2015 land rover range rover evoque pure plus

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When the Range Rover Evoque originally wowed Detroit auto show-goers as the Land Rover LRX Concept in January of 2008,

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

nothing else existed in the truly compact premium crossover segment.

Certainly BMW had its X3 whereas Audi and Mercedes-Benz had just started producing their Q5 and GLK respectively, but these were near mid-size models in comparison to the diminutive CUV that would soon become Evoque.

The production Evoque hit the road in 2011 as a 2012 model and I could hardly wait to get my hands on it, my first weeklong test being in a three-door coupe version.

Looking long, low and sleek despite its abbreviated dimensions, its measurements being 4,371 mm (172.1 inches) long, 1,985 mm (78.1 inches) wide (with the mirrors folded), and 1,605 mm (63.2 inches) tall while riding on a 2,660-mm (104.7-inch) wheelbase, it was the hot hatch of premium