Range Rover Evoque Common Faults in the UK
L538 2011–2018 and L551 2019–on — premium compact SUV. Updated 24 September 2026.
This guide covers the L538 2011–2018 and L551 2019–on. For any other version of the Evoque, see how to check any car for known faults.
The Evoque is desirable and expensive to run, and the risk concentrates in the engine. The 2.0 Ingenium diesel timing chain and oil pump drive is the one owners and workshops report most, and it is the reason a full service history with the right oil matters more here than on most cars. There are also several DVSA recalls on the first generation, mostly around fuel lines and engine wiring — check by registration. Budget for running costs at premium-SUV level, not compact-SUV level.
Largest DVSA recall for the Evoque: R/2024/146, 80,305 vehicles — Security Enhancement. See the 12 DVSA recalls listed for this model.
85.1% of Range Rover Evoques pass the MOT first time, 3.9 points better than the national average for cars of the same age (81.2%). Counted from 20,075 DVSA tests on cars registered 2011–2022; a pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. Compared against cars of the same registration years, because pass rates otherwise mostly measure how old a model's surviving fleet is.
See it by registration year and by mileage ↓The asking-price figures above are the middle 80% and the median of what sellers were asking on Autoza on 1 October 2026 — not what buyers pay — for Range Rover Evoque cars registered from 2011. They are worked out from the cars on sale when this page is generated, and none is shown when fewer than 10 cars qualify. The other quick-stats values are indicative editorial estimates aggregated from owner-forum sentiment, recall data and reliability surveys. We do not publish a UK price index, and no figure here should be quoted as one. See our research methodology for the sample sizes behind any figure we publish.
Best and worst years to buy
We name a year as a best or worst buy only where the DVSA MOT table further down does not rate it the other way.
The second-generation L551 arrived with the early first-generation electrical and driveline issues behind it, and those cars are young enough that service history is usually intact and traceable. They are not recall-free: DVSA lists R/2025/252 (passenger airbag deployment, 48,997 vehicles built 2019 to 2024) and R/2020/322 (48-volt system electrical overload, 45,275 vehicles in the whole recall) for L551 cars. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2020 registrations below all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a best-buy year.
The oldest L538 cars have had the longest opportunity for deferred maintenance and the highest mileages. Recall exposure is not the reason: DVSA lists no Evoque recall covering a car built before April 2013, and the recalls named on this page cover 2015–2018 builds, so a 2011–2012 car is no more likely to have an open recall than a 2015 one.
Known faults — Range Rover Evoque L538 2011–2018 and L551 2019–on
How to read this list. Items marked Safety recall are DVSA safety recalls, shown with DVSA’s own reference. Whether a particular car is affected depends on when it was built: check it by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check. Items marked Manufacturer service action are published fixes that are not formal safety recalls — a dealer will know them by number, but they carry no DVSA reference and no obligation. Everything else in this list is owner-reported: patterns that come up repeatedly with workshops, owner forums and reliability surveys. Those are worth checking on a viewing, but how often they happen is not known — there is no published dataset behind them, and most cars of a given model will never show them. Treat an owner-reported item as a question to ask, not a fault this car has.
Fuel system — under-bonnet fuel hoses may chafe
- Symptoms
- A fuel leak.
- Years affected
- Check by registration on GOV.UK
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under recall
- What to check before buying
- Check this one by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy — an outstanding recall is free to put right and a completed one should be on the service record.
Electrics — engine harness chafe on bracket
- Symptoms
- The engine may cut out.
- Years affected
- Check by registration on GOV.UK
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under recall
- What to check before buying
- Check this one by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy — an outstanding recall is free to put right and a completed one should be on the service record.
Electrics — engine harness incorrectly routed
- Symptoms
- The engine may cut out.
- Years affected
- Check by registration on GOV.UK
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under recall
- What to check before buying
- Check this one by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy — an outstanding recall is free to put right and a completed one should be on the service record.
Fuel system — fuel rail end-cap brazing
- Symptoms
- A fuel leak into the engine bay.
- Years affected
- Check by registration on GOV.UK
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under recall
- What to check before buying
- Check this one by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy — an outstanding recall is free to put right and a completed one should be on the service record.
Engine — 2.0 Ingenium diesel timing chain and oil pump drive
- Symptoms
- A rattle on start-up, or in the worst reported cases a chain or oil pump drive failure with major engine damage.
