JAPANESE brand Subaru is a niche manufacturer that enjoys an excellent reputation for producing four-wheel drive vehicles.

Its Impreza saloon dominated international rallies for years and gave the company fame and boosted its sales.

These days Subaru concentrates on active leisure models and SUVs and is the only company that produces only four-wheel drive vehicles.

This year Subaru introduced the Crosstrek modelto replace the XV model in the brand's UK range alongside the Forester, Outback and Solterra. It is available in Limited and Touring trim levels with prices starting at £34,345 and rising to £36,345 for the range-topping Touring variant I sampled.

The Crosstrek looks very conventional with its jacked-up hatchback looks but it is a tough customer that isverycapable on andoff road.

It may not have the grunt or pace of the Impreza, but it does have the famous boxer engine and the solid build quality.

Underthe bonnet is a 2.0-litre, mild hybrid engine producing 134bhp and it is one of the few compact SUVs that comes with four-wheel-drive as standard.

The symmetrical 4WD system means it has genuineoff-road talent and it can easily compete with much more expensive off-roaders. It is popular with the likes of vets and farmers because it can tackle rough tracks, muddy fields and rutted roads with ease.

It is equally comfortable on normal roads and motorways, with a decent ride, limited body roll and enough power to keep up with other traffic.

The cabin hasclearlybeen built to last and like the rest of the car, it feels solid and durable without any flash. Dials are clear and easy to read but there is still a lot of dark plastic.

There is plenty of head and legroom for four to travel in comfort and the front seats are electrically adjustable and well trimmed.

The boot space is slightly disappointing at only 340 litres but the rear seats can be folded if you need more and there is lots of storage space inside the cabin.

The CVT gearbox can get a bit vocal if you push it too hard but otherwise there is little noise on the move and the Crosstrek feels fairly refined.

The Boxer engine means it is thirstier than most of its rivals and emissions at 174g/km are also higher.

You do get a lot of kit for the money with lots of standard features including an electric sliding glass sunroof, diamond alloy wheels, 4WD, sat nav, 11.6-inch touchscreen, automatic LED headlights, heated front seats and door mirrors as well as roof rails - sadly there is no wireless charger.

Another bonus is that the Crosstrek has all the latest safety systems and driver aids and was recently awardeda five-star rating by the Euro NCAP programme.