé or the five-door car that we tested is chosen, the exciting bits are all the same.

Some readers will know that heavy rain usually causes floods on the St Paul’s Bay/Għajn Tuffieħa road, and the Evoque may well prove to be the ideal car to own as it can negotiate flooded areas 50cms, yes, half a metre deep. These recurring floods cause immense annoyance to many hapless motorists, and do not figure on anyone’s plans for remedial action.

The Evoque is a seriously-well planned and engineered vehicle meant for a decent offroad working life, hence the obstacle clearance allows 21.5cm for the front axle and 24cm clearance for the rear axle.

Remember, however, that if the excitement of the chase has taken you down some of the old military unsurfaced roads the turning circle is 11.3 metres kerb to kerb and the steering gear is a decent 2.47 turns lock to lock.

Yes, the power steering applies just the right amount of feel to the driver and the degree of confid-ence imparted by finely-tuned steering and extremely powerful brakes provides a couple of reasons why this car feels so dramatically ‘safe’.

The actual height of the Evoque from the road and the pleasure of being able to see over most rubble walls, along with a superb panoramic roof which allows all occupants to enjoy our clear blue skies, all go far towards satisfying an inner need to enjoy the road around us as we journey happily onward.

Many owners will need the Evoque to be a combined family car and workhorse, and the capacity for carrying an immense amount of gear figures most interestingly in the general run of things the owner needs to know.

With the rear seats upright a maximum of 575 litres can be carried with a height of 870mm and a width between arches of 1000mm. With the rear seats forward the load space goes up to 1,445 litres, and a maximum box size of 900mm width and 625mm height can be carried.

With the panoramic roof the headroom up front allows 1,025mm (without the panoramic roof the maximum headroom up front sits at 990mm).

Rear seat passengers can be of the same sort of size, for with the panoramic roof in place you get 1,010mm headroom (970mm in the coupé) and without the panoramic roof there’s still 965mm of room (945mm in the coupé).

Range Rover Evoque has done away with the normal type of selection lever and has provided a very neat circular gadget that rises on a turret and then gets turned to suit forward or backward etc.

You can also enjoy your own gear changes by using the paddle change system.

Obviously this was tried, but as road conditions were their usual overcrowded mess we restricted our inner feelings and let the car change gear at the most appropriate times.

This does not mean that the grass was allowed to grow beneath the wheels.

The load of useful accessories includes chains for snow travel and an emergency kit if you get caught abroad in sudden snow and don’t want to fit the chains.

When the road allowed we used the dynamic acceleration of this lovely steed to its best advantage, not the maximum speed which sits at 195kph, but the acceleration which wafts this model with its SD4 diesel to 100 kmh in 8.5 seconds, knowing that the ventilated 300mm discs up front and the solid 302mm discs at the back would pull us up most smartly if needed. For those that care, the electric park brake is integrated into the brake calliper and works most satisfyingly well.

Verdict

Comfort
Five stars on the road and four stars off it. A seriously comfortable 4x4.

Performance
This superior diesel Range Rover will take most people by surpirise.

Quality
No compromising with this model. Compare it with a 50-year-old Series 2 and see how life has changed.

At a glance

Top speed
195 km/h

0-100km
8.5 seconds

Economy
Combined cycle, 6l/100 km

C02
159 g/km

Engine
2,179cc LR SD4 diesel

Power
190 bhp at 3,500 rpm

Maximum torque
420 Nm at 1,750 rpm

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