WHILE it's unlikely anyone is set to unveil a classic to rival the E-Type Jaguar sometime soon, these are exciting times for car design.

Look around and there are plenty of aesthetically pleasing creations - and they're not all in the supercar bracket.

I particularly like the fact French car-makers, who were once renowned for their rather quirky Gallic design flair, are now firing on all cylinders again.

There was a time when the likes of Peugeot, Renault and Citroen were making some fairly non-descript and anonymous looking vehicles but all that seems to have changed of late.

Peugeot's 3008 is a case in point. In essence it's a functional family motor but it also manages to be immensely appealing and original too.

So what is it exactly?

Peugeot calls it a Crossover - one of those category tags that seem to have quite a few applications in the industry.

It once referred to cars that sat somewhere between an estate and an SUV, such as a Subaru Outback or a Volvo XC70.

In this case it refers to the fact the 3008 is an amalgam of a hatchback, an SUV and an MPV. It has a hatch, sits quite high off the ground and is roomy inside so could be said to tick all those boxes.

Once upon a time that would be that as far as family motors are concerned and not much else would be demanded of it.

But these days motorists expect everything and more from their pride and joy. It's not enough to be easy on the eye and be able to fit people and their belongings in with ease. Gone are the days when a car simply had to do its job.

Even a regular family runabout that is bought primarily for reasons of practicality needs to offer a decent drive too and this respect the 3008 more than measures up.

One of Peugeot's great strengths at the moment is that models throughout its range offer a decent drive and the 3008 certainly delivers as a driver's car.

The lower powered variant of the 2.0-litre diesel engine offers great performance combined with frugal economy.

You can opt for an extra 13 horsepower with an automatic version that will set you back an additional £1,000. It boasts a slightly higher top speed but fuel economy drops by around 8mpg on average.

The 3008 feels well built, stiff and sturdy, and its added height and relative bulk do little to hamper handling that is impressive on the open road.

I tend to judge cars by how quickly I feel at home in them. As far as the 3008 went familiarity was fairly instantaneous – always a good sign.

In fact I loved pretty much everything about it.

That high driving position offers a great view of the road and the capacious interior, some snazzy instrumentation and those singularly French design lines really do combine to imbue the whole car with just the right degree of individuality without venturing into the realms of the peculiar.

FAST FACTS

Peugeot 3008 2.0-litre HDi 150 Exclusive

Price: £21,495

Mechanical: 150bhp 1,997cc 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox

Max speed: 121mph

0-60mph: 9.7 seconds

Combined mpg: 50.4

Insurance group: 9

CO2 emissions: 146g/km

BIK rating: 20%

Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles