IT'S a plain fact of life but the multi-purpose vehicle sector cannot be said to be full of sleek, exotic  great-looking cars. Well, until now that is.

Enter the brand new Kia Carens ... and what a stunner this South Korean offering is.

Stylish, sophisticated and even a touch sexy. Now that's saying something for a lowly people carrier.

Now don't get me wrong. I've nothing against MPVs. In fact they can be very useful at times and they are a great boon for larger families, but you have to admit, most are somewhat akin to the old "ugly duckling" when it comes to exterior looks.

Well grab a look at the new Carens and I bet you'll be somewhat surprised.

Almost overnight the Carens has turned into a proverbial swan, marking a new beginning for one of the marque's best-selling family favourites.

So with the launch of their new MPV, Kia now has a model range where every vehicle has been given the Peter Schreyer treatment.

The former Audi design chief has done much to help turn the marque's image as Kia continues to chip away at the competition and gain a greater market share and the Carens is the final model to get the stylish new family look, complete with the now trademark tiger-nose grille.

The new Carens get seven seats as standard, making the car a genuine rival against the Renault Grand Scenic and Ford Grand C-MAX, until now the undisputed leaders of the MPV pack.

Two manual 1.7-litre diesels of 114bhp and 134bhp and one 1.6-litre 133bhp petrol engine make up the range, while an automatic has been reserved solely for the higher-powered diesel.

Three trim levels - named 1, 2 and 3 - help keep things simple. The 1 and 2 are found on the petrol engined model, while all three specs can be had on the oil-burners, 1 and 2 on 114-brake versions and 2 and 3 on the more powerful diesel.

The new car is actually a bit shorter, narrower and lower than the old second-generation model it replaces, but stretching the wheelbase by 50mm gives the new car far more interior space than its predecessor.

Seating arrangements are of conventional two-three-two design. The three individual centre row seats slide back and forward and even recline independently, allowing those entering and leaving the rear row of seats ample room to complete the action without a struggle.

Passenger seats also fold flat, making the Carens the ultimate in passenger-to-cargo versatility. There's even a unique under-floor compartment to store the cargo screen which also adds to the overall practicality.

But it's the attention to detail and quality of fittings that are helping Kia become a serious competitor to the more established brands.

The cabin trim has a serious premium feel, with soft-to-the-touch surfaces, leather-trimmed steering wheel, leather-look door panels, high-gloss inserts incorporated in the dash and metallic finish door handles and chrome accents throughout.

Each trim level also gets its own unique seat material - black cloth, black woven cloth with keep-clean texture or a choice of two leathers.

Out on the road, the Carens is a more than competent performer. Quiet on the hoof and with smooth power delivery from all engine choices, it offers a superb, relaxed drive with surprisingly little body roll on even more demanding back roads.

All three models offer great fuel economy, with the petrol unit good for 44mpg and the diesel pair good for 56.4mpg and 60.1mpg depending on engine's power output.

At £20,595, the 114bhp diesel in number 2 trim is set to become the biggest seller.

With a huge list of goodies fitted as standard, including privacy glass, roof rails, auto headlights, rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone air con, rear air ventilation, six-speaker RDS CD sound system with steering wheel controls, cruise control and electric windows, there's little doubt that the new Carens now sets the standard in the MPV sector.