IT takes Renault a mildly convoluted 62 words to explain the name of its latest car, the Kadjar, but fewer are needed for the reason of its birth.

In short, vehicles like the Kadjar are so hot that more than one in ten new cars in its part of the market are crossovers - or slightly pumped up estate cars with a dash of attitude.

And because they're regarded as stylish and a bit 'lifestyle' the car makers know they will find a willing band of buyers happy to pay that little bit more, so long as the car looks smart enough.

No problem on that front for the Kadjar. It follows hot on the heels of Renault's smaller Captur, a crossover that has taken the market by storm since it went on sale in 2013.

Put the two side by side (a photo will do) and it's very obvious the newer, larger Kadjar's looks are drawn closely on its smaller sibling.

Which will not do the newcomer any harm at all. It looks terrific in a sculpted, swoopy sort of way and presents a convincing reason why so many people choose a crossover instead of a more conventional hatch - one has miles more kerb appeal than the other.

You'd never guess that underneath the Kadjar's lithe lines sits the same engines and hidden body parts that you will find in a Sunderland-built Nissan Qashqai, the car that almost single handedly established the affordable crossover market.

Nissan and Renault are part of the same automotive group and it makes compelling economic sense to share as many of the expensive bits as possible, while leaving the cars looking utterly different.

Independent industry experts reckon the new Renault will hang on to more of its value than the Nissan as the car ages, perhaps partly due to its newness over its well established stablemate.

There are 18 version of the Kadjar, starting at £17,995 and topping out at £26,295. Three engines are offered; two diesels of 1.5 and 1.6 litres (110 and 130 horsepower) and a 110 horsepower, 1.2 litre petrol. Renault expects the diesels to be vastly the more popular, taking 80 per cent of sales.

Most Kadjars will be front wheel drive, with a modest eight per cent opting for four-wheel drive (which start at £24,295 and come with the more powerful diesel engine). Automatic gears are available too, from £21,095.

Out on the road in a £22,395 Dynamique S Nav dCi 110, (113mph/11.9sec to 62mph/103g/km CO2) the predicted best seller of the range, the first thing that impresses is a cabin so bang up to date it makes lots of dearer cars look a bit dowdy and old fashioned.

Especially impressive is an instrument panel with big digital speed readout that looks both elegant and unmissable enough to save points on your licence. The satellite navigation screen is equally crisp and contemporary, adding lustre to an interior with nicely chosen mixes of texture and finish.

There's plenty of room in both rows of seats and a well shaped boot (but sadly not even a space saver spare beneath, merely a can of gloop and an inflator).

Big grab handles for the front seat passenger hint at the Kadjar's supposed off-road leanings, although how many will ever venture far from a metalled surface is open to doubt.

The lesser of the two diesel engines pulled well enough and returned 48mpg on the test route compared to 43mpg for the more powerful model. Although fitted with the same big 19 inch alloy wheels it rode some indifferent northern roads with more assured authority.

And so to the name.... Kadjar is a mix of 'kad', inspired by the word 'quad', a term for something driven by four wheels. In France the letters qu are pronounced as a k. And 'jar' is a reference to the French word 'jaillir' which means to emerge quickly. So now you know.