AT first glance the only obvious link between Fiat’s funky little 500 and the five-door 500L is the name. But the pair share some fantastically Italian eccentricities.

While the 500 is a fashion-led, mildly-retro, cheeky city car for the young and young at heart, the 500L appears to be an altogether more grown-up, versatile vehicle.

Its instant appeal is clear. With five seats, a flexible interior and a five-star safety rating, it is plenty large enough to soak up the demands of family life.

With its high-riding driving position, the 500L has an airy feel thanks to large amounts of glass and a panoramic sunroof that extends the length of the cabin.

Initially, I thought the test car’s turbo-diesel engine was on the rumbly side at tickover. But a couple of 150-mile runs won me over completely.

The 1.6-litre MultiJet 2 engine’s 105 horsepower delivers lively acceleration and quiet, effortless motorway cruising.

Combine that with the possibility of topping 60mpg in day-to-day use and you have a relaxed, easy-to- manage, winning combination.

Families will be particularly fond of this car thanks to its practicality. Its roof is 6cm higher than the Vauxhall Meriva and its 400-litre boot gives it 50 litres more than a Volkswagen Golf, allowing it to hold up to five suitcases or a full-size pushchair.

With the front passenger seat folded forwards, the 500L will accommodate objects that are 2.4m long.

Oxford Mail:

The Fiat's eye-catching interior

The cabin apparently has no fewer than 22 handy compartments, though I could not find them all, to hold everything from mobile phones to water bottles and an umbrella.

The seats are clever too, being able to be moved fore and aft, reclined and folded separately. The rear seats have an optional central head restraint and arm rest and a function giving a flat floor space from the rear of the boot to the front seats.

The boot too can be split into a variety of spaces, so that fragile items can be kept away from heavy, clean from dirty and wet from dry.

Priced from about £15,000, the 500L comes in three trim levels, Pop Star, Easy and Lounge, and four engine options: 1.4-litre Fire petrol and the 875cc TwinAir Turbo, plus the 1.3 (with manual and automatic transmissions) and 1.6-litre MultiJet 2 turbo diesels.

The range-topping Lounge model comes with everything from dual-zone automatic climate control, 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic lights and wipers with rain sensors, an electrochromatic rear view mirror, rear parking sensors and rear electric windows.

While the 500L is built in Serbia – in the former Zastava car plant at Kragujevaca revamped at the cost of more than a billion euros – it retains some of Fiat’s ridiculously Italian qualities.

What other car maker offers the option of a Lavazza espresso coffee machine in the console – complete with spoon and sugar holders?

AT A GLANCE

  • Price: £18,890
  • Insurance group: 18 (1-50)
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 62.8mpg
  • Top speed: 112mph
  • Length: 414.7cm/163.2in
  • Width: 178.4cm/70.2in
  • Luggage capacity: 12.1 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity: 11 gallons/50 litres
  • CO2 emissions: 117g/km
  • Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles