THE days are long gone when owning a 4x4 was the exclusive domain of working farmers or the landed gentry.

The popularity of the four-wheel drive motor has increased dramatically as they have become accessible to more pockets and they are now a common sight on - as well as off - our roads.

These days you can pick up a perfectly capable, rugged, all-terrain runaround from almost any manufacturer, not just the traditional prestige marques, and more and more people are seeing this as a valid solution to their family transport needs.

And anyone considering taking the plunge into this market would be well-advised to take a look at the Hyundai ix35.

For the price of many a family saloon, or even a hatchback, the Korean manufacturer is offering a stylish looking compact SUV with bags of kit and which won't break the bank to run either.

On the road prices for two-wheel drive versions start from as little as £16,495 - that's Ford Focus territory - but even this specced up four-wheel drive 2.0 CRDi Premium vehicle comes in at just £20,745, although the optional leather interior and top-notch satnav and stereo combo fitted did push that up to just over £22,000.

Mind you, even at that money there is no doubting that Hyundai are giving you a lot of bang for your buck as they prove themselves increasingly adept at delivering vehicles with a value for money mark that simply leaves many trailing in their wake.

And the real killer blow is that they don't look cheap any more!

The Koreans are claiming that the ix35 may be the most stylish vehicle they have produced yet and with some justification.

Designed in Europe to appeal to the European market it has the sleek, sporty looks to match many of its more prestige rivals.

In fact, during the week that I was driving around in it I happened to be around my next door neighbour's for his young daughter's birthday and when her grandad arrived, obviously having just given the gleaming white motor a glance on his way in, he politely enquired who owned the new BMW parked out front!

The 18-inch alloys, front fog lights, privacy glass and roof rails which all come as standard on the Premium version certainly give it an extra boost in the easy-on-the-eye stakes.

Inside too the overall impression is a good one. The tan leather seat trim featured in my test car (part of a £700 individual pack option which also features a dimming rear view mirror with compass and supervision cluster) came as a slight shock to the retinas at first sight but the seats were undeniably comfortable - and had heated options for front and rear passengers.

Indeed, the comfort and safety of the occupants is well catered for with air conditioning, aux and USB connections with iPod functionality, six airbags, stability control, cruise control, downhill brake control and hill-start assist.

There was also plenty of space for all, front and rear, and plenty of in-cabin storage as well as four cup holders plus extra space for plastic bottles in the door interiors.

The panoramic sunroof, which is standard on this top-of-the-range model and the front part of which can be opened electronically, also helped to create a light and airy environment.

The only disappointment was the quality of the interior plastics around the cabin and on the dashboard, which were all rather more cold and unyielding than you'd get in a similar vehicle from, say, one of the German car makers.

Having said that, I guess, Hyundai have to make savings somewhere to let the ix35 go as cheaply as they do and if that is the only gripe, which it was for me, then this is still a motor worth some serious consideration.

Not least because of the performance and economy you'll get out of the 2.0-litre diesel power pack.

Coupled with a versatile six-speed manual gearbox, this provides good acceleration and effortless motorway cruising without becoming too sluggish around town.

And you'll get an impressive 47.9 miles per gallon on average with C02 emissions of 154g/km.

I found the power steering could be a little heavy at times, but not prohibitively so, and the general drive was smooth, although a little body roll was evident in quick corners.