IF your motoring wish-list includes a sporty-looking hatchback that is packed to bursting with techno treats, delivers great driving dynamics and boasts a reasonable price-tag then the Kia cee'd could by the ideal solution.

With eye-catching styling traits including 17-inch alloys, tinted glass, LED daytime running lights, front fog lights, body-coloured bumpers and a rear spoiler, the sleekly designed cee'd looks the business from any approach.

But it's not just about stylish good looks because the vehicle is packed with technology too.

Kia has well and truly shaken off its ‘budget-brand' reputation and is now renowned for building quality cars that are reliable, economical to run and come richly equipped as standard, with no expensive add-on optional extra costs.

This car featured smart black leather seats, a leather trimmed multi-function steering wheel, dual zone air con, a six-speaker sound system with DAB radio, MP3 compatibility, Bluetooth connectivity, sat nav, heated seats, reversing sensors and camera, a chunky grab handle-styled gearstick, metal pedals and plenty more besides.

The interior is both comfortable and spacious with ample room for four adults (five at a squeeze) and there are plenty of storage compartments scattered throughout the car including a cooling glovebox, cup holders, overhead sunglasses section, boot nets and underfloor storage.

The boot can cater for 380 litres worth of luggage and that capacity can be increased to 1,300 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat.

This cee'd was powered by a 1.6-litre 134bhp diesel-driven engine mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

According to official figures it can sprint from 0-60mph in 10.2 seconds and tops out at 124mph. It can achieve combined fuel economy of 72.4mpg with carbon emissions of 103g/km.

So the five-door cee'd certainly looks the part and is richly-equipped with plenty of creature comforts, but how does it perform when put through its paces? The answer is very well indeed.

The cee'd looks like a dynamic model and its performance and handling equally match that appearance.

The acceleration through the gears is sharp and responsive with the option of paddle shifts to change gear manually when a little more bite is desired.

There is a constant stream of power on tap at all times which helps to make light work of overtaking at short notice and the all-round handling is difficult to fault.

There is a small amount of engine and road surface noise when the car is pushed particularly hard, but otherwise the cabin remains nicely hushed against outside sounds.

The road-holding is reassuringly grippy so tight bends can easily be attacked with confidence and the all-round visibility is also good.

The cee'd also features a comprehensive range of safety specifications, such as electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, hill-start assist, emergency stop signalling, intelligent stop and go, plus numerous airbags.