IT'S probably not the first time that Vauxhall has heard it, but why is this car named like a variant of a coffee drink?

Mind you, that lifestyle is all the vogue, it's not surprising - people do like their mochas.

Vauxhall says its stylish newcomer, the Mokka, is a lifestyle type of vehicle.

It sits in the compact SUV segment where rivals include the Skoda Yeti and the Nissan Juke and Qashqai and allows the firm to break in to brand new territory.

It certainly is competitively priced with the entry-level model costing just a shade under £16,000 on the road.

Like its rivals, it offers both two and four wheel drive capability and a choice of engine and trims.

Vauxhall says half of customers are expected to opt for the front-wheel drive variant, like this model, while the most popular engine will be the 1.7 CDTi, accounting for 42 per cent of sales.

The Mokka is certainly a head-turning vehicle, looking, oddly, both sleek and muscular at the same time.

It has prominent curves and bulges so favoured by SUV fans, high road clearance of 157mm to give off-road capability, stylish eliptical headlamps featuring daytime running LEDs and 18-inch alloy wheels as standard.

A special option for those lifestylers is a fully-integrated bike carrier system, which can be stored in the rear bumper when not in use.

The cabin is equally classy and practical with good quality fixtures and fittings, good quality soft touch finish and scultped and supportive seats.

The centrepiece features a signature wing-shaped instrument panel that wraps around the door inserts with all the instrumentation and controls handily placed including the central screen that houses the sat nav, radio, phone and climate controls.

It is hugely practical with 19 storage spaces, including a concealed armrest in the rear bench that also contains a cup holder, and storage areas in front and behind the gear leaver.

The boot area is also cleverly designed with up to 1,372 litres of loading space, a parcel shelf which can be easily adjusted by hand and a rear bench that can be split and folded 60/40.

It comes in four trim levels, S, Exclusiv, Tech Line and SE, all are well kitted out. The Tech Line is clearly aimed at company car drivers with reasonable benefit-in-kind charges plus low insurance costs.

The 1.6 115ps petrol engine proved to be extremely economical delivering close to the claimed 43.6mpg, but at time did feel underpowered, particularly when pulling away from a standing start. It had to be worked hard, but proved quiet and composed, particularly at high speeds on the motorway.

On the road the car feels remarkably stable with agile handling and with a comfortable ride thanks to an intelligent chassis system with either front-wheel drive or adaptive four wheel technology that delivers power according to road conditions and depending on the model.

For safety the car has scores five stars on the Euro-NCAP safety scale and includes, ABS, cornering brake control and brake assist system as well as electronic brake force distribution.

The standard electronic stability programme includes traction control and hill start and descent control technology.

It looks like a 4x4 but is as cheap to run and insure and is competitively priced. It is also arguably the best looking.