IT may be more than a decade since the Honda HR-V last appeared on UK roads and during those years rival manufacturers have been scooping up the crossover segment sales, but now the new bigger, better and bolder HR-V is back.

With its dynamic, sporty profile the HR-V looks great from any angle thanks to its sweeping lines, LED headlights and daytime running lights, front fog lights, rear privacy glass, 17-inch alloys and massive panoramic sunroof.

Inside the car offers class-leading space along with a whole host of premium features and design cues.

There is plenty of soft-touch surfaces, a leather interior, heated seats plus a wealth of on-board technology, including a dual zone climate control, sat nav, infotainment via a seven-inch colour touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, a rear view camera and plenty more besides.

Comfort levels are very high with ample room for two adults in the back - three at a push. And the vehicle's high roofline results in lots of headroom too.

The slightly-elevated and upright seating position means the driver benefits from excellent all-round visibility which is a ‘must' in a car that will often be used on the busy school runs.

The HR-V also features the company's Magic Seat system which enables easily-adapted and flexible seating configurations and also results in additional space being freed up to carry awkwardly-shaped items.

The boot has a 453-litre capacity which can be increased to 1,026 litres with the rear seats dropped flat and elsewhere there are numerous handy storage compartments, including drinks holders and a good-sized glove-box.

This range-topping EX model was powered by a 1.6-litre 120ps diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

It can reach from 0-62mph in 10.5 seconds and goes onto a top speed of 119mph. According to official figures it can achieve combined fuel efficiency of 68.9mpg with carbon emissions of 108g/km.

In busy traffic the HR-V coped very well and proved agile when manoeuvring through tight gaps. Then out on faster country lanes and motorways, the car was pleasantly responsive too.

The acceleration, whilst not blisteringly quick, was controlled, measured and very acceptable. The road-holding was also good and cabin noise reasonably quiet unless the car was pushed hard when some engine and road surface sound became apparent.

All the instrumentation is simple to access and operate and ideally positioned for ease of use and my only real gripe after a week behind the wheel was the slight reflection from the shiny console and the rather dated air vents that look rather cheap and tacky in an otherwise upmarket and premium-looking car.

The HR-V also features a comprehensive range of driver aids as standard on all models apart from the entry-level S grade.

As well as features such as city brake, lane departure warning, high beam support and cross traffic monitoring the car boasts the innovative Intelligent Speed Assist system which combines the Traffic Sign Recognition and Speed Limiter to identify changes in the speed limit and then restricts the top speed of the car accordingly.