There’s a new Evoque on the block. Okay, so it doesn’t appear a great deal different but, look closely and the changes, subtle as they are, will become apparent.

Perhaps the most obvious is the inclusion of adaptive LED headlights and revised front bumper with enlarged air intakes, while two new grille designs and new alloy wheel styles have also been added.

At the back there’s a restyled bumper, new tailgate spoiler and high-level LED stoplight.

The chunky, chiselled and tapered windowline that manages to combine both a utilitarian and sporty look remains, as does its deceptively small footprint. The Evoque’s dimensions are unchanged.

That also means the pre-facelift model’s shortcomings are also carried over. It's always a surprise when you realise how little legroom there is in the back - the Evoque manages to look bigger than it really is - yet there’s plenty of headroom despite the tapered roofline.

Visibility, thanks to the shallow side windows and letterbox-like rear screen, can make manouevring difficult which is probably why parking sensors are included as standard right across the range. The view out the front, in contrast, is excellent thanks to the commanding driving position.

In the cabin you’ll find new seats and door casings, a greater proportion of soft-touch materials and there’s a new range of colours to choose from.

Under the bonnet of my test car was JLR’s new Ingenium diesel engine producing 148bhp. You can opt for a more powerful version with 178bhp but the smaller output engine proved no slouch and with the manufacturer claiming a combined return of 65.6mpg (I averaged closer to 46mpg with a reasonably heavy right foot) it makes a strong case for itself.

The improvements over the outgoing diesel are, however, commendable and make the Evoque considerably more competitive.

Unusually, perhaps, my test car also arrived with a six-speed manual. The 8-speed automatic boxes in JLR’s cars have always proven to be excellent and so it was with the manual. Slick, precise and with a positive action it really was a pleasure to slip through the gears.

Options fitted to my test car included a fixed panoramic roof fitted with, thankfully, a retractable blind. Without it I’d have just as likely be growing prize-winning tomatoes in the Evoque as driving it. The premium HDD navigation is a £600 option while the InControl Touch Plus coupled to the Merdian surround sound system and the InControl Connect Pack adds another £2,250.

The suspension has been reworked to take account of the lighter engine with new front suspension subframe and revised rear bushings, as well as larger brake discs.

On the move the Evoque is quiet, comfortable and generally unflappable. Most surface imperfections are dismissed with barely a backwards glance and the cabin provides a tranquil environment thanks to the excellent insulation.

Performance is sprightly. The new diesel unit is a peppy performer and, with maximum torque available from just 1,500rpm it’s rarely found wanting whatever gear you’re in. Less mass over the front wheels means that, even in two-wheel drive, there’s sufficient grip to ensure pleasantly rapid progress even when the roads tighten up.

The new Evoque is, unsurprisingly, not unlike the old one. That's largely because the improvements have been subtle. Land Rover have, wisely, not tinkered too much with what is a winning formula.

The result is a car that's better in almost every way than the pre-update version yet reassuringly familiar. The most desirable compact SUV just upped the ante.

Range Rover Evoque SE Tech

Price: £32,200

As tested: £37,800

Engine: 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel

Transmission: 6-speed manual driving front wheels

Power: 148bhp

Torque: 280lbft @ 1,500rpm

Maximum speed: 113mph

Acceleration (0-60mph): 10.6 sec

Urban: 56.5mpg

Extra urban: 72.4mpg

Combined: 65.6mpg

Emissions (CO2): 113g/km

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