FIAT’S 500 has overdone it on the steroids. I give you the 500L.

On the road: ALRIGHT so the 500 references are a bit far-fetched, but Fiat insist its more to do with style, fun and practicality than simply a number. And to that end they may have a point. This is not just a big box to get the family around. No, there’s character, desirability and no little charm to be found in the 500L - just look at that cartoon-like front end. What’s not to love? Around town, it’s great little mover despite its proportions. Its light steering makes negotiating town streets a breeze and it also has a great turning circle to make supermarket parking problems a thing of the past. Beyond the city limits, the 500L loses some of its composure, but stay within its comfort zone and it still works as a long-distance load-lugger. Somewhat surprisingly, given the dimensions, you don’t really feel like it will tip over in corners and while the ride can seem a little firm, it’s not at all uncomfortable. While petrol engines are available, I’d probably opt for the 1.6 Multijet diesel as in our test car. It’s not going to get your juices flowing, but there’s a enough power to deal with hills and gradients and overtaking is fine, so long as you are sensible. My only real criticism is that it will probably be a little too vocal for some tastes.

On the inside: THIS is the 500L’s trump card. It plays its hand wonderfully, combining space with style and inventiveness. Fiat say there are 1,500 possible configurations - I did find a few, but I’ll have to take them at their word for the remainder. Huge amounts of glass, including a full-length panoramic roof, mean its an incredible light and airy place in which to be seated. Much thought appears to have gone into the layout of the dash and surrounding area. It’s fresh enough to stand out from the crowd, but ergonomically sound as well.

What do you get: THERE are three trim levels - Pop Star, Easy and Lounge with four different engines - a 1.4 petrol and 875cc TwinAir turbo a 1.3 and a 1.6 litre Multijet 2 turbo diesels. Both the Pop Star and the Easy are identically priced at £14,990, but offer different specifications. The Lounge, as in our test car, costs £1,400 more but Fiat says is packed with £2,000 worth of extra gear. Standard equipment on our car includes 16ins alloys - we had the optional 17ins - body coloured electrically adjustable door mirrors, fixed glass roof, power steering, start and stop engine function, automatic lights with rain sensor, 5ins touchscreen radio, Bluetooth, leather steering wheel with audio controls, electric front and rear windows, rear parking sensors and front fog lights.

How practical is it: IT’S rare that my missus sits in the back of my test cars, given that we have three kids. But in order to split them up on a particularly tempestuous journey in the 500L, she opted to take a turn on the rear seat. Expecting to be rubbing shoulders, quite literally, with Boys Two and Three, she was more than pleasantly surprised to discover just how much room there was back there. There’s plenty of space in every direction and the height of the seats means you can see what’s happening up front as well. There are no end of storage areas - 22 in total - and the room in the boot is more than a match for its rivals, coming in at 400 litres. Fiat’s Cargo Magic Space system also means it can also be split into sections. Drop the seats, which fold and the seat bases then roll fowards, and that increases to more than 1,300 litres. What’s more, the front passenger seat also collapses to aid the loading of bulky items.

Running costs: THE 500L appeared well built and certainly stood up well to sustained use by my children over half-term. Fiat says you should manage 62.8mpg on the combined cycle. CO2 emissions come in at 117g/km. Insurance group is 18.

Verdict: STYLISH, practical and fun. I didn’t expect to like the 500L, but ended up loving it.

Alternatives: MINI Countryman, Citroen C3 Picasso.