IN a motoring world where so many cars look, well, pretty much the same, it's a breath of fresh air if something genuinely different comes along.

And when your principal rivals are models with the iconic pedigree of the MINI Cooper, the cool Italian style of Alfa Romeo's MiTo and more recently the executive precision of the Audi A1 then there's no hiding place - you perform or vanish.

This is the gladiatorial arena Citroen has entered - and done so with a real swagger.

Its DS3 supermini, first in the French company's new Creative Technologie line that sees DS4 and DS5 models follow in the next two calendar years, is not only a car that blends style, performance and comfort but also creates a sense of longing.

Or as Citroen says, it places desire at the heart of the motoring experience.

That desire can be distinctive and macho or just plain decadent - the tested model looked like something you might expect to see strutting its stuff on the streets of the Pigalle.

With its vast choice of personal options the DS3 can be masculine and sporty or feminine and chic.

And clad in a sultry Sport Red and Black Onyx with an Urban Tribe roof graphic the tested model even had fishnet stocking seats.

Citroen has left no stone unturned, to the point that no DS3 need be the same - even the key fob is tailored to the driver's favoured body or roof colour.

In every way this car is an attention grabber, drawing passers-by like a magnet - some admiring the LED daytime running lights, some the shark fin-style pillars and all the funky interior design.

Chrome rubbing strips, a roof that looks like its floating on ice and a gloss finish to the dashboard all contribute to the DS3's cool style.

The real beauty of this model though is that it isn't just about design and cosmetics; there's a serious practicality element as you can comfortably fit three passengers in the back and enjoy a decent sized boot too.

Out on the road we're talking proper hot hatch performance from a 1.6-litre engine that whacks out 155bhp and can hit 62mph in 7.3 seconds - and that's quicker than the MINI Cooper.

It's very agile too, has an easy shift six-speed gearbox, positive feel from the steering and a nice driving position. In every way it's a terrific small car.

And if you don't want to go for the top end DSport 150, the range starts at £11,800 for the petrol VTi 95hp DSign model which still comes well specced up.