Gone are the days when the estate car was a token addition to manufacturers' ranges.

Crudely extended saloon cars have been replaced by a multitude of carefully designed and impressive looking vehicles that now contest one of the most competitive areas of car sales.

According to MG Rover, more than a quarter of all upper-medium cars sold in the EU's five biggest markets are now estate cars.

The Rover 75 Tourer justifiably enters this market beginning with the entry level 1.8 litre Classic at £17,445 to the 2.5 litre V6. Attention to detail is continued in the interior of the Tourer which has a genuine luxury feel to it as well as the usual array of clever storage areas and cup holders.

Rover has always produced cars with good cockpits and this is no exception.

Controls are all easy to hand and the driving position affords excellent all round vision especially for an estate.

This 2.5 litre V6 model has plenty of grunt and offers a really enjoyable driving experience.

With a top speed of 131 mph and 0-60mph in 8.7 seconds according to the manufacturer, Rover has obviously felt no need to compromise performance for practicality in the Tourer.

Coupled with a competitive combined 30 mpg for this petrol model, this is a true all-rounder.

Where car makers have shown most development in their estates is in the handling.

Rover will soon be introducing a self-levelling suspension system as an optional extra on the Tourer.

This will enhance an already well balanced car. Beautifully smooth at cruising speeds, this car was also surprisingly agile around corners.

Increasingly, estates are fun cars to drive as attention is being paid to handling specifications so the driver can take advantage of the increasingly large power plants that are being levered under the bonnet.

An excellent satellite navigation system, television and air conditioning are pleasing additions to an already well-equipped car.

The 75 Tourer is a very refined vehicle with few, if any, discernible faults.

There are bigger and perhaps more practical estates on the market but for a blend of style, performance and boot space, the Tourer has few rivals.

All in all a thoroughly enjoyable drive and yet another quality addition to the Rover range.

n Contact: Swindon Automobiles, Dorcan Way, Swindon 01793 414200

Over the years, medium-size diesel cars have been a bit of a mixed bag really, with manufacturers subscribing to a growing need but not really addressing the fact that quite a few people outside of the rural community really prefer them.

All this has changed and with the tax changes next year, the diesel alternative looks increasingly attractive to a far wider audience.

One thing that the makers of Rovers have always catered for is the diesel-engined car market, and very successfully too.

While their diesel lumps have not, to put it mildly, been as sophisticated as many of today's offerings, the same could be said about those from what are arguably far more prestigious manufacturers.

Anyone who has had one of those old seven-seat Montego estates cars with a great big turbocharged diesel in it, can attest to the power and excitement of driving. The excitement stems from trying to control the thing going round corners!

Recently, I tested one of the new breed of well-put-together Rovers, a Rover 45 fitted with a transverse mounted 1994cc, four-cylinder, eight valve L-Series turbocharged and intercooled diesel with electronic controlled injection.

A trifle noisy it may be, but it is no slouch, with a top speed of 115 mph and achieving 60 mph in 10.6 seconds via a five-speed manual gearbox.

What I liked most was the the real torque throughout. Most rewarding. But what you really may want to know is that in the urban cycle the car does 39.8 mpg, extra urban 66.2 mpg and has a combined figure of 52.5 mpg.

Don't be fooled by the Rover blandness. It may be a diesel rather than its more spirited petrol-driven brother, but no less enjoyable to drive because of it.

And it has all the standard safety features you would expect, including ABS, airbags, and so on.

The car I tested had a tow bar and yes, it towed very well, a big plus in my book. Prices start at £11,815.

The very nature of the small car is to offer affordable motoring to a wide range of customers.

As such you expect to compromise on performance and refinement in the interests of economy.

Not so if you buy the new Rover 25. This is a small car with a big car feel. Rover claim that the 25 is the largest small-car in sector and I believe them.

The five-door model has a substantial exterior look and an impressive amount of interior space; four adults sat very comfortably on a two-hour round trip. The equipment levels are high too with power assisted steering, immobiliser/alarm, drivers airbag and stereo radio/cassette just some of the standard features. And a 60/40 split folding rear seat adds a versatile dimension to the 25.

Where Rover has really excelled is in incorporating the big car features of their 45 and 75 models in this, the baby of the fleet.

A reassuringly solid clunk of the door encloses the driver in a strong shell and a nice chunky steering wheel finishes off an impressive cockpit that lends itself to enjoyable and safe driving.

The performance is very impressive. The 1.1 injection engine has a top speed of 100 mph and 0-60 mph in 13.5 seconds according to the manufacturer.

So it's not going to leave you breathless but the car is more than up to the demands of urban and motorway driving and handles superbly.

This is a terrific little car. At 42 mpg combined it is economical and the five- door model is very practical. With a very competitive on-the-road price of £8,495 the Rover 25 1.1 injection sets the standard for the small car sector.