Range Rover Evoque hybrid emerges as least loved car in Which? survey
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The plug-in hybrid version of the Range Rover Evoque – an SUV once inextricably linked with glamour and celebrity – has emerged as the UK’s least-loved car in a major annual survey of motorists carried out by Which?
The Evoque became Land Rover’s fastest-selling car ever after its launch in 2011 and has counted Victoria Beckham and Jamie Oliver among its famous fans.
But in the consumer association’s annual survey of more than 60,000 motorists, the Range Rover Evoque Plug-In Hybrid (2020-) scored lowest. It spent more time off the road for repairs than any other car (21 days on average). It costs approximately £51,000.
Owners also reported issues with the car due to its electric range, size and problems sourcing spares. It received the lowest customer score of any car in Which?’s survey (57%).
By contrast, the standard petrol or diesel Evoque had fewer faults and less time off the road (an average of 7 days which is above the overall average of 4.8 days for cars aged 0-4 years). It got a customer score of 73%.
Jaguar Land Rover told Which? that its move to a new logistics hub had caused disruption for customers but that issues had since been resolved.
At the other end of the scale, a full hybrid car that was discontinued a decade ago emerged as the most-loved car, beating petrol, diesel and electric models.
Clinching the top spot was the 2009-2015 Lexus RX Hybrid (97%), which was credited by owners for its reliability and comfort. A used model can be found for around £7,000, depending on age and condition. Which?’s survey shows that the Lexus is one of the most reliable cars that are at least 10 years old. Just 10 cars this age achieved the full five stars in the 10-15 year reliability category of the consumer champion’s reliability survey.
Only 13,466 of the Lexus RX Hybrid were sold between 2009-2015, compared with 812,333 Ford Fiestas during the same period – but it’s clear that many Lexus owners are devoted champions of the vehicle. However, vehicle owners and researchers did find fault with the running costs of the Lexus.
In Which?’s combined fuel economy test in 2009, the Lexus managed just 35mpg (miles per gallon) and just 26mpg on the motorway. It received a much more impressive result (59mpg) when it was driven in town.
The top-scoring new car was the current Honda Civic full hybrid (94%) that launched in 2022, alongside the Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) (94%) that launched in 2021. Conversely, the Renault Zoe (2013-19) was the joint-lowest rated EV with 69%, alongside the Peugeot E-2008 SUV (2020-). The least-loved petrol/diesel car was the 2017-2020 Vauxhall Crossland X (65%).
Top of the consumer association’s most-loved electric vehicle list of 2024 is the Tesla Model 3 (90%) which scooped first position by a close margin and typically sells for £39,990. It also had the most responses from owners.
Says Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services:
“Our latest survey shows that it pays to look beyond glitzy marketing or the priciest models when researching your next car purchase.
“This year’s most-loved car is a vehicle that has been credited for its reliability and comfort – while across all categories there are examples of affordable cars that impressed owners more than flashy rivals.”