The compact SUV segment doesn’t really have all that many exponents that can actually handle themselves off-road – many just look like they can.
The Jeep Cherokee in Trailhawk trim and the new Land Rover Discovery Sport (Freelander replacement) are good at it, though, and CarAdvice tried them both out on a marshy and mushy grassland.
The Jeep immediately impressed, especially with its low-range gearbox and diff-lock, and it ploughed on no problem. The compact Disco had a much tougher start on the same stretch of bog – it looked nowhere near as capable as the Cherokee in the first section.
It is acknowledged that the Landie is miles better on-road and it’s the overall more premium looking of the two.
Moreover, in as-tested spec, the Trailhawk’s V6, while more powerful than the four-pot diesel in the Discovery, didn’t provide progress as smooth as the latter, and it needed to be revved hard.