THE last Honda HR-V did not attract much attention but the all-new third-generation car which arrived in January certainly turns more heads.

Parked beside Loch Lomond I was told by a female American tourist that my car was very cute and hoped that she would soon be able to buy one in the USA.

The HR-V has been with us for more than two decades but the new model is a huge improvement and is set to make more of an impression in the tough compact SUV market.

This latest HR-V is only available as a petrol hybrid and as you would expect from a Honda it does everything without fuss .

There are faster and more sporty compact SUVs available but the Honda concentrates on being comfortable, practical and safe.

Like all Honda products it will also be reliable and the new model is well priced and much more stylish.

My car came in two-tone paint and cost £32,660. It was the top Advance Style model and was crammed with all the equipment you could want.

Powered by a 1.5-litre iMMD engine combined with a CVT gearbox it was all about comfort rather than speed. It took 10.7 seconds to reach 62mph and has a top speed of 106mph but it always felt quick enough and never struggled on open roads or motorways.

Honda has ditched the rather dull looks of the old car and produced this stylish newcomer with its coupe-like sleek lines that feature a sloping roofline and light clusters combined with smart alloys and black wheel arches as well as hidden rear door handles.

Inside there is a real premium feel to the roomy cabin. The upmarket image is thanks to quality materials and soft-touch surfaces as well as a smart dashboard.

As you would expect there is full smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a nine-inch dash-mounted infotainment touchscreen with voice control, a six-speaker sound system, in-car Wi-Fi and a host of other features designed to enhance your driving experience and comfort.

The HR-V is powered by a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine paired to two electric motors to deliver a combined 131ps and 253Nm or torque. In addition, the battery pack has grown to increase the EV-only driving range and improve fuel economy.

It may not be very quick but the HR-V is well-balanced and agile and its light steering, parking aids, make sensors and cameras make it ideal for town centres where it will spend most of its time.

It also offers lots of grip out on the open road and you can select from three drive modes called Econ, Normal and Sport that alter the characteristics of the car's performance and single-pedal driving is possible when the highest setting for regenerative braking is selected.

There is excellent all-round visibility thanks to the elevated seating and four adults can travel in comfort.

The new HR-V delivers a combined 52.3mpg with carbon emissions of 122g/km according to the latest WLTP figures and I achieved just over 50mpg without trying during a busy week of motoring.

Just don't push the HR-V too quickly as the economy plunges and the CVT transmission gets noisy - it is better just to enjoy the car's many strengths.

Practical and family friendly the HR-V features Honda's clever Magic Seats which enables the rear seats to be moved backwards or forwards to create more legroom or extra luggage space.

The boot is accessed via a powered tailgate and can accommodate 304 litres of luggage, increasing to 1,290 litres with the rear seats folded flat. There is extra space beneath the boot floor and stacks of storage space inside the cabin.

Honda has packed the HR-V with all the latest safety features and driver aids and as a result it was recently awarded a maximum five-star rating when tested by Euro NCAP.

You get Honda SENSING which brings collision mitigation throttle control, forward collision warning, low speed following, traffic sign recognition, road departure mitigation, lane keep assist and eCall in Europe. There is also blind spot warning, cross traffic monitor, vehicle stability assist and brake assist aids.