THERE is a school of thought that the MPV or people carrier has had its day with the arrival of the incredibly popular SUV.

Such has been the onslaught that many models have fallen by the wayside but the delightful little Ford Tourneo Courier remains a flag bearer for the kind of car that properly fits a lot of people's lifestyles.

And indeed, when it turned up on my doorstep coincidentally at the same time as my far flung family, it proved a godsend getting them all in, particularly from the airport with all their luggage.

It is quirkily boxy-looking with a neat snub nose, a high roof - and in this case bright roof rails - a straight and wide rear hatch with a sporty antenna and 15in alloys.

The short nose and straight back make it very easy to park and manoeuvre and it is surprisingly willing over even difficult terrain.

What Ford is aiming for with this car is outdoorsy folk who want a car that will not only take them but also their gear. The boot offers 708 litres of space with the seats up and more than double that - 1,656 litres - with all seats down. For anyone into sport or weekend hobbies where you need to lug a lot of stuff that is an excellent amount of room.

A feature of this car is its sliding rear doors which makes access really easy whether you are putting in a child's seat or parked in a small space in a car park.

It also has lots of window space providing an airy light feeling to the interior. The front windscreen is particularly big for great visibility and it comes with Ford's amazing Quickclear technology for rapid defrosting in winter.

There is in only one trim level, Zetec, which is the second top-of-the-range and two engine sizes - Ford's award winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine or a 1.5-litre diesel. both manual, like the car, the choice is simple but efficient.

Inside there are plenty of wipe clean surfaces and rather nice two-tone seats. The height of the Tourneo Courier - almost 6ft - mean this headroom is terrific and the legroom in the back seats is excellent. There are also fold down tables on the rear of the front seats for the kids to set up their smartpads.

It comes with DAB, Bluetooth, USB and a docking device for phones. Privacy glass was fitted on my version for those occasions when you have to change in a hurry and there are piles of accessories underlining the ‘go-anywhere' attitude of this car, like roof and rear bike carriers, a roof box and tow bars.

The entertainment system is easy to use and the centre console is clean and uncluttered. There are plenty of storage spaces making this an ideal car to load the family into and just take off.

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is well proven and the 1.5-litre diesel which I was driving was a great match for this very willing little car.

We spun along the motorway and hurried up winding country lanes. The six-speed manual gearbox was smooth and efficient and the turning circle of this car makes U-turns a cinch when you go up the wrong road. All in all it felt powerful enough and very well balanced.