Man alive! Land Rover has thrown us a real curve ball here.

When is the last time we saw a Land Rover, or any SUV for that matter, with head-turning looks and spunky performance — on the road and off? How about a Land Rover with a race-inspired powertrain — yet it’s a 4-cylinder engine that could get nearly 30 mpg on the highway?

And a sexy color palette, topped by a full-length sunroof?

The 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque is all new and appears to be an instant hit. In addition to a parade of other awards, this month it was named North American Truck of the Year.

That’s appropriate: The lime green test car was more a South Beach star than a mountain climber. It elicited a nod, smile and thumbs-up from two young dudes in a soupy Subaru. And a guy in Merritt Island, Fla. squawked about his brother-in-law, a Land Rover salesman, for not telling him about this new beauty.

"I will have one as soon as he can get it on the lot," he told me.

Evoque has stunning looks: This crossover SUV has 19-inch wheels in sparkle-finish alloy, sleek lines and twin rectangular exhausts. Its compressed, Dodge Magnum-like roof looks like it was smashed into the rear cabin. That, by the way, shortens up on the rear-window height and slightly compromises visibility.

Add a devilish grille and steeply raked windshield and you have a bold and daring design, far better than the boxy LR2 that Evoque replaces.

Does it perform as well its looks advertise? Oh, yeah.

Its performance on the road is remarkable and, as marketing folks like to say, it exceeded my expectations. I was not ready for a BMW-like kick, but I got one.

It’s quick, and it only has a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine — yes, a Land Rover with a 4-banger. But it’s turbocharged and puts out 240 hp and 250 pound-feet of torque. With the help of direct fuel injection and twin variable-valve timing, this little powerplant jolts you to 60 mph in just over 7 seconds.

It feels even quicker. More important, it’s as agile as a big cat chasing down a zippy impala. It’s nearly as nimble as a roadster, handling corners flat and with a tacky grip.

Opt for the Adaptive Dynamics system, and the suspension adjusts for even crisper handling. Rotate to Sport, and the Evoque is good clean fun.

A six-speed automatic tranny, controlled with a rotary dial (think Jaguar), takes Evoque swiftly and evenly up the dials. Steering is on the heavier side but responsive and precise.

All-wheel drive is standard and, while I did not take the Evoque off road, it comes with Land Rover’s Terrain Response system. Like its big brothers, the system has settings to regulate the engine, suspension and traction to handle various off-road environments. It also has a hill-descent feature.

Motor Trend said it easily climbed rocks the size of watermelons and countered holes that could bury a wheelbarrow.

On the road, where most of us will be, expect mileage figures in the mid to high teens around town, and high 20s on the highway.

Entering the Evoque at night offers a nice novelty: A small spotlight — featuring a Batman-like outline of Evoque’s profile — so one can ensure not to step into something before getting in.

Wouldn’t want to track anything into this sweet cockpit with is two-tone color scheme and elegant, soft-touch materials.

The layout of instruments and dials is neat and similar to the Range Rover Sport. The touch-screen controls are a breeze to use, if a bit sluggish.

I loved the navigation system’s "take-me-home" button. Unfortunately, even after programming in my home address, it would have gotten me hopelessly lost had I not known where I was going. Human 1, nav system 0.

Headroom and legroom are decent, especially up front. I strongly suggest choosing the four-door model over the coupe: The rear door is a must for easier access, and it’s more accommodating for passengers back there.

Stowage space is even less accommodating, dead last in the luxury compact SUV segment. Still, I found it deep enough even for larger suitcases.

Evoque keeps passengers safer with impact beams in all doors. Seven air bags include front and side curtain bags. Traction and stability control are standard.

Safety options include adaptive headlight that look around corners and front and rear parking sensors.

Evoque comes in a two-door coupe and a four-door, which I once again highly recommend. An SUV without the functionality of four doors will disappoint — you don’t realize how often you’ll want access to the midsection of the vehicle.

Both body styles come in the base Pure Plus and Pure Premium. The Pure Plus is loaded, though: Standard are 19-inch wheels, the Terrain Response system, the parking sensors, panoramic sunroof, Bluetooth, 11-speaker sound system.

Opt for the Pure Premium and you get extras like blind-spot warning, 360-degree camera system for parking and 17-speaker sound system.

Then you can choose between two design themes: The Dynamic and Prestige. The Dynamic gets sportier colors and trim and offers a rear skid plate. The Prestige gets a bit classier with richer leather inside and more seat adjustments.

And that’s what the Evoque is all about. Badged as a Range Rover, it’s more about style and fun than sloshing through mud and bounding over rocks.

Still, don’t let this mini Rover fool you. It’s said to be a gutsy compact off-roader, and it’s fun to drive, too. A bit pricey, maybe, but all in all there’s a lot of bang for the buck here.

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2012 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER EVOQUE:

—Base price: $43,995 (excluding destination charge)

—As tested: $58,520