ONE of the sleekest and best looking family hatchbacks on the market at the moment is the latest Citroen C4, which has lovely lines from every angle, and really stands out from the crowd.

It's also in a class of its own - not quite a straight hatchback and if anything, closer to a low and sophisticated coupe SUV like the BMW X4.

As well as petrol and diesel options, it is also available as a fully electric car with a range of 218 miles and fast charging times.

But where it really scores is in the immense comfort of the ride.

Not only are the seats soft and yet very supportive, but the suspension soaks up the worst of our pock-marked roads with complete disdain, and even takes the ever present speed humps with consummate ease.

This latest C4 was launched in 2020 and the range of power units might at first seem to be limited, but there is method in this because almost all are very economical as well as being smooth and quiet.

Petrol power starts with a 100bhp 1.2 PureTech turbo that covers the 0 to 60 sprint in 10.6 seconds and is rated at no less than 45 miles per gallon.

Next up is the same engine tweaked to produce 130bhp. This one cuts the sprint to under 10 seconds and can also do 45mpg.

Top performer is a 155bhp version of the same unit that cuts the acceleration time to a quick 7.8 seconds, but also drops the economy - to 38mpg.

There are two versions of the latest 1.5 BlueHDi diesel but the petrols are likely to be more common secondhand.

The first has 110bhp, which is enough for a 60 sprint of 10.9 seconds, but is government rated at 61mpg.

The second ups power to 130bhp, giving a sprint of 10.2 seconds and it too can do a best of 61mpg.

Finally comes the eC4 electric. This boasts 134bhp and because of the extra battery weight, a sprint of 9.3 seconds. Its capable of 218 miles between charges, and on the right charger, can ‘fill' to 80 per cent in 23 minutes - not much longer than it takes to get and drink a cup of coffee.

As well as those oh-so-comfortable seats inside, and way bigger than the average rear legroom, there's a fully digital instrument display and a touch screen for many functions.

Howsoever, the company has listened to buyers of previous models, where almost all controls were on a screen and difficult to use on the move.

So there are now proper buttons for the air conditioning and multi-media, and like almost all today's cars, the standard voice activation works very well.

The plush interior finish is all soft touch where it needs to be and the four trim levels are simple and straightforward.

All have a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment screen with smartphone pairing, LED headlights and 18 inch alloy wheels.

They also have lane keeping assistance, autonomous emergency braking and full climate control.

Mid-range Sense Plus adds a head-up display, sat-nav and reversing camera, while plusher Shine brings extra safety equipment including traffic sign recognition,adaptive cruise control and blind spot assistance.

Pay £17,000 for a '20 20-reg 130bhp 1.2 PureTech Sense Plus, or £21,000 for a '21 21-reg 130bhp 1.5 BlueHDi Shine Plus Auto.