- Years affected
- Ingenium diesel
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £2,500–£6,000 if it has already let go
- What to check before buying
- This is the one to spend your inspection time on. Cold-start it yourself, ask for the full service record, and check the oil specification used at every service — the reported pattern links strongly to servicing. Frequency is not published and most cars never show it, so treat it as the question that decides the purchase rather than a fault the car has.
Engine — diesel oil dilution and DPF regeneration
- Symptoms
- Rising oil level, warning lights, or a car that never completes a regeneration.
- Years affected
- Diesel, short-journey use
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £200–£1,500 depending on what it has done to the engine
- What to check before buying
- Ask what the car is used for. A diesel Evoque doing short cold trips is the reported worst case; the same car on longer runs is usually fine. Check the oil level against the dipstick maximum.
Transmission — ZF nine-speed automatic
- Symptoms
- Hesitation, hunting between ratios, or a jolt at low speed.
- Years affected
- Nine-speed automatic
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £300 for a fluid service, far more for a rebuild
- What to check before buying
- Drive it in slow traffic, not just on an open road, because that is where the reported behaviour shows. Ask whether the fluid has ever been changed.
Drivetrain — Haldex rear coupling and AWD system
- Symptoms
- Warning lights, or drive not reaching the rear axle.
- Years affected
- All-wheel-drive versions
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £200–£900
- What to check before buying
- Ask whether the Haldex fluid and filter have been serviced. It is a maintenance item that gets skipped and then blamed on the car.
Service intervals — diesel and petrol differ
- Symptoms
- Not a fault. Land Rover publishes different intervals per fuel, which matters when judging whether a history is complete.
- Years affected
- All
- What to check before buying
- Diesel is published at 16,000 miles or 12 months; petrol at 10,000 miles or 12 months. Brake fluid every three years regardless of distance, and coolant every ten. A petrol car serviced on the diesel interval has been under-serviced against the maker’s own schedule.
More DVSA safety recalls for the Range Rover Evoque, largest first
These are the recalls DVSA lists for this model and its build years that the cards above do not already describe: every one of 10,000 or more vehicles, largest first, with DVSA’s own reference and figures. A recall covers only cars built in its dates and within its VIN range — check a particular car by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check. “Critical” here means DVSA’s own notice tells owners not to drive the car until it is fixed. It is never a size: “Large” means DVSA lists 10,000 or more vehicles in the recall.
- Safety recall · R/2024/146Large recall — 80,305 vehicles
Security Enhancement
For affected vehicles the manufacturer has developed a software enhancement to further increase vehicle security.
80,305 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 13 March 2015 and 23 November 2018 · recall launched 27 January 2025
- Safety recall · R/2025/252Large recall — 48,997 vehicles
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Inappropriate Passenger Airbag Deployment
On 2021 – 2024 and certain 2020 and 2025 Model Year Range Rover Evoque vehicles during a passenger airbag deployment the airbag may tear as a result of improper folding of the airbag during the airbag assembly process.
48,997 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 6 September 2019 and 9 December 2024 · recall launched 12 January 2026
- Safety recall · R/2020/322Large recall — 45,275 vehicles
An electrical overload may cause a failure of the metal ozide semiconductor field effect transistor
An electrical overload event in the 48Volt (V) electrical system may cause a failure of the Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor.
45,275 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 25 May 2018 and 2 October 2020 · recall launched 13 November 2020
- Safety recall · R/2020/043Large recall — 23,127 vehicles
The emergency call system does not conform to the regulated requirements
The Telematics Service Delivery Platform has incorrectly configured the in-vehicle eCall phone number.
23,127 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 5 July 2018 and 29 January 2020 · recall launched 28 February 2020
- Safety recall · R/2024/113Large recall — 21,059 vehicles
AJ21-D4 Turbo Oil Feed Pipe Leak
Affected vehicles have a Turbocharger oil feed pipe that may over time loosen and lead to an oil leak
21,059 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 11 March 2020 and 11 July 2024 · recall launched 26 June 2024
- Safety recall · R/2025/280Large recall — 19,639 vehicles
Electric Power Inverter Converter B (EPICB) Software Update
19,639 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 2 November 2021 and 17 July 2025 · recall launched 5 August 2025
2 more recalls of 10,000+ vehicles
- Safety recall · R/2024/145Large recall — 16,598 vehicles
Security Enhancement
16,598 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 28 September 2020 and 24 February 2022 · recall launched 15 March 2024
- Safety recall · R/2019/046Large recall — 15,969 vehicles
Vehicle failed to achieve the required levels of CO2 emissions
15,969 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 13 March 2015 and 12 June 2018 · recall launched 29 August 2019
Source: DVSA vehicle recalls file (every recall since 1992), published under the Open Government Licence. Where DVSA gives one figure for a recall that covers several models, it is shown as the whole recall’s total.
