SWOOPY styling, big dramatic grille and a sporty profile.

The Hyundai i40 Tourer is a sharp looking estate that's muscling in on the established German opposition thanks to its heady mix of good value and exciting styling.

What it lacks - at the moment - is the sort of high end badge appeal that Audi, BMW and Merc can muster. Britain tends to be one of the most status conscious markets in the world, but gradually buyers are learning to appreciate a good deal hence Hyundai's surging sales.

Despite the sporty lines and steeply raked rear, the Tourer is well placed in the space race boasting 553 litres of luggage room with the rear seats in place and a up to 1,719 litres when they are folded down.

Room for passengers is ample with enough space to stretch your legs front and back in a leasing ambience.

Only one engine choice is available though - a 1.7-litre diesel in either 114bhp or 139bhp form - which could rule out some potential customers who may prefer petrol power or a gutsier diesel.

We drove the more powerful version in Premium trim, the top option from a choice of four trim levels.

Now available with twin clutch automatic gearbox, this year's model has LED daytime running lights, new styled tail lights and a better sat nav system plus a better quality interior.

Additional sound proofing has also helped refinement. The Premium model gets the bonus of a panoramic glass opening sunroof, electric power tailgate, heated steering wheel and electric adjustable front seats.

The four cylinder diesel is a decent performer that blends a miserly appetite for fuel with reasonable acceleration.

But despite its racy shape, the Tourer has few pretentions towards being anything else than a practical, family load carrier. Nevertheless, it's sprightly enough both through the gears - 62mph is reached in around 10 seconds - and there's ample toque to provide reasonable high gear acceleration.

The diesel unit is pleasantly muted and Hyundai's build quality is excellent with little sign of harshness or vibration. Fuel consumption with the DCT gearbox averaged 46mpg during the 500 mile test.

A big plus on the tax front are the low emission levels of 123g/km which means benefit-in-kind tax is kept low. A further point for cost conscious owners to take into account is the five year warranty with unrestricted mileage.

Steering is a bit on the light side offering just a hint of road feel, yet the cornering is surefooted with safe front-drive characteristics that are unlikely to get anyone in trouble. Bumps and pot-holes are coped with well and the ride is generally comfortable and composed despite some cornering roll during enthusiastic driving.

With competitive pricing and striking looks the i40 Tourer succeeds in its aim of being a non-nonsense family hold-all that delivers decent performance and strong economy at a sensible price.