VOLVO has made its name building cars which are sturdy and safe and its latest offering is setting new standards.

Packed with safety features, the new V60 is an estate aimed at families who enjoy an active lifestyle.

Looking swish and stylish the V60 resembles a stretched coupe more than a traditional estate and it's little surprise Volvo is describing its newcomer as a sports tourer.

Prices range from £24,690 to £37,895 for the three trim range which features no less than 20 versions and a choice of four petrol and two diesel engines.

While the range topping T6 AWD V60 has near sports car credentials with 0 to 60 acceleration of 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 155mph it is the diesels which are going to make a mark in these days where emissions and fuel economy are all important.

Key to the V60's success is the new D3 five cylinder, two-litre diesel engine which develops 163PS giving the car plenty of performance while producing fuel consumption of more than 50mpg.

Top speed is a claimed 137mph with the car taking 8.9 seconds 0 to 60 but emissions have been pared down to 144g/km making this version of the V60 highly competitive in the company car market.

The D3 engine is available in the entry level V60 ES but we have just put two top specification SE Lux Premium models through their paces - one manual, the other auto.

The auto, which uses a six speed Geartronic box, was priced at £33,800 while the manual came in at £1,450 less.

Amazingly, the auto managed to exceed its official average fuel consumption of 46.3mpg by almost 10 per cent during our test run which saw the manual model clock up 50.4mpg according to the car's onboard computer - just one mile per gallon off the official figure.

While so many car manufacturer's average consumption figures seem hard to attain it appears Volvo's ratings are very much in the real world.

Perversely, although the automatic performed above expectations its CO2 figure of 162g/km puts it outside the important 160g/km tax threshold for company cars.

For our test run both cars travelled the same 60 mile route, mainly on quiet country lanes around Berkshire where traffic conditions were light.

Equally impressive was the cars' handling. The V60 feels solid, responds well and there is plenty of pulling power from the engine.

Being a five cylinder it also produces a characteristic engine note which is a bit of extra fun for those who like their cars to sound distinctive.

Inside, the high grade V60 is fitted with leather upholstery and nicely supportive seats - ideal for long distance work.

There is good room front and back and luggage space ranges from 557 to 1,241 litres which is enough to accommodate most families' needs.

As well as a fine and firm ride the V60 also features Volvo's latest safety systems such as pedestrian detection and a device to prevent rear end shunts in traffic.

The V60 is a clever blend of Volvo's classic safety traits, estate car practicality and modern styling.

For families who don't require the larger capacity V70 estate, the V60 fits in perfectly as a fine compromise between luxury saloon and heavy duty all-rounder - but with the sort of fuel economy a humble hatch would be proud of.