just a quick question here - the answer may well be a lot longer!! lol

we have bought a 2012 RRS HSE and in the main we couldn't be happier with it.... however (you just knew there was going to be one of those didn't you!!). However the more the boss drives it the more she thinks that maybe an Evoque may have been a better bet. Now in terms of road manners and comfort neither of us think you can beat the RRS - it really is amazing, the issue is that given how poor driving is on some of the smaller roads an Evoque may just have the edge in terms of size. Factor into this equation that the Evoque with the better mpgs would mean we could loose her 2nd car and it's starting to make a case for a review of the situation...

Beyond "don't!!!" any thoughts?

Mrs P feels almost the same - only it's her VW Polo thats going not my RRS try it you could always go back - even upgrade  16MY Estoril Blue SVR.............
17MY Autobiography Dynamic - Corris Grey - WOW.
14MY Autobiography Dynamic - SDV6 - Fuji White
12MY Autobiography - SDV6 - Santorini Black - Dual View - Rear Entertainment - Sunroof.
12MY Autobiography - SDV6 - Orkney Grey - awesome ;(
2005 Java Black - 4.2 V8 Supercharged First Edition- will never be forgotten ;(

I hope you noticed I said 'her' second car (an Astra). My car is staying put (2005 Mustang GT)

Having both in our company, I think I am qualified to give a balanced view........don't!!😄

The only thing that the evoque is better is mpg. Although the RRS is much bigger , it has far better visibility all round, ie less chance of taking out a car on narrower roads or even kerbing the alloys!
The ride and noise level in the RRS are also far better!
But the biggest annoyance for me, and this sounds daft, is the lack of a foot rest in the evoque! It really is meant for women with size 4 feet!!

Cheers
Dave MY10 TDV6 SE (debadged ), Santorini Black, Flappy paddles, Privacy Glass, 20" Stormers, Mudflaps!

Gone: a comprehensive list of imprezas and a Merc ML AMG

The Evoque is nearly the same width as the RRS anyway. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

but as everyone knows a few extra inches make all the difference

The mrs has an Evoque and yes, its a good car but there is NO comparison to the RRS. The interior of the Evoque looks good but is of far inferior quality and as has been said before, visibility and road manners of the RRS is a million times better. The Evoque is a totally different car IMHO and perfect for girls Nothing more... 2013 RRS SDV6 Autobiography Fuji White
2007 RRS TDV8 HSE - gone -
2005 RRS TDV6 HSE - gone -

Don't do it! Had an Evoque recently as a loaner and i didn't really like it much at all. I found it way too small, poor visibility, noisy engine and poor quality materials.

Although It does handle a bit better and has instant acceleration compared to the RRS but those were the only good things about it. 2014 L405 SDV8 RR Autobiography

2012 RRS SDV6 HSE -Orkney Grey with A/B bodykit - Now Gone
2007 RRS TDV6 HSE - Zermatt Silver - Gone

I have got an Evoque SD4 as a loan car. My thoughts after a few days "ownership":

The ride and handling are reminiscent of a hot hatch - the ride is very busy compared to the RRS (my RRS has nearly 80k on the dampers and so is probably a bit "soft" anyway but...). The handling is very good with nice, quick turn in. Again, it feels hot hatch-like in this regard. Of course, on a dry road or when not being pushed hard, it is a FWD car (the rear end only drives when the front struggles). The brakes are excellent in normal use with a nice firm pedal and bite at the top of the pedal travel - something I like and miss on my RRS which, again, seems a bit "softer" in this regard although the ultimate braking performance of mine is excellent.

Visibility out of the Evoque is poor, not just compared to the RRS but compared to most other cars. The rear windscreen is small, for example. The rear quarter lights are useful at angled junctions but the overall shallow nature of the glass gives a "looking through a letterbox" feel to it. The RRS is so much better in this regard.

The interior is a strange mix. The seats are sporty and generally comfortable but are a bit tighter than my RRS. This is a personal thing, obviously, and in line with the sporty nature of the Evoque. The dash and centre console work well and look modern - indeed, if I had a newer RRS (mine is pre-facelift) I'd be a bit disappointed that the Evoque is very similar inside. SWMBO pointed out that the interior has some bits which are leather (dash top for example) but there is a lot of plastic around and it feels "plasticky" and at odds with the overall look of the interior. Interior space up front is excellent - the doors are further away than the my RRS and the centre console is narrower. It lacks the armchair like feel of the RRS. Rear accommodation is tight if the front seats are back but not too bad compared to the RRS (which is hardly a paragon of rear seat space/comfort). The boot is, as you would expect, smaller.

The engine is willing but slightly noisy (although the note isn't unpleasant). The gearbox is an odd mix of smooth upchanges and slightly lumpy/thumpy down shifts - you get a noticeable jerk as it changes down on kick down, for example. The 'box also seems to change down more often than on my RRS but then the engine has less torque so maybe it needs to. Acceleration is brisk enough for most people I'm sure. Economy on my loaner is showing 30.8mpg over 8000 miles (or since it was last reset) but then it's a loan car so it's likely to be driven a bit harder. The cruise control is fine - I miss the ACC on my RRS - but the CO2 emissions graph is annoying.

The radio (DAB/FM on "my" example) is adequate. I haven't played music on it, other than radio, so I have no idea how it sounds when pushed hard. Haven't needed the Sat Nav but assume it's the same as on newer RRS.

I have previously driven an Evoque off road, albeit briefly, and it was surprisingly adept. The lack of low range meant that the lack of low speed control was obvious. The brakes are needed to limit speed where often in the RRS you just crawl forward in low range but other than that it was ok. The towing capacity is limited to 2000kg I think; that would be inadequate for my needs. I'm not sure I'd fancy towing a big tin tent on it. It feels a bit small for that although I have seen Evoque / FL2 towing tin tents.

Overall, I think it's a good vehicle. I'd agree with the earlier "girly" definition but that's not to say it's a bad car. It just doesn't fit my needs. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Most have beat me to it, the evoque is pretty much a budget RRS and you get what you pay for. If you want to save money, both buying and running, then I can understand the evoque appeal. But if you genuinely just want the better, nicer vehicle, stick with the RRS as for the extra costs it will also hold value well and will serve you much better!

SWMBO would say the evoque but she is motivated by a lack of ability to park and believing its so much smaller. But as a passenger her opinion changes back to the RRS.

The Evoque is just a FL2 in a party frock, you get a lot better interior but lose space in doing so due to shape and design, but you do get some stuff like dynamic suspension

You also lose 200kg of towing Capability, (2000:1800)

Careful with that line of argument Nick - after all the RRS is just a Disco in a party frock and has less space as a result!  2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Very true