2017 Range Rover Evoque vs Audi Q5

What's the difference?

Every now and then an automotive design team gets one past the keeper. Responding to the brief for a concept car to preview a new direction for the brand, the Mac magicians and stylus twirlers whip up a show-stopping vehicle they'd like to see on the showroom floor, but in their heart-of-hearts know is a long shot for production.

Then, to everyone's surprise, it gets the tick of approval from management without so much as a tweak to the indicator stalk required. And that's exactly the feat Land Rover's design director, Gerry McGovern managed to pull off with the Range Rover Evoque.

The one-off LRX, a genuine concept car, displayed under the hot lights of the 2008 Detroit motor show, became the Evoque in 2011, a stunning, compact SUV that set the tone for a generation of Land Rover and Range Rover models to follow.

Offered globally as a three door 'Coupe' (not currently in Australia), five-door wagon, and full convertible, the Evoque has proved to be as flexible as it is head-turning.

Okay, this whole SUV thing is getting out of hand, and Audi is on the front line of a new car market assault that’s rapidly knocking conventional sedans and hatches into the weeds.

In March this year, at the Geneva motor show, Audi’s chairman, Rupert Stadler, was asked by our very own Matt Campbell, whether there were any more gaps to be filled in the brand’s SUV line-up.

There’s already a Q2, Q3, Q5, and Q7, with the Q8 shown in concept form and on track for production next year.

In response, Stadler simply said, “Definitely. Believe me, we will fill the gaps.” And it looks like he means business, with 2019 likely to see the arrival of a coupe-style Q4, and all-electric ‘e-tron’ Q6.

But with all this furious niche-plugging going on, the Q5 quietly remains the backbone of Audi’s determined push into the wonderful world of SUVs.

And this particular Q5 is an ‘S line Black’ limited edition. A total of 70 are scheduled to come to Australia, and a week behind the wheel gave us a chance to reacquaint ourselves with this evergreen premium mid-sizer.