REMEMBER the fire-breathing, forest-munching Subaru Impreza?

The lumpy-looking saloon, with a burbling flat four engine, dominated international rallies and struck fear into established rivals.

Well, the somewhat more mundane Crosstrek SUV from the same Japanese firm is a near relative.

Understandably, its power is a fraction of the late lamented Impreza but the boxer engine and the solid build quality are very much in evidence.

The Crosstrek, propelled by a 2.0-litre, mild hybrid engine knocking out a modest 134bhp, is one of the few compact SUVs that comes with four-wheel-drive as standard. More significantly, it has genuine off-road ability.

The symmetrical 4WD system adopted by Subaru, rightly lauded for its innovations, endows it with a dexterity and a competence absent in many more expensive off-roaders. Rough tracks, muddy fields and rutted surfaces are easily coped with...not quite a Defender challenger but far more capable than many.

On the road, where most owners will spent most time, the Crosstrek is an undemanding companion with enough poke to keep up with the traffic, decent ride characteristics that swallow up road imperfections without qualm yet it's firm enough to limit body roll when pressing on through bends.

The cabin, like the rest of the car, feels tough and durable, though styling with an abundance of dark plastic is somewhat sombre and unexciting visually. Dials are clear to read and contained within an attractive central binnacle.

Less appealing is the fact that not even the passenger can operate the sat nav on the move. Obviously a safety feature preventing the driver from being distracted but an irritation when the ban also apples to the passenger.

There's plenty of head and legroom for four in the cabin. And those in the front are particularly well looked after - noticeably better than the previous version the XV.

Front seats are electrically adjustable, well shaped and hugely comfortable over long distances. The back seat bench is also generously proportioned and well raked.

Stowage space in the front is abundant with good-sized door pockets and bottle holders. Unfortunately, cargo room isn't quite so abundant. The hatchback rear boot has quite a high platform and can accommodate only 340 litres of luggage.

Noise levels on the move are generally low and helps to make the Crosstrek a relaxing long distance car. The only fly in the ointment is the CVT automatic gearbox which, like most similar transmissions, causes the engine to rev higher than necessary at times, reducing overall refinement.

Fuel consumption during our loan averaged 35mpg, almost the same as the official combined figure. With emissions of 174g/km, it is less clean than many competitors.

With a price tag of £36,000, the Crosstrek is remarkably well kitted out. Among the standard features are electric sliding glass sunroof, diamond alloy wheels, 2WD, sat nav, 11.6-inch touchscreen, automatic LED headlights, heated front seats and door mirrors.