AT A GLANCE

TOO little to explain the remarkable packaging on its own.

That’s all thanks, says Veale, to the Sport’s posh new multi-link rear suspension, which is as responsible for the vehicle’s interior flexibility as the relatively small increases between the wheels and in the rear overhangs.

The Discovery Sport will be built at the same Halewood, Liverpool plant as the Freelander and Evoque, and aimed at both Japanese and European SUVs in New Zealand.

Though the specfication, engine choices and pricing are still being worked out, I’ll stick my neck out and say it will sit between Freelander and Evoque.

The Freelander had been screaming out for seven seats since the series two was first built and so had the Evoque. Many socalled secret sketches had been seen in recent years of a ‘‘sevenseat’’ Evoque. However, the sight of the Disco Sport with its bladelike C-pillar and carefully shaped and tapered body, still with its telltale clamshell bonnet makes you realise that the car many had seen wasn’t the Evoque at all, but the Discovery Sport.

Exactly when the Discovery Sport will introduce the JaguarLand-Rover Ingenium engine family isn’t known, and Veale even says it isn’t signed-off yet.

However, the Discovery Sport, which entered the UK market on January 22, will soldier on with the same Ford EcoBoost based turbo petrol and PSA/Ford turbodiesel units – and why not, they’re still right up there with the best, albeit a tad coarse.

From the get-go, the Discovery Sport will have the use of ZF’s syrup-smooth nine-speed automatic gearbox and you’d have to be nuts to opt for the six-speed manual instead, as the ZF is also easier on gas and the environment.

Driving both petrol and diesel versions in Icelandic conditions, the latter is the most flexible and easier to manage, as far as power and torque deployment is concerned.

The Discovery Sport is the first employer of the latest version of Land Rover’s latest Terrain Response set-up, which now uses its sensors and of course driver instinct to set the throttle, gear selection, torque distribution and ABS and traction control in four different modes according to driving conditions. And what conditions in Iceland.

Tumbling into those pre-heated seats on that first evening of gales and repossessed snow, once you’ve torn yourself away from the scenes outside, you note that while the Discovery Sport still has the strong verticals and horizontals in its dash design, it doesn’t slavishly stick to Freelander values. There are better textures, the upholstery ribbing is lateral instead of upright and overall, this is a classy place from which to tackle the blizzard-cum-milkshake outside.

However, it isn’t soft-touch Range Rover land; it’s tougher than that, with some of the available colours like my favourite brick-red hide being especially effective.

Venturing into the unknown, that lovely familiar diesel revels in having nine-ratios to work through and while it won’t substitute, in some people’s minds for a high-low range setup in the dirt, it saves a huge amount of weight and even with my limited knowledge of driving in such conditions, I only got stuck when a colleague deliberately guided the plot straight off the desired course.

There’s no excuse. The Discovery Sport manages to combine the accuracy and feel of the hot-hatch like Evoque, but without the dartiness, while the slightly longer wheelbase adds stability.

Through a pleasingly chunky wheelrim, the car feels responsive and predictable and even on ice and snow debris, there’s lots of information coming through. No other SUV is this good, to my mind.

It rides well, too, though some might regard it as a little firm. It will be worth trying different wheel and tyre combinations when we have a chance.

On standard studded Icelandic winter tyres, the ride can be excused.

The Sport covers a multitude of fumbles by drivers used to mud rather than snow and the antics of those more familiar with 30 degrees heat rather than several below.

Kick-back was minimal, and just as I thought the car had put on a fine show, the Discovery was asked to do its best impression of impersonating a submarine.

Lead-grey water, moving very quickly, was the obstacle and using Land Rover’s unique surface and water-depth sensors, we prepared to dive.

Taken along by what felt and looked like a 6 to 8-knot current, the Land Rover’s cabin chilled noticeably under the water and I noted the previous vehicle through had a wake that ran way above horizontal closure lines and halfway along the bonnet. I didn’t want get wet inside this car, which was losing its cosiness by the second. No water got in, but it did take a few moments to warm up afterwards.

I simply couldn’t imagine the Freelander or the Evoque managing what the Disco Sport did over 400 kilometres of snow and ice, not to mention the rivers.

Just as it is intended to be, the Discovery Sport is more capable than its intended market really requires.

So what is the market for this car in New Zealand?

A reasonable towing limit of 2500kg shouldn’t frighten too many boat owners, and to my mind, the target in the sights of the UK, Europe and North Drivetrain: Transverse frontmounted four-wheel-drive 1999cc 16v EcoBoost turbopetrol petrol four, or 2179cc 16v DOHC turbodiesel four, six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic. Future models will have front-drive and Ingenium engine options. Outputs: Petrol - Max 177kW at 5800rpm, 340Nm at 1750rpm, Max 205kmh, 0-100kmh 7.8 secs, 8.0-8.3L/100km, 191-197gm, CO /km. Diesel - Max 140kW at 3500rpm, 420Nm at 1750rpm, Max 188kmh, 0-100kmh 8.9 secs, 5.99-6.29L/100km, 157-161gm CO /km. Also 110kW low power diesel on some markets. Chassis: Front McPherson struts, rear Multi-links, Haldex Gen 5 active, and standard driveline options. Electronic power assisted steering. Safety: Front, side, curtain and pedestrian airbags, vented front, solid rear disc brakes, ABS, hill descent control, gradient release control, roll and dynamic stability control, traction control, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning. Connectivity: Land Rover InControl tech for smartphone apps, spilt- touch screen Sat Nav available. Bluetooth streaming and phone, iPod, USB and aux-in capability. Dimensions: L 4589mm, W 2173mm, H 1724mm, W/base 2741mm, Weight from 1765kg, Fuel 65L. Pricing: High New Zealand specification models will start from $78,500 and top-out at $89,500. Hot: Stunning looks and packaging; crisp performance even with Ford powerunits, nimble, faithful chassis in extreme conditions. Not: No Ingenium engines until some time after first reveal, no sixes. Verdict: Discovery Sport is a cat among the pigeons in a leisure SUV segment in which heritage and real off-road ability still counts. A winner. American marketers for the car will be the same in New Zealand.

They want room, a view, a sense of intrepidity and heritage. And if they want a weekend and skifield car, I can recommend it. It even made me look good in snow. Some achievement.