Range Rover Evoque wins award

The new Range Rover Evoque has been declared Car of the Year in the Auto Express New Car Awards. The Evoque was also named Best Compact SUV by Britain's biggest-selling motoring magazine, with the Land Rover Discovery 4 scooping the award for Best Large SUV for the second successive year.

Citing the Evoque's 'mould-breaking' looks and driving dynamics as key factors in its success, the magazine also praised its keen pricing: "The Evoque puts the hugely desirable Range Rover brand within the reach of compact executive car buyers for the very first time," said Auto Express Acting Editor Graham Hope. "The fact that it looks and drives the way it does serves only to underline its premium appeal.

"The winner of the Auto Express Car of the Year prize really needs to break the mould - and the Range Rover Evoque does exactly that. You have only to look at its concept car styling to see why the British firm already has a bulging order book for the new baby of its range. Its appeal goes far beyond its distinctive styling."

Land Rover UK managing director Colin Green welcomed the recognition: "The first production Evoque was driven off the line at Land Rover's Halewood manufacturing plant in Liverpool only last month."