IN a world of look-alike cars it's nice to drive something that stands out in the crowd.

And few cars stand out in the crowd more than the new G70 from Genesis.

Being a new brand to the UK Genesis models are still somewhat scarce on our roads so spotting one is not an everyday occurrence.

But if you do see one you will be enticed to take a second glance.

With its sleek, coupe-like lines, Aston Martin-like front and low tapering roofline this is one elegant estate car, or as Genesis likes to call it, shooting brake.

And that low overall height and wide stance results in a low centre of gravity which ensures composed handling and leech-like grip on the road.

This new entrant into the premium estate car market aims to challenge the dominance of brands like BMW, Audi and Jaguar by providing a credible and different alternative.

The car is available with either a 2.0-litre petrol engine or - as driven here - a 2.2-litre diesel.

And with 197 bhp you not only get the looks but performance to match, with a top speed of 140 miles per hour and a sharp 0-62 mph acceleration time of 7.7 seconds.

The G70 is a five-seat, five-door car with decent interior space, although the rear leg room can be a little limited if you're over 6ft tall.

There's a powered tailgate beneath which you can accommodate 465 litres of luggage rising to a very generous 1,535 litres with the rear seatbacks lowered.

Take the driver's seat and the build quality is immediately apparent. The doors close with a nice feeling of solidity, all the switches and knurled dials have a robust feel to them and everything is logically placed and falls easily to hand.

The on-board equipment levels are high, with electrically adjustable heated seats for winter, cooled seats for summer and a heated steering wheel - not to mention a head-up display so you don't have to take your eyes off the road to know what speed you are doing.

And this being the Sport Line version there are the added distinguishing features of a dark chrome finish on the window surrounds and front grille as well as upgraded Brembo brakes with their distinctive red callipers.

A 10.25 inch touch screen gives access to all onboard functions as well as the satellite navigation system or you can use the voice recognition system to simply tell the car what you want to do.

On the road four choice of driving mode allow you to tailor the car to suit the road conditions and your mood. There's Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ and each one alters the steering and damper response as well as the throttle and transmission feedback.

And if you select Sport or Sport+ the side bolsters on the driver's seat immediately tighten up to hold you in place just in case you want to experience the thrill-a-minute driving that this car can provide.

The beefy 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox which is smooth and seamless but there are paddles behind the steering wheel in case you want to override it.