The newcomer will have...

The newcomer will have a compact appearance when it is unveiled. Although it"s billed as an SUV, the fairly low ride height of the white test mule in the mag suggests it is intended more for road driving than heavy-duty cross-country use. But underbody protection, chunky black plastic bumpers and side sills will protect it when it ventures off-road.

The newcomer will take on the likes of the Toyota RAV4, as well as forming the basis of the replacement for Suzuki"s Ignis. But both manufacturers stress their vehicles will look radically different, with unique styling and no shared external components. Power will come from a variety of engines, including two of Fiat"s excellent Multijet diesels in 1.3 and 1.9-litre form. Petrol units will include 1.6 and 2.0-litre powerplants, both of which will use a new six-speed manual gearbox currently being developed in Japan. The car is expected to debut at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, arriving at UK dealers later that year.