Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: common problems, best years and what to check
Stylish premium SUV; buy with full history and ideally warranty. Covers 2011–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque a good used buy?
Best buy
2011–2015 2.2 TD4/SD4
Avoid
2015–2018 Ingenium without oil-service history
Who it suits: Style-conscious drivers who want a premium small SUV.
What's good
- Distinctive looks
- Premium interior
- Strong resale
- Capable in bad weather
What's not
- Ingenium engine problems on 2015–2018 cars
- Small rear seats and boot
- Pricey to repair
- Reliability below average
By the numbers
- #31 most common model on UK roads, with about 212k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2016: 23.2k cars still licensed.
- 2011 cars survive 18% better than comparable cars of that year.
- 2016 cars survive 5% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- 2.2 TD4/SD4 uses a belt (112k / 7.5 yrs): budget £600–£900 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: Ingenium timing chain stretch (up to £4,000).
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque common problems by generation and engine
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque L538 (2011–2018) · SUV, coupe, convertible
How to spot it: 11 plate to 18 plate. Wedge-shaped body with a rising waistline and a sloping roof.
2.2 TD4 / SD4 (to 2015) (PSA DW12, diesel, 2011–2015)
Robust Ford-PSA diesel
- DPF / EGR£400–£1,30060k+
2.0 TD4 Ingenium (2015+) (204DTD, diesel, 2015–2018)
Timing chain risk
- Ingenium timing chain stretch£1,500–£4,00050k+
Faults on any L538 (2011–2018) engine
- 9-speed auto (2014+) clunky£0–£2,500any
- Electrical faults£100–£1,000any
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque L551 (2019–) · SUV; P300e PHEV
How to spot it: 19 plate onwards. Smoother, Velar-like nose with slim lights and flush door handles.
D150/D180 mHEV, P200/P250, P300e (Ingenium, diesel / petrol / PHEV, 2019–)
Early cars had software/recalls
- Recalls and software updates—any
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Land Rover Range Rover Evoque years
How many Land Rover Range Rover Evoques from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2011, 2012, 2013. Years that fall off the road faster: 2016, 2017 — check these harder.
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2011+ cars)
Land Rover Range Rover Evoques pass their MOT first time 5 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (82% vs 77%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 73% | 61% | 108k miles |
| 2012 | 73% | 63% | 106k miles |
| 2013 | 75% | 66% | 98k miles |
| 2014 | 78% | 69% | 89k miles |
| 2015 | 80% | 72% | 80k miles |
| 2016 | 83% | 75% | 71k miles |
| 2017 | 84% | 78% | 63k miles |
| 2018 | 85% | 81% | 54k miles |
| 2019 | 84% | 84% | 43k miles |
| 2020 | 86% | 86% | 37k miles |
| 2021 | 89% | 87% | 33k miles |
| 2022 | 90% | 89% | 24k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Petrol
Hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.91 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut2.2 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.17 per 100
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.95 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken1.59 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed1.45 per 100
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam1.28 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too low1.18 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm22.47 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened16.23 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick14.27 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear13.89 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn3.41 per 100
- Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm2.96 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt2.67 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn2.62 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2 TD4/SD4 | belt | 112k / 7.5 yrs | £600–£900 |
| 2.0 Ingenium | chain | check from 50k | £1,500–£4,000 |
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land Rover Range Rover Evoque | 212k | 25–42 | 472 l | 2011–2015 2.2 TD4/SD4 |
| Audi Q3 | 163k | 20–32 | 530 l | 2015–2018 8U 2.0 TDI or 2019+ F3 |
| BMW X1 | 118k | 20–35 | 505 l | 2016+ F48 18d/20d |
| Volvo XC40 | 140k | 20–36 | 452 l | 2019+ B4 petrol or Recharge |
| Mercedes-Benz GLA | 103k | 17–34 | 435 l | 2020+ H247 GLA 200 |
| Jaguar E-Pace | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
What to check when buying a used Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
- 2.2 diesel (2011–2015) is the robust choice
- Check recall and software history on L551
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque FAQ
›Is the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2011–2015 2.2 TD4/SD4. Avoid: 2015–2018 Ingenium without oil-service history.
›What is the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque MOT pass rate?
82% of Land Rover Range Rover Evoques passed their MOT first time in 2025 (167,050 tests), better than the 77% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick.
›What are the most common Land Rover Range Rover Evoque problems?
The costliest known faults are Ingenium timing chain stretch; DPF / EGR; Recalls and software updates. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque have a timing belt or chain?
2.2 TD4/SD4: belt; 2.0 Ingenium: chain.
›What is the best year Land Rover Range Rover Evoque to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2011, 2012, 2013 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Land Rover Range Rover Evoque cost to run?
Real-world economy: 2.2 diesel 40–46 mpg; 2.0 Ingenium diesel 42–48 mpg. Insurance groups 25–42. A minor service is about £280–£400 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Land Rover Range Rover Evoque?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.