THE average car buyer is spoilt for choice these days whether purchasing from a brand new or slightly used angle.

Although the accepted major car makers are always on the ball there are also plenty of  manufacturers outside of this inner circle with plenty to offer.

One of these is Citroen, the French car maker not usually found wanting and, recently, I took to the road in one of its latest models, the DS4 DSport which is based on the C4 hatchback.

It's decidedly stylish and houses some fine features as standard, successfully created to help give the DS4 range its reputation as a comfortable and luxurious car.

Standard features of the DS4 HDI 160bhp DSport include central locking, power steering, stability control, alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors and electric front windows.

In addition, there is also cruise control, rear parking sensors, an advanced stereo system with MP3 connectivity, a full leather swathed interior and Bluetooth connectivity.

Within a decent sized five-seater cabin there is also ample room for travellers young and old although limited headroom in the rear will have certain limitations for some taller occupants.

Occupant safety is pretty high with driver, passenger and front side airbags fitted as standard while an immobiliser and alarm system are also fitted to help protect the DS4 from thieves.

Meanwhile, standard features such as stability and cruise control are also to hand to make driving easier and more comfortable.

The DS4's family car credentials are pretty good and stowage space of 359 litres is available even with the seats in situ and when these are folded down available storage space expands to 1,021 litres.

Behind the wheel in a relaxing driving position there is some decent visibility to be enjoyed to the front of the car but the somewhat tiny back window may perhaps hamper the rear view a little for some.

Powered by the pretty sporty 160bhp 2.0-litre four cylinder turbo diesel engine with a sharply responsive automatic six-speed torque-converter the DS4 does introduce a sense of urgency to the proceedings  while on the tarmac.

In addition, the car's abilities on the road are pretty well done with 0-62mph coming in 9.9 seconds. There is a maximum speed of 129mph available wherever allowable and economy is decent at 49.6mpg while CO2 emissions are 149g/km.

Overall, the Citroen DS4 DSport has a high quality feel to it with soft to the touch plastics and comfortable seating inside while underneath there is plenty of grip on offer.