New Range Rover Evoque vs used BMW X5

The contenders

NEW Range Rover Evoque D200 S auto

List price £40,630 Target Price £38,645 Official fuel economy 43.4mpg (WLTP) CO2 emissions 171g/km Power 204bhp 0-62mph 8.5sec Top speed 120mph 

USED BMW X5 3.0 xDrive30d M Sport [7-seat]

Price new £58,750 Price today £36,000* Official fuel economy 40.9mpg (NEDC) CO2 emissions 183g/km (NEDC) Power 254bhp 0-62mph 6.8sec Top speed 142mph 

*Price today is based on a 2018 model with average mileage and full service history according to the What Car? Valuation service, correct at time of writing

Imagine the dilemma: you're at the till ordering a takeaway and you're given the choice of supersizing your order. You know you shouldn't because you don't need the extra calories, plus it's going to cost you more. But what if there's a deal on so both meals are the same price? Your waistline is in danger, right?

That's basically the situation we find ourselves in here. One of our favourite family SUVs, the Range Rover Evoque, costs £38,645 in D200 S form after you've factored in the Target Price discount that we can get you. For the same money, though, you could buy a fully fledged luxury SUV in the form of a previous-generation, 2018 BMW X5.

You know that the X5 will be bad for you, because it'll cost more to run and be harder to park, but it's tempting, isn't it? After all, it's got a bigger boot and can even be had with seven seats, so it's more practical, too. Let's find out if there's a case to be made for plumping for the used car.

New Range Rover Evoque vs used BMW X5 – interior & equipment

Build quality, equipment, ease of use

There's little to separate these two in terms of the quality of their interiors, which is a great credit to the latest Evoque, considering our X5 cost around £20,000 more when new. Where the two differ is in their layouts.

The Evoque pictured here has the optional (£400) Touch Pro Duo setup, which places a second touchscreen below the main infotainment display,  through which you control both the air-con and the driving modes. The good news is that this works much better than a lot of similar arrangements, because it incorporates two physical dials to adjust various functions depending upon which menu you're in at the time, so you're not always trying to steady your hand to hit onscreen icons.

That said, things are easier still in the X5, even though it looks more old-fashioned. All of its air-con controls are physical, meaning you only have to glance at them to find the button or dial you want. What's more, its infotainment is controlled via a dial and shortcut buttons, instead of by touching the infotainment screen as you do in the Evoque, with the latter more distracting on the move.

On the other hand, while both cars come with Apple CarPlay smartphone integration (it was fitted to the X5 from 2017), only the Evoque also has Android Auto as well, with this part of its newly-introduced Pivi Pro infotainment system. Pivi Pro is a welcome addition, because the previous InControl Touch Pro system required you to download Land Rover's own InControl app, which didn't work all that well and only had access to a limited number of smartphone apps.

The Evoque's more modern design also allows for a 360deg camera system to assist with parking, whereas the X5 relies on front and rear sensors and you watching over your shoulder.

New Range Rover Evoque vs used BMW X5 – space & practicality

Driving position, practicality, visibility

Land Rover often touts that its cars provide their drivers with a commanding view, and the Evoque lives up to that tradition, because you sit higher than you would in most rival family SUVs. Indeed, there isn't a huge amount of difference between it and the X5. And while you do get a little more leg and shoulder room in the X5, head room is essentially the same. 

Visibility for the driver is slightly better looking forward and to the sides out of the Evoque, because it has a shorter bonnet that slopes away less, plus deep side windows. A rather small rear window makes you thankful for its camera when reversing, though.

Climbing into the back of each car reveals a decent amount of room for adults, although again there's greater width and length in the X5. Its seats can be reclined, too, unlike those in the Evoque.

The X5 also has a trump card in that you can find examples of the seven-seat version tested here. However, we're not suggesting that this makes it a consummate family minibus, because no one's going to want to spend long back there due to limited knee room, and the boot is severely restricted with the third row in place. They will have their uses for shorter trips, though.

Neither boot is particularly spectacular when compared with relevant family and luxury SUV rivals, but it's a clear win for the X5 here, because it is the larger of the two, assuming its third row seats are folded away. What some people might have a problem with is the split-folding tailgate; it's great for picnics, but means you have to clamber up into the boot if something has rolled deep into the cargo area. The X5 does have an electric tailgate to save yourself some physical exertion. 

Next: What are they like to drive? >>

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