2020 Range Rover Evoque: A Stunning Luxury Subcompact SUV

No two ways about it, the 2020 Range Rover Evoque (technically a Land Rover) is a looker.

At first glance, it really does look like a stylish Mini Cooper, and you can’t help but think that’s what they were trying to emulate.  It’s small and peppy when you finally get it on the open road, and for those of you familiar with Range Rover, there definitely is a rugged Range Rover feel to it.  The 2020 Evoque is solid and secure in a way for which Land Rovers have been known for generations, only on a much smaller scale.  Much smaller.

It is priced like a Range Rover, to be sure.  The base S trim starts at $42,650, and that comes with (among other items) 18-inch wheels, power front seats, leather upholstery, dual-climate zones, power folding mirrors, navigation, 10-inch touchscreen, parking sensors and even trailer-hitch guidance, though I cannot imagine why anyone would want to tow anything with the Evoque.  (Kids, if your credit score is high enough to consider this car and you feel like towing something, doing yourself and your friends a favor and buy first class airline seats and get Triple-A!)

The engine on all trims is a 2.0-liter inline-4 turbo that delivers 246 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque.  You will also get Land Rover’s renowned suite of off-road technology must-have goodies, this year known as Terrain Response 2, and just so you know, this adjusts how the car will respond in snow, sleet, mud, etc.  You will also get Land Rover’s All-Terrain Progress Control, which acts like a low-speed cruise control but can be very helpful in sticky situations, especially the ones of your own making.

There is plenty of room in the front seats, but to be honest, it can get a little cozy in the back.  That’s because the roofline is rather stylized (read: low).  In short, this is a sporty, trendy little car. Quirky in a cool LGBTQ kind of way, if you will. 

Yes, the price of entry ain’t cheap, but if you are really into off-roading, this is a petite Land Rover (Range Rover) so you really can’t go wrong.  Room is pinched even though there is more rear legroom this year, so know that before you attempt to pack all your active-lifestyle equipment inside. But depending on where you live, who you love and how you drive, this may be the vehicle that fits the bill.

You should also run the numbers as well before you buy, to include consulting with your insurance agent and other agents you may employ for life decisions.  Well, maybe I am being a bit dramatic here…

I do like this year’s Evoque a lot. It is redesigned for 2020 and it really does shine through. The exterior color they have chosen as the standard bearer is called Nolita Grey, and for all you Del Shores’ Sordid Lives fans, you’ll recall that Nolita is one of the main characters in the series, portrayed by LGBTQ+ favs Delta Burke and Caroline Rhea.

‘A black comedy about white trash’ is the tagline of the Sordid Lives series. Enough said.