IT was an emergency designed to test both the Citroen C4's flexibility and nimbleness around town.

The neighbours had booked a taxi to go on holiday and despite repeated promises it had failed to arrive.

Desperate they asked for a lift and knight in shining armour that I am - with modesty always to the fore - I agreed.

That was before I saw the mountain of luggage they were proposing to fit into the boot.

Popping the tailgate I left the head of the household and her husband to get on with it and was pleasantly surprised when the lid came down without the glass popping out from a stray suitcase.

In fact when I helped him unload, the C4 looked as if another couple of bags could have been accommodated without too much trouble in the above average 408-litre boot.

Getting to the coach station gave the hatchback a chance to show it's liking for the urban jungle.

It handles well with light but informative steering, while the 1.6-litre oil burner's excellent fuel economy is immediately noticeable thanks to the stop/start system that switches the engine off when you come to a halt in traffic, restarting immediately when you depress the clutch.

Carbon dioxide emissions at 95g/km eliminate road tax making Peugeot-Citroen's BlueHDi family of engines one that you will like getting to know.

Having performed my good deed for the year I set off to work hoping for the usual blood pressure-raising traffic snarl-ups to be absent. Not only was the journey relatively free-flowing but it also proved strangely relaxing as the Citroen's ride has a hypnotic effect thanks to the fact it is smoother than my favourite 007 Roger Moore.

The cabin also hits all the right notes with the star of the show a seven-inch touchscreen ensuring this motor is a thoroughly modern Milly while there is plenty of room for four adults.

A recent mid-life revamp is responsible for all of these improvements as the C4 line up has been given a spruce up that has seen new engines and extra equipment improve its appeal to potential purchasers.

The C4 has new trim level names and now comes in Touch, Feel and the range-topping Flair version I spent a week with which includes lots of goodies such as cruise control, a stereo with DAB radio, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, rear parking sensors, electric windows all round, and automatic lights and wipers.

Safety is taken seriously with stability and traction control, hill start assist and a raft of airbags all making an appearance.

Exterior looks have also been tweaked with jazzy LED running lights and restyled lamp clusters introduced.

The model is keenly priced in a competitive marketplace so is cheaper than most five-door hatches with the C4 Flair BlueHDi I drove coming in at a shade over £19,000.

Various options were fitted including a £525 metallic paint job, £300 keyless entry and push-button start, as well as an £440 eMyWay navigation system integrated into the touchscreen taking the total bill through the £20,000 barrier.