ALFA ROMEO STELVIO

It’s easy to see the appeal of SUVS – they offer practicality and comfort while the raised ride height gives great all-round visibility. They don’t always score highly in the style stakes, but you can trust the Italians to take care of that and as a result the Stelvio is a very pretty car – it’s almost a shame to get it muddy!

Alfa Romeo’s new 4x4 offers high levels of safety equipment – all models are fitted with technology to make your braking distance shorter. Additional systems alert you and then slow the car down if they sense you may be about to have a crash and will warn you if there’s a car in your blind spot or you wander out of lane. The cruise control monitors traffic conditions and keeps a safe distance between you and the car in front.

As you’d expect from a premium car such as this, the interior is well built and luxurious with top-quality wood and leather fittings, along with an attractive infotainment system, which has an impressive eight speakers. From around £39,000