WHEN it comes to design, you can usually count on Citroen to come up with something to brighten up the roads.

Continuing this tradition is the C3 Aircross, which is one of the most visually striking small SUVs launched in recent years.

The rise of the junior SUV has been continuing apace, with most mainstream car manufacturers having entered this lucrative market.

The funky C3 Aircross is a rather more appealing package than the vehicle it replaces, the C3 Picasso, which lacked the normal Gallic flair associated with the brand.

It might not be especially engaging to drive, but it does offer relaxed cruising ability, good fuel efficiency and decent ride comfort.

The first thing that strikes you is the likeness to the C3 supermini, although the Aircross is around 16cm taller and benefits from a more imposing front end.

And those who want to make their already-distinctive vehicle stand out from the crowd will find plenty of scope for personalisation, with no fewer than 90 colour combinations.

Customers can choose the colour of the roof and then combine it with a different body colour and a ‘colour pack’ which is applied to the roof bars, rear quarter-lights, door mirrors, front headlamp surrounds and wheel centre caps.

The interior also boasts some quirky design touches, with a wide selection of different colour palettes and materials to choose from.

Where the C3 Aircross is ahead of many of its class rivals is in the practicality bracket. The cabin feels capacious for a small car, with space in the rear also being plentiful. To make things even more flexible, the split rear seats slide backwards and forwards depending on what type of load you need to carry. That means the boot space is capable of increasing from 410 to a class-leading 520-litres. And the capacity increases still further once you fold the seats, with up to 1,289-litres becoming available. If you’re carrying a long load, the front passenger seat can be folded flat.

Three trim levels are available. ‘Touch’ models start at around the £14,000 mark and come equipped with air conditioning and cruise control. A step up the trim trail takes you to the ‘Feel’ models, which are more than £1,000 more expensive, and these add alloy wheels, electric rear windows and door mirrors. Top of the pile are the ‘Flair’ variants which come with climate-controlled air conditioning, satellite navigation and parking sensors. The version tested here was the Flair BlueHDi 120 fitted with grip control, which is an option well worthy of consideration, especially when you take into account the often-treacherous weather that has afflicted the Bradford district in recent weeks.

It offers bags of extra traction from both front wheels in testing conditions, including snow and other slippery surfaces, with the driver able to select modes at the turn of a dial. This very useful system also includes the fitting of ‘all-season’ tyres.

On the safety front, features include tyre pressure monitor, lane departure warning and hill start assist function.

Powered by a 1.6-litre diesel engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, the car offers reasonable performance, achieving 0-62mph in 10.7 seconds while returning 68.9mpg on the combined cycle.

In much the same way as the C3, the Aircross places more emphasis on comfort and cruising ability rather than outright performance and handling. With this in mind, the soft suspension complements the comfortable interior.

When you take into account the vehicle’s practicality, distinctive looks, plenty of personalisation options and a raft of kit that would make a larger SUV look well equipped, the C3 Aircross is a worthy contender in the small crossover ranks.

THE LOWDOWN

C3 Aircross Flair BlueHDi

PRICE: £19,810 on the road

INSURANCE GROUP: 18E

ENGINE: 1560cc four-cylinder diesel 120hp

ACCELERATION: 0-62mph in 10.7 seconds

ECONOMY: 68.9mpg combined

EMISSIONS: 107g/km

TRANSMISSION: Manual, front wheel drive