THE problem with many so-called family-friendly cars is that they are not, in reality, that practical.

Getting the wee ones' bikes in and out of the rear, for example, is often a nightmare.

And if the family car has to double as a trades vehicle, not only can it be near-impossible to get all your kit in but the interior can often look quite shabby and worn quite quickly.

But Citroen may have the answer in the shape of the Nemo Multispace mini MPV.

From the rugged front to the sculpted high sides and bold vertical tailgate, this car displays its practicality and versatility with pride from the outset.

Step inside and you'll find that great functionality continues with easy-clean floors and durable plastics for much of the dash and interior trim.

What also impresses is the amount of space available inside - with room for up to five people, good oddments space up front and a 365-litre boot that rises to 890 litres of cargo space with the split/folding rear bench down.

Sliding rear doors make strapping in the kids or putting in extra kit a cinch, while the large rear opening and low sill mean you'll have no problem loading bikes and the like in the boot, which thoughfully features a removable torch.

The Nemo Multispace is also a comfortable place to be, especially for the driver, who can easily find the perfect position thanks to multiple seat and steering-wheel adjustment and a fold-down armrest that's great for longer journeys.

On the uncluttered dash, you'll find easy-to-use controls for the ventilation and optional air con, as well as the MP3-compatible CD/radio player, which can be adapted for hands-free Bluetooth technology if desired.

The excellent lighting and wipers are controlled by stalks that fall readily to hand on the steering column.

The clearly set-out dials are complemented by a multi-function trip computer that includes useful information such as the outside temperature (very useful on freezing roads) and a gear-shift indicator to help the driver improve fuel economy.

Other creature comforts include front electric windows, electric/heated door mirrors and "guide me home" headlamps.

A surprising factor is the way the Nemo Multispace performs on the road.

The high driving position, which with large windows all around gives great visibility at all times but especially in town, and tall sides could lead you to expect van-like handling.

However, I found the steering responsive, with little wallowing on corners, and the suspension smoothed out all but the worst bumps as I tackled a series of twisting country lanes and town streets.

The 75bhp, 1.3-litre, diesel engine proved eager, provided you worked the five-speed gearbox efficiently.

On the motorway, it was surprisingly good at keeping up with traffic and overtook nimbly, belying its 0-62mph sprint time of 16.6 seconds and top speed of 96mph.

It didn't feel like a high-sided vehicle and there was very little wind noise, even on exposed moorland sections.

On the safety front Citroen has included the likes of an electronic stability programme, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution and four airbags.

A price of just £12,445, an average of 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions of just 119g/km (meaning no road tax in the first year and £30 thereafter) add to this vehicle's attractions.

The Nemo Multispace can fit the bill for a wide variety ranging from tradesmen to active families to outdoors-types with lots of kit. Overall it's a well thought out multi-purpose vehicle at a very competitive price.