OPTIONAL extras can be a costly business when it comes to buying a car - but with the Hyundai i40 Tourer pretty much everything is included as standard.

So when the price-tag says £21,995, there's few if any nasty surprises lying in wait for kit you'd thought would be installed anyway.

There are three levels of trim - Active, Style and Premium - and a choice of two petrol power units and a diesel with two outputs linked to a slick six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

The more powerful version of the 1.7-litre oil burner under the bonnet of the car I tried offered efficient pulling power and smooth progress.

It felt quicker than the official 10-second plus time to reach 62mph from a standing start.

Hyundai is expecting the 136bhp diesel engine to account for almost 50 per cent of total model sales and its easy to see why.

For most though it will be goodies like 16-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition, leather steering wheel with audio controls, electric heated door mirrors with integrated LED indicators, electric front and rear windows and electric parking brake with automatic hold function - all fitted as standard on the entry-level model - that will catch the eye.

Step up to the Style version I drove and a natty touch-screen satellite navigation system with rear view camera, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control and dual zone climate control are also included.

Premium models top things off with the addition of leather upholstery, panoramic sunroof, keyless entry and supervision instrument cluster with LCD colour display.

There are also three option packages - Vision, Comfort and Assist - which add lane departure warning and smart parking assist, heated leather steering wheel, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats and xenon headlamps with an adaptive front lighting system.

The i40 Tourer is also top of the class when it comes to safety features as it is fitted with emergency brake assist and electronic stability control. also included are seven airbags made up of twin front, side and curtain bags and a driver's knee bag.

Hyundai designed and engineered the i40 Tourer at the company's research and development headquarters in Russelsheim in Germany and some Teutonic efficiency has obviously rubbed off.

This estate is smooth and refined thanks to a new body shell and acoustic package. Hyundai used high-strength steel to give the chassis a stiffness and structural efficiency making it almost impossible to detect any vibrations from the road surface or engine.

All Hyundai i40 models are backed by an excellent five-year/unlimited mileage warranty which also includes five years of roadside assistance and vehicle health checks.

The original inspiration for the i40 can be traced back to the Genus concept car in 2006. The design featured Hyundai's ‘fluidic sculpture' and the i40 Tourer's sleek and elegant exterior is the result.

The generous wheelbase and width create a roomy cabin with good luggage capacity.

There's plenty of space for four adults with reclining rear seats helping matters considerably.

Cargo capacity ranges from 553-litres with the rear seats occupied to 1,719-litres with the rear seats folded down.

The i40 Tourer is a stylish package that should more than hold its own in the family estate car market.