IT really is the big smoothie of high power diesels.

The Audi A5 Sportback 3.0-litre quattro is a showcase of all that is best in Audi know-how in an age driven by advanced technology.

The Sportback is a luxury large hatchback and unlike some other large hatches looks stunning.

Mixing fine styling and practicality is achieved without doubt giving many drivers who yearn for the lines of a sports car and have to drive a larger vehicle the best of both worlds.

This particular car featured the muscular V6 3.0-litre TDI power unit which gives diesel customers that punch in the back acceleration that is usually associated with petrol engines.

Couple this with the much praised quattro permanent all-wheel-drive transmission plus a seven-speed dual clutch auto transmission and you have car with the ‘wow'-factor built in.

With 152mph on tap from this 218ps engine plus a 0-62mph sprint factor of 6.4 seconds there are no reservations about this car's performance or its handling because it takes everything in its stride and is packed with driver and safety aids if ever things do not go to plan.

And its carbon footprint is not too bad either with a CO2 emissions rating of 125g/km and a combined mpg figure of 61.4.

This is one of the smoothest-running diesels available and coupled with commendable torque of 400Nm makes a formidable contender in the executive express market.

The test car had an impressive specification as standard was loaded with a few thousand pounds worth of optional extras bumping the standard price of £40,690 to £48,605.

For this you get items like a technology pack 19-inch multispoke alloys and an Audi virtual cockpit.

With this system and you'll instantly feel like you're driving a car from the future. Sitting in place of the conventional dials, the fully digital setup can display full screen sat nav mapping, media data or trip information alongside the speedometer and rev counter.

This car is very driver-focused and front seats are beautifully contoured with intuitively placed controsl falling easily to hand.

The A5 Sportback is no newcomer to the Audi line-up but it is one of the top options, competing in a crowded marketplace dominated by cars from rivals such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and the like.