IT'S hard to believe that the ubiquitous Evoque, adored by fashionistas and families alike, is now approaching its fourth birthday.

In its first year of production the baby of the Range Rover family notched up almost 90,000 sales and the success story has just continued, but in order to stay on top of the stack a few minor tweaks have recently been made.

Exterior design changes are virtually non-existent - fortunately - and the biggest mechanical improvement is the introduction of a new nine speed automatic gearbox which boosts performance, economy and refinement.

At the legal limit, the Evoque's 2.2-litre four cylinder diesel is spinning at just under 1,500rpm guaranteeing silent and relaxed cruising.

I sampled the SD4 190 Dynamic version which comes as standard with all-wheel drive, and opted for the more popular five-door model. With a price tag of £45,570 the Range Rover badge doesn't come cheap.

It does, however, offer the driver and passenger one of the most comfortable and stylish cabins in the business with quality fitments, clear-to-read dials and seating that cossets and supports just as well as its dearer, larger big brethren. Sumptuous leather and soft-touch materials lend a sense of occasion to the interior.

It's practical too. Despite the relatively compact length of 4.35 metres (the Discovery measures 4.83 metres) there's space for 575 litres of luggage in the boot and 1,445 litres when the rear seats are folded down.

The rear platform though is quite high, a drawback if you have load heavy items. Shoulder and elbow room in the front is more than adequate, but head and legroom for rear seat passengers isn't quite so generous - there's a price to be paid for that rakish roofline.

The new automatic transmission has a noticeable effect on the car's dynamics as well as its economy. Power is fed through to the wheels smoother and the driver has greater control in determining which gear to be in.

Kick down on the throttle and the engine responds immediately dropping ratios with an immediate surge of power. If you touch the pedal lightly, it changes gear earlier conserving fuel and providing more leisurely progress.

On the economy front, the SD4 clocks up emissions of 159g/km which corresponds with a combined consumption of 47.1mpg - pretty convincing for a 121mph five-seater SUV with the ability to sprint to 62mph in 8.5 seconds.

In real life terms, these stats mean that most drivers will get close to the 40mpg mark. The six-speed manual version is slightly more frugal.

Particular mention must be made of the Evoque's steering system which has all the feel of a sports saloon. Road information is passed back to the driver by the bundle - a rarity in four wheel drive models.

Despite the sensitivity, driver and passengers remain well insulated against poor surfaces and pot-holes. In fact, the ride reaches about the right compromise between comfort and sportiness with limited roll angles but sufficient damping to soak up the effects of poor surfaces.