CITREON'S first-ever Sports Utility vehicle, the C-Crosser, is now available in the UK.

Part of the combined Mitsubishi, Chrysler, Peugeot and Citroen effort the C-Crosser is distinctly Citroen in styling with its signature badging, chrome trim , chevron-embellished bonnet, sloping roofline and eye-catching headlamps.

On the inside there is a simple yet stylish dash featuring aluminium trim and a special soft finish, whilst all occupants benefit from the ergonomically designed seats.

The cabin also features a flexible 5+2 seating configuration.

Making it easy to exit the third row seats, or to reconfigure the boot lay-out, two buttons located internally next to the rear wheel arches allow the second row seats to be electronically folded forwards.

he two occasional use seats in the rear can be cleverly folded away under the floor, while the second row of seating also slides and reclines for greater comfort.

When it comes to luggage, the maximum boot capacity stands at 510 litres with five seats in place, or a 1,686 litres with all the rear seats folded away.

For added convenience, the lower section of the C-Crosser's two-piece tailgate can be dropped down to lower the sill to 600mm. Once down, it also doubles as a handy bench, supporting loads of up to 200kg.

The C-Crosser is equipped with a fuel-efficient, low emission156bhp 2.2HDi common rail diesel engine fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox which powers the C-Crosser from zero to 62mph in under 10 seconds and on to a top speed of 124mph.

Boasting nearly 40mpg on the combined cycle, the powerplant emits 191g/km of CO2 and it can also run on 30per cent bio-diesel without any modification.

Normally running in two-wheel drive mode, drivers can opt to use four-wheel drive (giving the C-Crosser improved stability, while the full Lock mode is designed to help in very low grip conditions like mud, snow and ice.

C-Crosser is offered in two trim levels - VTR+ and Exclusive with both models featuring automatic air conditioning, six airbags, alarm, a 5+2 seating configuration, cruise control, automatic headlamps, ABS and ESP with traction control as standard.

The Exclusive adds leather upholstery, rear parking sensors, 18 in alloys and a 6 CD autochanger.

Prices are £22,790 for the VTR+ and £25,490 for the Exclusive.