IT'S ten years since Honda stopped production of the HR-V crossover SUV which, when introduced in 1999, established a new type of roomy, outdoor lifestyle motor.

Since its withdrawal many of its competitors picked up the challenge with the crossover idea and Honda fell behind in what is now a big segment in that sector of the market with the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, new Renault Kadjar or even the smaller Nissan Juke attracting big sales.

Now the HR-V is back and still offers great interior space plus sleek new looks, an excellent equipment level and Honda's renowned quality build level.

Honda believes that around 70 per cent of new HR-V customers will be conquest buyers from other brands and it is designed to appeal to young singles and pre-family couples.

Its coupe-like styling should appeal to the younger owner with sleek lines, a sporty stance with fluid curves and an aggressive black grille.

Interior space is excellent, in part due to the fact that the HR-V has its low profile fuel tank under the front seats, which frees up the underfloor space beneath the rear seats. This allows the platform to accommodate Honda's Magic Seat system, a popular feature on many models in the Honda range.

Boot room with all seats folded allows for 1,533 litres of storage space and even with seats in place there is 470 litres of usable luggage storage. The new HR-V now has the largest storage capacity in its class, ideal for those who live a lively, sporty lifestyle.

I found the driving position excellent with good all-round visibility with seating comfortable and supportive. There are high-quality soft touch materials in the cabin with brushed chrome touches giving it a premium feel.

All controls and switches are easy to operate with a central seven-inch touchscreen multi-function Honda Connect infotainment system as standard.

A Garmin navigation system is standard on EX spec and as an option on SE models.

Standard equipment on the entry level S model is very good with features including cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, heated door mirrors, alarm, steering wheel audio controls, Bluetooth hands free telephone, CD tuner and a DAB radio.

SE, SE Navi and EX specifications add extras such as leather seats, rear view camera, panoramic roof, heated seats, automatic lights and wipers and much more.

Safety is high in the list of Hondas new HR-V with every model fitted with the Japanese company's City-Brake Active System as standard. SE or EX models feature Advanced Driver Assist System which uses radar sensors, plus forward and rear-facing cameras detecting possible collisions, traffic sign recognition and lane departure warning.

The HR-V in the UK will be front-wheel drive only, and the choice of engines are a new 1.5-litre 130bhp petrol and 1.6-litre 120bhp diesel. Emissions are 120g/km for the petrol and 104 for the diesel engine.

Both petrol and diesel are available in manual six-speed gearbox, but the petrol is also available with CVT semi-automatic transmission.

All offer good fuel consumption with Honda claiming the diesel S version giving a combined return of 70.6mpg and the SE CVT petrol version 52.3mpg.

Of the three I preferred the diesel version which, although not the most powerful of motors, tackled our mixed test route with easy. It can sound a bit harsh under fierce acceleration but otherwise does the job.

The HR-V handles well with very little body roll on tight bends and its steering is light with good feel. The six-speed gear change is slick and positive and brakes are sharp and positive.

For its size it also has a good turning circle which makes for easy manoeuvring and parking.

Soundproofing is excellent with very little road, wind or engine noise and on a long journey this is important.

The latest Honda goes on sale in the UK at the end of August with prices from £17,995 for the entry-level S petrol model, rising to £24,945 for the flagship EX diesel.