GIVEN that one in every five cars sold globally at the moment is a crossover it's no surprise that vehicle manufacturers are still falling over themselves to bring new models to this hugely competitive market.

What is a little surprising, given their working relationship with Nissan, is that it has taken Renault so long to come up with the Kadjar - an obvious rival to the Japanese firm's ubiquitous Qashqai.

And given that they share a lot of the same architecture there can be few eyebrows raised at the fact that the French newcomer looks set to give it's Oriental cousin a good run for its money.

Available in an 18-model range offering three engines, two gearboxes, four trim levels and two or four-wheel drive potential buyers certainly have plenty of choice.

But on top of all that, the Kadjar is a crossover that boasts good looks, decent economy, is easy and enjoyable to drive and is very well equipped.

Styling is sleek and curvy but also incorporates all the muscular features we have come to expect of these family car/SUV mash-ups such as an elevated ride height, a distinctive black grille, chunky plastic cladding, bulging wheel arches and roof rails.

In keeping with the current fashion for squeezing more power out of smaller, more economical engines the powertrains on offer are a turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5 or 1.6-litre diesels.

The petrol should be fine if you mostly drive in town and the 1.6-litre oil burner is worth considering if you plan to use your Kadjar for towing; it's also the only one with which four-wheel drive can be specified.

However, the 1.5-litre that I tried offers a great blend of versatility and economy and is likely to be the biggest seller.

While acceleration is not exhilarating, with the 0-62mph benchmark taking almost 12 seconds, once you're up and running there is plenty of low-end grunt and throttle response is prompt and smooth - making for spritely enough performance in town or on the open road.

The Kadjar also grips and handles well for its size while the ride is largely smooth, refined and comfortable, the suspension absorbing all but the largest potholes even with the larger 19-inch alloy wheels on my Dynamique S Nav model, which sits just below the range-topper.

These fancy wheels are certainly eye-catching but do mean you can't escape road tax completely. Cars equipped with them and the 1.5 diesel engine pump out 103g/km of carbon while those equipped with 17-inchers dip below the magical 100g/km exemption threshold.

However, that still only means annual road tax of £20, while claimed average fuel economy of more than 70 miles per gallon means the Kadjar is a family car that won't break the bank to run.

The spacious interior is also pleasingly well-appointed with plenty of tactile, soft-touch surfaces and chrome highlights giving it a classy feel.

Renault's traditional digital speedometer sits within a seven-inch TFT screen which also offers the driver the novelty of selecting from four display modes and five colours.

Seats are comfortable and supportive and there is plenty of room for a family of five to get comfortable with decent amounts of personal storage space, although the door bins are a little on the small side.

The boot, though, is very generous and practical, Renault having increased the rear overhang to provide a larger load space, at 472 litres, than you get in the Qashqai, which rises to 1,478 litres if you fold the 60/40 split rear seats down.

This Dynamique S Nav trim comes with some impressive kit including a touchscreen infotainment and satnav system with DAB radio, an automatic electronic parking brake, automatic lights and wipers and keyless entry and ignition as well as lane departure warning on top of standard safety kit such as stability and traction control, cruise control, hill start assist and six airbags.