The phrase ‘concept car for the road’ is often used, but one car that it can definitely apply to is the Range Rover Evoque. Land Rover showed the Range Rover LRX concept (right) back in 2008, and when the final production car appeared in 2010, it looked like they’d simply stuck a pair of numberplates and door mirrors on the concept. It proved that Range Rover was looking to the future.
And that continued on the road, where the Mk1 Evoque was nimble, fun, and generally good to drive, as well as full of tech. No wonder Land Rover couldn’t build the thing quickly enough.
These days, even the final Evoque Mk1 is more than seven years old, and is well within the realms of the home mechanic, which is where Haynes AutoFix can help you out. You can buy one of the coolest-looking SUVs ever made, and we can help you keep it on the road for far less than you’d spend at a garage.
Has the Evoque been recalled?
The Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Mk1 was a fairly frequent visitor to Land Rover dealers over the course of its life, for recall work to be carried out:
- To start, 62 cars that had required a new steering rack had been fitted with a remanufactured item that had incorrectly fitted track rod ends. These dodgy components had to be replaced.
- Then 37,059 cars were recalled because the fuel hoses running across the top of the engine could become chafed, resulting in a leak, and a possible fire risk.
- An incorrectly routed engine wiring harness was the cause of 9252 cars being returned to dealers because the wiring could become chafed, causing the engine to cut out.
- A full 80,305 examples were recalled for a ‘security enhancement’, which was, in essence, a software update to ‘reduce the theft risk’.
- Then 4779 cars were recalled for a software update because they were unable to meet stated CO2 emissions.
- A faulty front passenger airbag caused another recall in 2016.
This is not an extensive list of recalls, so if you’re looking for a first-generation Evoque, you would be wise to check out the full list of recalls and ensure that the car you’re looking at has had all the relevant recall work carried out.
What common problems does the Mk1 Range Rover Evoque have?
It’s fair to say that the phrase ‘caveat emptor’ applies when purchasing a Land Rover product of this vintage, so unless you want to end up with a problem Range Rover Evoque it pays to know what things are likely to go wrong.
Numerous Range Rover Evoque owners have reported problems with engine oil leaks, so it pays to inspect everything thoroughly.
Electrical issues are also common in the Evoque. These problems can be confined to individual components, necessitating replacement, or they can be connected to the car’s body control module (BCM), which can also require replacement.
Most of the Evoque’s engines have a turbocharger, and this has been the source of some issues.
Faulty front brake discs are also known to cause a noticeable brake judder through the Evoque’s steering when slowing down.
And finally, the rear of the Evoque Mk1 can squeak, which is down to an issue with the rear anti-roll bar bushes.
Does the Evoque Mk1 have oil leaks?
People hear tales of Range Rover Evoque engine problems, but in reality it's the fact that oil leaks are fairly common. These leaks can spring up anywhere and are usually caused by faulty seals or gaskets. It’s worth checking carefully for leaks, sourcing where they’re from, and making sure there isn’t any subsequent damage. For example, if the cylinder head gasket has failed, and oil and water have mixed inside the engine, there will be a gloopy ‘mayonnaise’ inside the oil filler cap.
It could also be worth using a borescope (such as Haynes contributor Rob Keenan recently used on his BMW), to investigate hard-to-see areas of the engine bay or engine internals.
And of course, the soon-to-be-released Haynes AutoFix will help you to resolve any issues you may find.
Does the Range Rover Evoque have electrical issues?
Yes, the Range Rover Evoque Mk1 is known to suffer from the odd electrical gremlin. No one system is more susceptible than others, but issues are known to concern the infotainment system, the electrically operated windows, the door mirror adjustments, and a service indicator that refuses to be reset.
However, the good news is that an OBD reader, plus the AutoFix for the Evoque Mk1, which will contain full wiring diagrams for the vehicle, will help you to get to the bottom of any problem in very short order.
Will the turbocharger fail?
The bulk of the engines in the Evoque Mk1 are turbocharged, which is great for performance and efficiency, but not so good when the turbo goes wrong. And quite a few owners have talked of problems with the turbocharger in their Range Rover.
Turbos have a tough life, spinning at 30,000rpm, and being subjected to the sort of temperatures that would cause the sun to get a bit of a sweat on, so you can understand that failures do sometimes occur.
If so, replacement is the only option. A new turbo will cost a lot, while a secondhand unit will be less, but well, you’ll need to weigh up the risk-versus-reward ratio.
Does the Land Rover Evoque have problems with its brakes?
Some owners of the first-generation Range Rover Evoque have complained of brake shudder.
This is an affliction that causes the steering wheel to shake and tremble when the brake pedal is depressed, and is caused by faulty brake discs that have warped over time.
The only solution is to replace both front brake discs and the attendant brake pads.
However, the good news is that the Haynes Evoque AutoFix can guide you through the replacement process step by step, so while you’ll need to invest in new parts (and perhaps the odd tool), you’ll be able to skip the expensive labour charge you’ll face if you take the vehicle to a garage.
Any issues with the Evoque’s suspension?
Over time, the rear suspension on the Mk1 Evoque can succumb to the dreaded squeak. And given the state of the UK’s roads at the moment, this has the potential to be an ever-present and annoying issue.
The problem is down to rear anti-roll bar bushes that are not to the required specification. It could also be simply that they’re old and need to be replaced. Either way, you need to swap them, and the Haynes Evoque AutoFix is full of all the technical schematics and information you could possibly need.
