BUYERS of Jaguar's compact XE range are now spoiled for choice when it comes to deciding which one to go for.

But for a complete package boasting performance, economy and four-wheel-drive it has to be the XE Portfolio AWD.

With 240bhp on tap from a 2.0-litre diesel engine the XE Portfolio will whisk you to 62 miles per hour in just 6.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 155 miles per hour. More than enough to satisfy most XE buyers.

It's the sort of performance you would normally associate with a much larger engine or a petrol one or a combination of the two.

But because it's diesel power you also get a vehicle capable of almost 50 miles per gallon.

With those sort of credentials - plus all-wheel-drive - it's not going to be cheap of course. And while the XE range starts from around £31,000 the XE Portfolio is priced at £42,580.

For that, however, the Portfolio version also gets a host of features that standard XE models don't.

These include perforated Windsor leather seats which are electrically adjustable, special 18-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights with a power washer and a Meridian sound system.

In addition you can personalise your car still further. With a few choice extras the car driven here had a price tag of just short of £48,000.

All that said you get a lot for your money with the Portfolio both in terms of luxury and performance.

For while the XE is the smallest car in the Jaguar range it still matches all its larger siblings when it comes to build quality and luxury.

Doors close easily with a nice solid clunk and when you are on the road the cabin is impressively quiet with no obvious audible indication that you are driving a diesel until you accelerate really hard.

On the road the handling is spot on. The steering is pin sharp and the lightweight aluminium body helps to ensure you can corner at speed with little of no body roll.

There's also the reassurance that with four-wheel-drive an element of power from the rear wheel biased system will be instantly diverted to the front wheels when there's any danger of the car losing grip.

The low seating position means a real sportscar feel to the XE and you feel at one with the car.

As you push the starter button the now traditional circular Jaguar gear selector rises up theatrically for use in either drive or sport and you also have the option of setting the car in dynamic or comfort drive.

The dashboard is typically Jaguar with a traditional three dial layout in front of the driver and a centre set touch screen for on-board features and satellite navigation. Sensibly the normal analogue speedometer has a digital readout in its centre so you can see what speed you are doing in an instant.

Standard features include rear parking sensors but surprisingly for a car of this price non at the front.