In the past estate cars have usually been the ugly ducklings of car ranges, surrendering style and desirability and embracing practicality and capacious flat load decks like aircraft carrier run ways. However of late manufacturers have addressed this issue and begun to produce "lifestyle" estates that redress the balance and trade ultimate accommodation for a good deal more in the beauty stakes.

Peugeots have always been some of the better looking cars in their classes with a little bit of gallic flair being thrown into some fairly anonymous market sectors - the mid sized saloon market being one of the more bland. Peugeot's previous offering, the 406, was in itself a stylish car with the coupe in particular dropping jaws. The new Peugeot 407 takes this somewhat further with dramatic features, somewhat ironically by having a gaping mouth itself. The front end of the car is dominated by the huge opening in the bumper that traverses almost the entire width of the front of the car. It gives the 407 a very distinctive face, particularly in tandem with the headlights that trail back far into the front wing.

The estate version tested here (or SW in Peugeot-speak) retains the rakish front end of the saloon and takes it a stage further; in my eyes it is actually a more complete design that the four-door car with the cleverly shaped glasshouse lending an air of drama as well as basic good looks. I still have issues with the long front overhang that appears to be purely for the sake of the styling (and maybe crash absorbency) as the engine sits some way back from the nose of the car.

The 407 SW's rakish looks also take their toll on several other aspects. The steep A-pillar treatment leaves the base of the windscreen several feet away from the driver, and those who like to be able to see the bonnet will have to hoist the seat a considerable distance and even this won't give complete confidence as to where the extremities of that front overhang are located. The A-pillar also causes a large blind spot on both flanks. It makes parking in tight spaces and negotiating confined spaces a much more laborious and tense process than it should be.

Driving the car I was very aware of just how far back I was sat relative to the nose, a feeling confirmed by the rear legroom that isn't as generous as I'd have expected' indicating how much of the length is taken up by the bonnet and screen, and those who are used to wardrobe carrying capacious estate cars won't be overly impress by the load space. However, for 95% of the population the boot is more than roomy enough and the limitations on the packaging are a price worth paying for driving one of the most eye-catching and stylish estates on the market today.

The cabin on this SE spec level car was bright and cheery aided no end by the full-length glass roof revealed by the motorised screen in the front headlining. This clever feature allows light to flood in to the cabin, already well served by the generous glasshouse. The fit and finish was notably good and the potential for disaster given the depth of the dash necessitated by the angle of the front windscreen is well averted by a multi layered treatment with integrated vents that is much more pleasing on the eye than a great slab of featureless plastic would have been.

Our test car was fitted with an integrated satnav/stereo/phone package that worked very well allowing operation of all the controls through one interface. This system is in addition to the generous standard equipment that includes bi-zone climate control and that panoramic glass roof, as well as the features you'd expect such as full electrics. A raft of active safety devices and airbags are also included, features that assisted the Peugeot 407 achieve a five-star Euro NCAP rating, a significant consideration for a family car.

The 1.6-litre HDi engine offers excellent economy and only feels as slow as the figures suggest when extended; even then it retains its refinement and composure. Peugeot's diesels have always been amongst the best and I'd find it hard to justify a petrol engined 407, although the 136bhp HDi looks like a better option than the 110bhp 1.6, for only £900 more. Nonetheless, if the majority of your miles are accrued on the motorway the 1.6-litre car will serve you well, humming away in the background sipping derv at around 45mpg. The refinement of the 407 at a cruise is impressive in terms of the lack of wind and road noise, as well as the hushed tones of the diesel.

The gear shift in our test car was a little more vague than I normally associate with a Peugeot, particularly between 4th and 5th, but the 407 SW steers accurately, if somewhat lacking in weight and feel, and handles fluently courtesy of a well set up suspension that also enables the car to offer a supple ride, soaking up expansion gaps and urban road scars alike. Personally I'd be tempted to overlook the optional larger alloys that may detract from the ride and handling balance found on this car shod with 205/60 tyres on 16-inch rims. The brake pedal is the usual over servoed affair found in most Peugeots, but once you adjust to the extra retardation in the initial travel they prove themselves to be strong with decent feel.

Overall the Peugeot 407 SW is a talented addition to the marketplace and one that allows the buyer the chance to buy a stylish estate as opposed to some of the more anonymous competition. There are few cars where I would chose the estate over the saloon but this is one of them. Packaging compromises aside the distinctive 407 is a fine family wagon offering mile munching cruising and a moderate back road driving experience along with a fine cabin all at a very competitive price. For us, the 2-litre HDi would be the pick of the range, endowing the car with more performance with only a small penalty in fuel consumption when compared to the 1.6 tested here. If you need ultimate load capacity in a mid-size estate then some rivals offer more space, but none offers more style and individuality.