THE supermini market is a hotly contested place to launch a new car but Chrysler is convinced its premium model - the Ypsilon - will make a name for itself.

Bubbling over with personality this four-door hatchback looks great from every angle with its LED tail lights, spoiler, privacy glass and beautifully-crafted lines.

There's a choice of engine sizes and fuel types, along with three trim levels to choose from - S, SE and Limited.

Bosses at Chrysler believe the 0.9-litre TwinAir version in Limited trim will be a very popular model with potential buyers, and with a price tag of just £14,495, it's easy to see why.

The model I tried had a few optional extras such as stability control, magic parking and 16-inch alloys, which bumped the price up to £16,795, but it is still great value for an action-packed supermini that's been designed to stand out from the crowd.

It even looks like a sporty three-door thanks to hidden rear door handles that are flush to the body.

The interior is deceptively spacious with plenty of state-of-the-art wizardry at your disposal.

There's a quality CD/radio with MP3 compatibility and six speakers, remote keyless entry, luxury leather upholstery, sat nav, automatic air conditioning and a whole lot more besides.

My one criticism of the interior layout is the positioning of the read-out dials - they are neatly situated on top of the dashboard but that means glancing over to the left quite a bit to check the speedo.

But the Ypsilon is certainly spacious and back seat passengers are treated to ample leg, head and elbow space.

Elsewhere, the boot is generously-sized and 60:40 split-folding rear seats offer additional storage space if required.

Despite its compact size, the Ypsilon packs quite a punch and with the technical mastery of Fiat behind the scenes, the TwinAir engine offers plenty of zip and acceleration.

Admittedly, the Ypsilon is not the quietest of cars ever, but that almost adds to the appeal as it weaves effortlessly through the busy traffic jams with ease.

But, unlike some smaller cars, the Ypsilon has enough power and acceleration to hold its own with faster moving traffic as it moves through the five-speed manual transmission.

One feature certainly worth a mention is the magic parking. When looking for a suitable space, push the parking button and when the car discovers a suitably-sized space it will highlight the spot, ask you to put the car in reverse and then park it for you.

It's a brilliant feature that' s worth practicing a few times to get your confidence as it seems very strange letting the machine do everything for you.

Another plus-factor for the Ypsilon is its great economy. It boasts combined fuel efficiency of 67.3mpg with carbon emissions of just 99g/km. That's not bad for a twin-cylinder vehicle that can race from 0-60mph in 11.5 seconds and has a top speed of 109mph.

Chrysler has fitted an array of safety specifications on the Ypsilon, including anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution, traction control, six airbags and lots more.

All in all, the Ypsilon is a great little car brimming with character and excellent economy statistics that is a welcome arrival to the supermini sector.