Range Rover Evoque three-door killed off

Land Rover has announced its ageing seven-year-old Range Rover Evoque will ditch its three-door derivative for 2019.

According Autocar, slow sales are the reason the British SUV brand will cull the three-door; 95 per cent of all Evoques sold in 2017 had five doors.

Confirming the three-door would be axed, a Land Rover spokesman told the Brit mag: "From the 2019 model year, Land Rover has rationalised its Range Rover Evoque bodystyle offering to concentrate on the five-door model and convertible, which account for the majority of sales."

Coinciding with the move is the slowing of Evoque sales that, in March alone, saw a drop year-on-year of almost eight per cent.

It's no surprise. First on sale in 2011, the smallest Range Rover is well past its sell-by date.

The all-new second-generation SUV, set to debut in 2020, will be heavily inspired by the current Velar.

Again, only a five-door wagon and two-door convertible is expected.

Later on, an Evoque Coupe could also be on the cards but that car, if it happens, will get five doors.

Set to be offered with Jaguar Land Rover's next-gen 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrains, the next Evoque could also come with a plug-in hybrid version that will be needed for the Chinese market.

The loss of the three-door Evoque derivative follows Audi's decision to drop the three-door version of its A3 and Volkswagen's choosing to end production of the Scirocco coupe without a replacement.