Subaru Levorg GT 1.6i DIT Lineartronic

Price from: £27,495 Engine: 1.6-litre flat four turbocharged petrol Transmission: 6-speed Lineartronic CVT Max power: 170PS Max torque: 184lbft @ 1,800rpm Max speed: 130mph Acceleration (0-62mph): Urban: 33.3mpg Extra urban: 44.8mpg Combined: 39.8mpg Emissions(CO2): 164g/km 8.9sec centre of the dash.

They say you can’t have it all and, to some extent, the Levorg is proof of that. Quality is much improved, it’s spacious and its dynamic ability is beyond question but its ride is compromised, the steering is vague and the transmission makes a poor bedfellow for the otherwise spirited power plant.

You’d imagine that its flaws would be enough to send the Levorg to the back, or somewhere near it, of the pack but the security of the allwheel-drive and tough-as-nails construction justifiably edges it back into contention.