I RECENTLY had a drive in the latest small Jeep off-roader, the Renegade, and was agreeably surprised with its range of strengths.

Most Jeeps don't compromise on performance or off-road ability and slurp the amber nectar like my Uncle Henry at a wedding.

But this one has broken the mould. It drives very well and is available with either two or four wheel drive.

So those who don't need off-road capability can have good fuel economy and lower company car tax while retaining the rugged looks.

The four wheel drive models are true off-roaders in the Jeep tradition and probably capable of climbing the side of a house, but they do revert automatically to two wheel drive for most of the time on the road.

I'll concentrate on thetwo wheel driveSport that I drove from the bottom of the range. It's about the same size as the Ford Kuga or MINI Countryman and there's a butchness about it that neither they nor any of the other small SUVs can match.

It's built in Italy and comes with a choice of Fiat turbo petrol and diesel engines.

This car had the 1.6 diesel that's likely to be the best seller. It drives well, with plenty of power in the mid-range where you need it.

It's also reasonably smooth and quiet and very easy to live with.

Start-stop is part of the spec to help keep consumption up and emissions down and it drives through a very good six-speed manual gearbox.

The Renegade handles surprisingly well for an SUV, with little roll and very good stability at speed through corners. It also has a comfortable ride over most surfaces.

Build quality seems excellent and refinement is surprisingly good. It's huge inside, with more than enough room for four large adults and a big boot into the bargain.