Range Rover Evoque MOT results by year and mileage
Measured from DVSA’s own MOT test records for tests carried out in 2025, not from owner reports.
By registration year
Against all cars registered in the same year, the MOT pass rate for the Evoque was higher in 6, lower in 1 and level in 3 of the 10 registration years from 2013 to 2022 with enough tests to measure. The widest gap below is 2020 registrations: 86.6% against 88.7% for all cars registered that year. The widest gap above is 2015 registrations: 84.8% against 76.7%.
| Registered | Evoque | All cars that year | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20221,078 tests | 92.1% | 91.2% | +0.9 level |
| 20211,402 tests | 89.0% | 90.1% | −1.1 level |
| 20201,671 tests | 86.6% | 88.7% | −2.1 lower |
| 20192,300 tests | 86.4% | 86.9% | −0.5 level |
| 20181,770 tests | 88.6% | 84.5% | +4.1 higher |
| 20172,429 tests | 85.4% | 82.2% | +3.2 higher |
| 20162,566 tests | 85.2% | 79.4% | +5.8 higher |
| 20151,996 tests | 84.8% | 76.7% | +8.1 higher |
| 20141,690 tests | 82.0% | 74.3% | +7.7 higher |
| 20131,386 tests | 79.1% | 71.9% | +7.2 higher |
By mileage at the test
Against cars of the same age on the same mileage, the pass rate for the Evoque was higher in 3 and level in 1 of the 4 mileage bands with enough tests. How other models compare at the same mileage.
Show the table by mileage (4 bands)
| Mileage | Evoque | Same age and mileage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20k–40k3,744 tests | 88.9% | 89.6% | −0.7 level |
| 40k–60k4,704 tests | 87.1% | 84.0% | +3.0 higher |
| 60k–80k4,524 tests | 84.5% | 78.3% | +6.1 higher |
| 80k–100k3,351 tests | 82.4% | 73.7% | +8.7 higher |
Only a major or dangerous defect fails an MOT. A minor defect is recorded on the certificate and the car still passes, and an advisory is not a failure at all.
We don’t give a recall count for the Range Rover Evoque: whether a recall applies depends on the individual car. Check the one you are looking at by entering its registration on GOV.UK’s vehicle recall checker, and see how to check a car for known faults for the other free checks.
Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Odometer readings below 100 or above 400,000 miles are discarded as misreadings, and cars under three years old are excluded because no MOT is yet due. Sampled from nine months of 2025 (January, February, April, May, July, August, September, October and November). Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. Registration years shown are cars 3 to 12 years old when tested; the smallest rests on 1,078 tests. A gap is called level when it is under one percentage point or inside the 95% sampling margin for that number of tests. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Who this car suits — and who should look elsewhere
Buyers who want the badge and the driving position and who will pay for a full service history with documented oil specification.
Short-journey diesel use, and anyone buying without the service record — on this car the history is the purchase.
Alternatives to consider
If the Range Rover Evoque doesn't suit, these comparable models are worth a look in the UK market:
- →Volvo XC40
- →Audi Q3
- →BMW X1
Range Rover Evoque: questions buyers ask
What are the most common faults on a used Range Rover Evoque in the UK?
The Evoque is desirable and expensive to run, and the risk concentrates in the engine. The 2.0 Ingenium diesel timing chain and oil pump drive is the one owners and workshops report most, and it is the reason a full service history with the right oil matters more here than on most cars. There are also several DVSA recalls on the first generation, mostly around fuel lines and engine wiring — check by registration. Budget for running costs at premium-SUV level, not compact-SUV level.
What is the best year to buy a used Range Rover Evoque in the UK?
Best-buy years: 2019, 2021. The second-generation L551 arrived with the early first-generation electrical and driveline issues behind it, and those cars are young enough that service history is usually intact and traceable. They are not recall-free: DVSA lists R/2025/252 (passenger airbag deployment, 48,997 vehicles built 2019 to 2024) and R/2020/322 (48-volt system electrical overload, 45,275 vehicles in the whole recall) for L551 cars. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2020 registrations below all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a best-buy year.
What years of Range Rover Evoque should I avoid in the UK?
