Rewarding steering and a forgiving chassis deepen our respect for the quickest Q2

Where the XC40 wilts somewhat is through faster bends on rougher roads. The steering’s remoteness turns into disconnection for the driver mid-corner, undermining confidence, even with sticky 245/45R20 Pirelli P Zeros providing significant grip. Furthermore, even at moderate speeds, the suspension can seem busy, transmitting lots of little shocks into the cabin, particularly to the rear passengers, who are already dealing with inadequate cushion support.

The R-design Launch Edition is betrayed to some extent by its excessive wheel size (20s versus the others’ 19s) without the assistance of optional adaptive dampers (present here only in the BMW) to help smooth the ride.

While a plush suppleness around town is right on Jaguar’s USP, the E-pace’s dynamics, too, wither a little on rural roads, trailing the Volvo with noticeable (and at times nauseating) lateral body movement to go with its vertical pitching at speed.

This is doubly disheartening because the Jaguar’s steering is a joy, providing the crispness, feel and feedback of a smaller car – in this case, the excellent XE – in equal measure. On smooth surfaces the chassis’ agility is noble for such a portly beast, though ultimately a top-heavy nervousness dissuades press-on driving.

In contrast, that’s what the X2 feels born to do. It’s better than any BMW SUV in recent memory, with bite, consistency and surety in its handling and grip that makes it refreshingly good fun. However, the steering is still devoid of feel and could use more weight at speed, and the Mini-derived front-drive underpinnings can bring torque steer on greasy or wet surfaces.

Run-flat tyres make the BMW’S ride brittle over rough bitumen, but the must-have $400 adaptive dampers smother the lumps in most situations, apart from its abrupt reaction to concrete road joins. X1 owners will marvel at the progress displayed here, though not as much as we did at the Q2 2.0 TFSI quattro, which feels entirely unrelated to the noisy and agitated 1.4 TFSI front-drive we tested last year on the same roads.

Yes, the Q2’s suspension is firmer than that of the non-germans, but there’s better control and discipline in the very non-suv manner in which it deals with the surface, delivering a comfortable and calm experience. That it’s considerably smaller and lighter than everything else here is largely behind its dynamic advantage, boasting rewarding steering and a chassis that’s nimble and forgiving. Whether that’s adequate compensation for its packaging shortcomings is an altogether thornier issue.

The Jaguar E-pace is a case of the converse. While it’s far from a loser, the likeable Jaguar SUV isn’t quite on the, er ... pace. Spacious, plush and hushed at urban speeds, there’s neither enough equipment to justify its price, nor the dynamic finesse when pressed to fit the marque’s resurgent image.

The X2, on the other hand, is an unanticipated and welcome return to form for BMW. Accommodating, engaging and cosseting in equal measure, it’s Munich’s best SUV. But the sdrive20i is expensive considering its meagre kit and the need for optional adaptive dampers, not to mention torque only going to the front wheels.

In 2.0 TFSI quattro guise, the dinky Audi finally delivers on its initial promise, just as long as you’re forensically picky with the necessary options list.

The Volvo reqires no such immersion in spec sheets. That said, the XC40 Launch Edition’s static dazzle, crushing equipment superiority and socially acceptable image needs to be balanced against its comparatively numb steering, busy suspension and high fuel consumption. The Volvo was odds-on to steamroller the competition, yet only does enough to squeak a decision here. Just like Netflix, Uber and the whole damn premium small SUV thing, nobody saw that coming.