FIAT are not shy about the merits of their baby off-roader, describing it as energetic, nimble, compact, spirited, off-road capable, fearless and cute.

Is it over the top? I would only question the fearless bit, the others do apply, as does expensive.

It seems incongruous. A tiny vehicle with a tiny two-cylinder engine that has serious off-road capabilities. OK, there is a 1.3 diesel version as well, but that is the attraction, something a bit left field.

It looks like a mini-me hardcore offroad with plastic protection to wheel arches and bumpers and front light trims and a honeycombed front metal sump protection guard and front tow hooks.

In addition there are standard roof bars and an interesting light combination to the front. Those features and with its smart 15-inch alloys and snow/mud tyres and powered door mirros, has a funky look which will appeal to many.

The rear is much the same with high-set light clusters and chrome guard to protect the underbody, plus a chrome exhaust tail pipe.

The interior actually mirrors the front of the car with the same shaped surrounds to dials and controls. It has a spartan feel, plastic and metal in place of soft touch finish, but if feels well put together and does offer a decent level of equipment, which includes automatic climate control, height adjustable steering wheel and driver's seat and Fiat Blue&Me communication system with USB and AUX functionality in addition to a radio with CD and MP3 player with six speakers.

Its boxy shape means head and legroom are good and large glass areas mean all round vision is also good.

It looks functional and while not taken off road on this occasion, previous experience shows that this little car is more than capable of coping with the rough stuff via a four-wheel drive system that sends power on demand to the appropriate axle. Standard hill descent control means that steep, muddy slopes can be descended with comfort.

The two-cylinder engine does take some getting used to. Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, shifting up and down through the gears is a little different from more conventional units.

It also fairly practical with five doors and the boot is compact. Don't plan on taking the family away in it.

For safety if features electronic stability control with hill hold assisted braking system and tyre pressure monitoring system.

On the road, there's no doubt the two-cylinder engine is noisy under acceleration, but once cruising, calms down. It is surprisingly punchy, hitting 60mph in 12 seconds and with a top speed of 104mph, but again gear choice is crucial when overtaking. There is also plenty of noise intrusion from the tyres and wind.

Around town it is extremely easy to manoeuvre and a click of the city button lightens the steering. It rides well on motorway and urban roads.

It is noisy, though, with wind, road and engine noise all making their way into the cabin, especially at higher speeds.

The TwinAir unit has a claimed economy of 57.6mpg, a figure I can nowhere near and actually found it a bit thirsty, but CO2 emission are low at 114g/km.