Worst years: 2011, 2012. The oldest L538 cars have had the longest opportunity for deferred maintenance and the highest mileages. Recall exposure is not the reason: DVSA lists no Evoque recall covering a car built before April 2013, and the recalls named on this page cover 2015–2018 builds, so a 2011–2012 car is no more likely to have an open recall than a 2015 one.
How much does a used Range Rover Evoque cost in the UK in 2026?
What sellers were asking on Autoza on 1 October 2026, for Range Rover Evoque cars registered from 2011: £6,990–£20,950, median £12,995 — the range is the middle 80% of asking prices. Those are asking prices, not what buyers paid, and not a UK price index. Prices vary by mileage, region and trim, so compare several adverts of the same year and mileage band before negotiating.
What is the road tax (VED) on a Range Rover Evoque in the UK?
Annual road tax (VED): £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
What real-world fuel economy does a Range Rover Evoque achieve on UK roads?
Typical real-world consumption: 38–45 mpg real-world for the 2.0 diesel; materially less for the petrol. UK driving (mix of motorway and single-carriageway, often wet) tends to come in 10–15% worse than the official WLTP figure.
How does a Range Rover Evoque compare to its rivals?
Strong alternatives in the UK: Volvo XC40, Audi Q3, BMW X1. Choose based on dealer network in your area, parts availability, and your priorities (running cost vs. cabin quality vs. badge).
Who is the Range Rover Evoque most suitable for?
Buyers who want the badge and the driving position and who will pay for a full service history with documented oil specification.
Who should NOT buy a Range Rover Evoque?
Short-journey diesel use, and anyone buying without the service record — on this car the history is the purchase.
Are there safety recalls on the Range Rover Evoque?
DVSA lists 12 safety recalls for the Range Rover Evoque that this guide shows, the largest first: R/2024/146 (80,305 vehicles, built between 13 March 2015 and 23 November 2018): Security Enhancement; R/2025/252 (48,997 vehicles, built between 6 September 2019 and 9 December 2024): Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Inappropriate Passenger Airbag Deployment; R/2020/322 (45,275 vehicles in the whole recall, built between 25 May 2018 and 2 October 2020): An electrical overload may cause a failure of the metal ozide semiconductor field effect transistor. Whether a particular car is affected depends on its build date and VIN, so check its registration on GOV.UK (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy.
Is the Fuel system — under-bonnet fuel hoses may chafe on the Range Rover Evoque a serious problem?
Fuel system — under-bonnet fuel hoses may chafe on the Range Rover Evoque is covered by DVSA safety recall R/2016/131. Symptoms: A fuel leak. Years affected: Check by registration on GOV.UK. Indicative repair cost in the UK: Free under recall. What to check before buying: Check this one by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy — an outstanding recall is free to put right and a completed one should be on the service record.
Is the Engine — 2.0 Ingenium diesel timing chain and oil pump drive on the Range Rover Evoque a serious problem?
Owner-reported, frequency unknown: Engine — 2.0 Ingenium diesel timing chain and oil pump drive comes up in owner forums and workshop reports for the Range Rover Evoque, but how often it happens is not known, so treat it as a question to ask rather than a fault every car has. Symptoms: A rattle on start-up, or in the worst reported cases a chain or oil pump drive failure with major engine damage. Years affected: Ingenium diesel. Indicative repair cost in the UK: £2,500–£6,000 if it has already let go. What to check before buying: This is the one to spend your inspection time on. Cold-start it yourself, ask for the full service record, and check the oil specification used at every service — the reported pattern links strongly to servicing. Frequency is not published and most cars never show it, so treat it as the question that decides the purchase rather than a fault the car has.
Is the Engine — diesel oil dilution and DPF regeneration on the Range Rover Evoque a serious problem?
Owner-reported, frequency unknown: Engine — diesel oil dilution and DPF regeneration comes up in owner forums and workshop reports for the Range Rover Evoque, but how often it happens is not known, so treat it as a question to ask rather than a fault every car has. Symptoms: Rising oil level, warning lights, or a car that never completes a regeneration. Years affected: Diesel, short-journey use. Indicative repair cost in the UK: £200–£1,500 depending on what it has done to the engine. What to check before buying: Ask what the car is used for. A diesel Evoque doing short cold trips is the reported worst case; the same car on longer runs is usually fine. Check the oil level against the dipstick maximum.
Looking to buy a Range Rover Evoque in the UK?
Search Autoza listings filtered by year, mileage, and region. Dealer pages carry a public Trust Score you can check before you enquire.