IT is difficult to hang a label on Citroen's stylish DS4 as the French company has managed to produce a vehicle that is really original.

It looks like a handsome raised coupe but it offers the practicality of a five-door family hatch and sits high and proud like a 4x4.

Citroen resurrected the DS name with the introduction of the DS3 supermini and the DS4 introduced last summer is the next car to drive the brand upmarket.

The DS3 was designed to appeal to the younger hot-hatch market and  the DS4 is aimed at the lifestyle market and families  who want something different.

The DS4's good looks make it a real head-turner and it also feels really well put together.

Available with a choice of three petrol and two diesel engines, the car I sampled was the mid-spec DStyle with the larger 1,997cc diesel power plant.

Quiet and refined, it also offers enough thrust to meet the needs of enthusiastic drivers and tackles the sprint to 62mph in just 9.3 seconds.

It enjoys a top speed of 132mph and yet is still very economical with a claimed combined consumption figure of 55.4mpg.

I averaged near the 50mpg mark but that is still good going and the emissions work out at 134g/km resulting in a road tax bill of £110 a year.

The car's striking looks are matched by its superb interior which offers comfort and space.

A large panoramic windscreen allows plenty light into the cabin and also provides excellent vision for driver and passengers.

Five adults can sit in fine comfort with plenty of head and shoulder room and all the materials offer premium quality.

The instruments are clear and easy to read and backlit in blue to make them easy on the eye  for night driving.

Thanks to the flat-bottomed steering wheel, two-tone seats and drilled aluminium pedals the interior has a sporty feel and also enjoys a raft of standard equipment including a cooled and lit compartment that houses a USB port, a 12-volt socket and enough room for up to four bottles.

The boot offers 359 litres of space with further under-floor storage taking that up to 385 litres.  Fold the rear seats and you can free up even more space.

Out on the open road the DS4 offers a ride slightly on the firm side but this means it is very agile and handles really well.

Thanks to advanced soundproofing it is extremely quiet and makes an ideal long distance companion.

Most people admired the car's street presence due to its stylish alloys, sculpted wheel arches, tinted windows and chrome-finished waistline.

The hidden rear door handles fooled a couple of people into thinking the car was a three-door and this was responsible for a few puzzled looks and a some smiles.

I was surprised by how much I liked the DS4 and if I had to find fault it would be with the large number of buttons on the steering wheel.

At £22,950 the version I tried represents good value for money and Citroen is certainly on form at the moment.