A DECADE ago Land Rover and sister Jaguar had a cloudy future with its promise of new-product excitement tempered by concern about potential profitability.

Today, it seems little can slow the steady progress of the Brit. The company has always said progress would be measured and evolutionary.

That has proven true. Products remain distinctly British and true to the Land Rover philosophy, but given a new edge that opens appeal beyond once its traditional buyers, the adventurers.

The latest is the Land Rover Discovery Sport that is not, in any way, a Discovery. It does, however, form the second child in the Discovery family and marks a distinct separation of its shared-platform cousin, the Evoque, which takes the High Road wearing a Range Rover badge.

The Discovery Sport is now bigger than its Freelander 2 predecessor and thanks to its seven seats, upmarket cabin and more capable off-road drivetrain, more prepared to take on its European rivals.

The Discovery Sport is constrained by up to a four-month waiting list in Australia and the national distributor is scrambling to source stock from other countries. Many prospective buyers are in line without even driving one.

The Discovery Sport, once supply restrictions ease, appears to have only one way to go. But is it good enough to justify the hype?

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