The imagination FACTFILE CROSSOVER IS SO BIG ON IDEAS

same as the one in the new Clio, and that’s a good thing.

The quality of materials used has also improved. There are soft materials on almost every surface and the option of an orange interior pack. It’s a shame you can only order it on the S-Edition.

Also only available on the top-level version is a 10in digital instrument cluster. The standard screen is 7in and there’s an optional 9.3in portrait-format one too.

It’s impressive, easy to use and has excellent graphics, so I’d certainly tick that box.

The other eyecatching feature is the “floating” centre console on which the gearlever of our sixspeed manual test car sits, and where on automatic cars the selecter is mounted. Ahead of it is a wireless charging plate for your phone and underneath it a storage area.

With a new platform comes new vital statistics, so the Captur is 110mm longer, 19mm wider and 17mm taller than it used to be.

The old car was hardly cramped, but now there is even more legroom. The rear seats slide back or forwards 160mm and the luggage area holds up to an impressive 536 litres.

Go for maximum legroom and you’ll still have a useful 422 litres of load space.

Not only is the body bigger, it’s also stiffer. On the road it feels more robust and is quieter too.

If you’re looking for a car that’s fun to drive then you’re looking in the wrong place. It’s not fun but it’s entirely acceptable, with light steering, surefootedness through corners, minimal body roll and an acceptable level of ride comfort.

Our test car is on 18in wheels but I suspect the 17in rims fitted to the TCe100 will give a better ride.

The 128bhp engine in this car is more than powerful enough. The lower-powered one might struggle a bit when fully loaded, but for most of the time it’ll be more than adequate.

The top-selling Volkswagen T-Cross is reckoned by most critics to be the best of the bunch in the packed world of compact crossovers. While the VW is very competent, I found it dull to look at inside and out.

My money would go on this more distinctive, interesting and equally capable new Renault.

MCLAREN seems to come out with a limited-edition supercar every week.

The Elva is the latest, and as you can see it has no roof or windscreen.

It’s powered by a 804bhp version of the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 used in all the company’s cars. McLaren says it will be quicker than the track-focused Senna due to it being the lightest car it has ever made. Older readers who are into motor racing might be familiar with the name. Elva was a Sussex-based race-car maker who provided the chassis for McLaren’s first sports car in the 1960s.

Only 399 Elvas will be made…and you’ll need to stump up £1,425,000 a pop.