The Range Rover Evoque has been a remarkable success. The squat Rangey was one of the original smaller format SUVs, but one that packed in off-roading skills where others wouldn't venture.

Reborn, the new Range Rover Evoque has been redesigned, with the front end now looking a lot more like the larger Range Rovers. There's still that illusion of a rising waistline so that the rear windows look compact, for coupé styling, but it's a fuller and more substantial looking vehicle now. 

Details like flush door handles add a touch of the Velar to the mix, while many of the technology changes are under the bonnet - the transparent bonnet - and in the interior.

 New Range Rover Evoque image 6

Ok, so it's not actually transparent, but the new Evoque introduces a technology called ClearSight. It harks back to technology first showcased in 2014, which uses cameras on the front of the car and the mirrors to capture the space around the front of the car and underneath to give you a view on the interior display like you're looking through the bonnet. 

The aim is to help you drive in tricky situations where you don't have a lot of space or you have obstacles to avoid. That might be a boulder when off-roading, but we expect it will usually be one of those huge Chelsea curbs. 

The interior gets a dual display arrangement - recently added to other Range Rover models - letting you split the infotainment controls between the two screens, making them more customisable and dynamic.

Talking of dynamic, ClearSight has another skill: the rear-view mirror can see through a full boot. We've all had that problem - you load up the car to go away on holiday and you can't see out of the rear window. At the push of a button, the rear review mirror will become an HD display and use the rear camera to give you a view of the road behind you. 

Outside of all the fun technologies pouring into the new Range Rover Evoque, there are some more serious changes: there's a mild hybrid 48V system that uses regeneration to charge its battery, allowing the combustion engine to turn off below speeds of 11mph, and assist in acceleration. It should improve efficiency and make for a smoother acceleration. 

While the mild hybrid option will be a boon to those wanting the new Evoque right away, there's also plans for a plug-in hybrid version to launch in the next 12 months. That changes the proposition slightly and fits Land Rover's previous announcement that electrification was coming across the range.

The Evoque PHEV will be paired with a 3-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine supplying 200PS, have a 11.3kWh battery under the rear seat, and a rear 80kW motor supplying an additional 108PS. 

That's a welcome advancement and it can't arrive soon enough. It's just a shame that the government opted to cancel the PICG just as more exciting models are becoming available.

The new Range Rover Evoque will start at £31,660 - but you'll need to spend a little more for all the technology treats.