Discussion in the car park today............

The auto gearbox is very good, plus it comes with stop/start.

BUT when we drove the new X3 it was very soft and sloppy, compared to the X1 and Evoque with has a much firmer feel, on top of that we opted for the Dynamic, which has Magnaride.

I don't regret discounting the X3 in favour of the Evoque.

You want sloppy, try driving a Renault Espace, after a week driving one it is certainly that, but not a bad cruiser to eat up miles and cart many many things, ok its horrid to drive and no comparison, but my 32gb stick worked flawlessly, it doesnt in my Evoque, the full panoramic roof also opens, the Tpms gives you tyre pressures, the rear spoiler turns into roof bars, the auto lights dont come on until proper dusk, when you hit stop the radio continues to play, it has speed limiter, all glass come with blinds. Now things I hate are too many to mention, but I will say, Built in Tom Tom was poor in comparison, it too beeped incessantly, if you managed to trigger the parking sensors, I cound find no way to disable, there were buttons just everywhere, if you wanted to use cruise you had to reach down under the steering wheel to fumble after a switch, highly dangerous!

I've come from an Audi S4 Avant to the Range Rover Evoque, got to say is so nice to drive and so comfortable. I was never uncomfortable in the Audi, but this is the next level of enjoyment!

It is also slowing me down and saving me a fortune on fuel! Love it!

Rhys if I had a £1 from every former BMW or Audi owner who has changed to a Disco, RRSport, Range Rover and now Evoque I would be on the waiting list for the new Range Rover.....................
Usually the comments go " These cars are so comfortable that I cannot imagine why I have waited so long......." "Wow I've been driving BMW's for years and been running my new XXXXX Rover for a month and it has transformed my driving habits." " Jeez these cars are just so comfortable that I drive slower to enjoy the drive rather than to get to my destination as quickly as possible" "Wow it's just so nice to sit so high and see so much that you want to drive it slower just to enjoy the scenery" And these days, generally the comments at the back of What Car? about the Disco1 and P38A Range Rover are churned out time and again and put people of buying the latest versions which are far more reliable.

LOL Tim! I'm lucky as I get to drive all kinds of different cars! Wouldn't touch a modern day BMW! But Land Rover have exceeded my expectations with the Evoque. I had both a Discovery and a RRS with the 2.7 engine, thats the bit that let it down! Engine was too sluggish but they were still comfortable! Get that pot out Tim and save those £1's!

PS. The new Range Rover is amazing, I'll try and post some pics of it later! So comfortable!

Tim, you are making me so happy I decided to go for an Evoque seeing your oppinion... It is exactly what I look on my next car... sit higher, drive slowly and comfortably... I can´t wait for it to arrive, even though I´m sure it is on it´s way at the moment (confirmed arrival to the dealer: 8 november)
I will have to let you all know my feelings when it arrives

Yes Rhys the 2.7TDv6 was not Land Rover's best (not too bad but not their best!) I went from a 2.7TDV6 RRS to a 3.6TDv8 and the latter engine should have been in RRSport from day one, it was so much better in all respects than the 2.7. Having said that there many many 2.7 RRS's and Disco3's out there still running happily and with very happy owners (until they start getting turbo or EGR problems). Both engines are not Land Rover's own design, they were modified versions of the PSA Group engine that was jointly developed with Ford when LR was Ford owned. The best thing that happened to a L322 Range Rover was getting rid of the awful BMW engines they got lumbered with because BMW wanted the better engines BMW offered for it's soon (then) to be launched X5. I can honestly say that as a result of the terrible wheezey, rattly tractor like TD6 3.0ltre in line 6 cylinder engine in my first FFRR I would never buy any BMW powered car, ever. Yet everybody rants how good the same engine is in the tune that BMW uses for it's own cars. The Jaguar and PSA/Ford engine now in use in the range are just streets ahead of what BMW supplied LR with for their cars

It does change your driving habits, I too drive slower In the evoque mainly because it's well.... Slow!!

Dangerous though when I get in my 3 series Coupe and just don't realise how bloody fast it is it s the 335i mind not quite as quick as the latest S4 admittidly but pretty similar.

Can't say I now think that BMW are inferior, engine wise, I love my 335i it's an absolute peach, my BMW has much better interior plastics and trim. In short for that type of car I would always stick with a BMW however i have been tempted with a new C63 AMG

The Evoque is great but is let down somewhat with some truly shitty interior plastics that really aren't acceptable on a car of this level, but I will forgive them... For now!

Wow! .. I think BMW is getting a particularly harsh end of the stick here...

I may be a bit biased (as the name suggests) but I must say that BMW's label as 'the ultimate driving machine' is bang on (for the money)... Now obviously when we are talking anything on stilts it has to come from LR because otherwise ... well your just posing otherwise (i'll let you off if you bought a land cruiser or truck for a specific purpose). But when we are talking actual driving I don't think you can fault BMW's - There has always been one on my families drive since the original E28 M5 and not one of the BMs we've owned have ever, as in never, developed a fault.. The interior has never tired either. My father and I have been lucky to own a few nice cars and even when matching against porsches (which I think most people would agree are great driving cars?) the BMW inspires such well judged driving feel, that you can press on with equal pace down a B road as anything in their stable. As for their diesel engines, i've not made much comparison here but they always get a good review especially in twin turbo form, offering probably the best bhp/litre coupled with the best claimed mpg - I get a good 54mpg out of my single turbo 2.0D which I use as my motorway hack (i drive the 'real' mortorway limit) which I think is more than good. Then there is the fact they are RWD, i'd say most drivers who prefer a spirited drive prefer a rwd set up as it allows you to place the car better into the apex and gives you much more control. I'd have a BM over an audi or merc any day, i'm pretty sure the a3 chassis has been around since the millennium, and all this praise for the 'useable' R8 when the M6 has been around much longer doing the job with no fuss? and merc is capable of producing good cars but appear like they don't want to, their auto box is naff, I think its taken from renault isn't it? and their AMG's always have some funny quirk - like the offset drivers seat..

Just my two pennies worth obviously others will have another opinion, but somebody had to speak up for BM!

I am another Beemer boy, had two 320d as company cars for the last 8 years a A4 before that and also have a 335i as a owned car. BMW really are a great drive and the Evoque does not really compare for a pure sporty drive (not that is designed to). However the RRE is a very different driving experience and one I am loving, only 4 weeks so far but it gives me that thrill of excitement when I see it on the drive and looking forward to the next 4 years.