They’re the titans of the premium small SUV class.
But which of the Range Rover Evoque, the Audi Q3 and the Jaguar E-Pace triumphs in the battle to make you part with your hard-earned cash?
All three vehicles have benefitted from a recent update, the Jaguar E-Pace enjoying the most recent overhaul just a week ago.
And that means this potent trio are perfectly placed for a Select Car Leasing face-off.
Read more to find out which of the three is most suited to your needs.
Jaguar E-Pace (Lease for £319 per month**, priced from £32,575)
Don’t let the name fool you - the Jaguar E-Pace isn’t an all-electric model. You’ll have to look to the Jaguar I-Pace to get a fully-electrified Jaguar SUV.
But as of a couple of weeks ago, the E-Pace is now available with both mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid technology.
The plug-in hybrid has been able to make its debut thanks to a clever re-engineering job of the chassis by the men in white coats at Jaguar, which means it’s now capable of accommodating a big battery.
Power itself comes from a 1.5 litre, three-cylinder petrol engine bolted to a small electric motor that shunts power to the rear axle.
And with 309 PS to play with, it’s no slouch - getting from 0-62mph in just 6.1 seconds. As you’d expect, fuel economy is good, too, with a claimed 141 miles to the gallon, CO2 emissions of just 44 g/km, and the E-Pace being able to cruise along in electric-only mode for 34 miles.
If plugging your car into the mains doesn’t float your boat, fear not, because elsewhere there’s a new batch of ‘Ingenium’ engines - a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel and the latest 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol - that are more traditional but still have boosted fuel economy thanks to mild-hybrid hardwear.
While the looks of the E-Pace haven’t really been altered with the latest update, that’s no bad thing, as it’s always been a sleek machine, with high rear haunches and a cavernous front grille.
Inside the cabin you get a new 11.4-inch curved-glass HD touchscreen as well as a new ‘Pivi Pro’ infotainment system, which has been well received by critics and owners alike.
BASE MODEL FACE-OFF:
- 2.0 litre ‘D165’ diesel engine
- 0-62mph: 10 seconds.
- Fuel economy: 46.9 miles to the gallon.
- Tech as standard in base trim:1.4" Touchscreen, Pivi Pro including Smart Settings and Connected Navigation Pro3, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, heated front seats, 3D Surround Camera, Traffic Sign Recognition and Adaptive Speed Limiter, Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Front and Rear Parking Aid
- Boot size: 494 litres.
Range Rover Evoque (Lease from £323 per month**, or £32,100)
The Range Rover Evoque and the Jaguar E-Pace are both cars from the Jaguar Land Rover stable, and they’re really close in terms of sumptuous exterior looks and a sleek, coupe-like body.
And yes, the Evoque now comes as a plug-in hybrid, too - the ‘P300e’.
But where the Evoque and the E-Pace differ is perhaps in the Evoque’s serious off-road ability - prowess you can sense from some of some of the tech it comes with as standard, from All Terrain Progress Control (ATPC) to that all-important ‘Wade Sensing’ ability for when you’re fording rivers.
All but two variants in the entire range are all-wheel-drive, and the Evoque can balance torque between the front and rear wheels depending on the slipperiness of the surface, be it grass or snow, in order to maximise traction.
The Evoque is also something of an ‘OG’, as the kids say, in that it’s a trailblazer in this class, setting the benchmark for luxury compact SUVs more than a decade ago.
Like the E-Pace, when the Evoque was updated this year it also ushered in new engines and mid-hybrid technology.
And there’s also a new top of the range model - the ‘Evoque Autobiography’ - which represents a colossal jump in price to £52,110, and features Matrix LED headlights, a fixed panoramic sunroof, 21 inch alloys, premium cabin lighting and heated and cooled seats.
At 591 litres, the Evoque has a bigger boot than both the E-Pace and Q3 and, despite the sloping roofline, there’s plenty of space in the back for adults.
Although, because it’s slightly heavier, base models take a fraction of a second long to hit the 62mph mark from standing.
BASE MODEL FACE-OFF:
- 2.0 litre ‘D165’ diesel engine
- 0-62mph: 10.1 seconds.
- Fuel economy: 46.3 miles to the gallon.
- Tech as standard in base trim: All Terrain Progress Control (ATPC), Low traction launch, Hill Descent Control, 10 inch touchscreen, DAB radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Front and Rear Parking Aid, Lane Keep Assist, Emergency Braking, Driver Condition Monitor, Cruise Control and Speed Limiter, 3D Surround Camera, Wade Sensing.
- Boot size: 591 litres.
Audi Q3 (Lease from £303 per month** or £30,885)
The Q3 is the cheapest of the cars in this group test.
And if we’re being honest, a more direct comparison would be the coupe-like Audi Q3 Sportback, which is slightly more expensive at around £309 per month to lease, or £34,010 to purchase outright.
And the Q3 Sportback certainly has enough sporty, dynamic lines to go toe-to-toe with the Evoque and the E-Pace.
While the updated Q3 hasn’t been released just yet, it’s waiting in the wings and has been promised for the beginning of 2021.
But you can expect more of the Q3’s winning mix of ‘Style. Agility. Intelligence’, as Audi itself boasts.
Trim wise for the Q3 Sportback you’ve got five choices, base ‘Sport’ through to range-topping ‘Vorsprung’, which starts from £45,280 - a good deal less than the range-topping Evoque model.
You’ll need to move up to the second rung in the spec ladder - to S-Line - to have the choice of the Q3’s most potent engine, the 45 TFSI quattro, which comprises a 2.0 litre petrol mill chucking out 230 PS.
Meanwhile a more moderately powered 1.5 litre petrol or 2.0 diesel engine can be had in front-wheel drive form, rather than all-wheel drive, if you’re looking to save cash on your petrol bill.
BASE MODEL FACE-OFF (for Sportback in base ‘Sport’ trim)
- 1.5 litre petrol ‘35 TFSI’
- 0-62mph: 9.5 seconds.
- Fuel economy: 40.4–42.2 mpg
- Tech as standard in base trim: LED headlights with daytime-running lights and dynamic rear indicators, MMI Navigation Plus with MMI touch display, Audi Virtual Cockpit, Audi Pre-sense Front with pedestrian and cyclist detection.
- Boot size: 530 litres.
**(Prices include VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Price correct as of 17/11/2020.
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