CITROEN'S DS4 is a beautiful looking car from every angle with a high stance that makes it stand out from the crowd.

I've driven petrol and diesel versions and they off decent to superb performance with very good handling and road holding.

Petrol engines are all 1.6 turbos shared with Peugeot and MINI, giving power of 120, 156 or 200bhp.

Diesels are a 1.6 with either 110 or 115bhp and a 2.0-litre with 160bhp and as well as a six-speed manual gearboxes, there is also a rather slow changing automatic.

Those diesels are capable of 50-plus miles to the gallon in real driving with a careful right footand the 2.0-litre also brings marvellous performance.

The clutch is light, the gearchange sweet, the brakes superb and the higher than average driving position marvellous.

But make sure you can put up with the ride quality. There is an unsettled feel both at slow and high speeds on rougher surfaces, and I sometimes found it hard to live with.

Inside, DS4s are sophisticated and sharp, with very good equipment and comfortable seats giving plenty of adjustment for a perfect driving position

Although the rear door apertures are narrow making it difficult to get in, there is enough space for one six footer to sit comfortably behind another.