The new buzzword from the motor industry is crossover, a blend of features from SUVs, MUVs and hatchbacks.

Peugeot joined the crossover movement with its 3008 and now there's an even more attractive smaller car based on the 208 coming on the market. Called the 2008, this is a car that will have some special appeal to rural drivers because of a feature called Grip Control.

Grip Control allows the new 2008 perform well in off-road driving conditions and is, in my view, the company's best kept secret. The system operates to improve traction in wet and slippery ground conditions, whether on or off the road.

I had the opportunity to test the new car and the system during the international launch in the Alsace region of France last week. The 2008 is impressive in many respects and will be available in Ireland with a choice of engines.

The entry model will have a three-cylinder 1.2 litre petrol engine that will be available with a stop/start system. This will ensure the car has a CO2 figure lower than 100g/km, making it almost as cost-effective as the next stage up diesel engine version.

For me, the car that drove the best during the test drives was the 1.4 litre turbo-diesel model. It has a reasonable level of power, modest acceleration at 14 seconds in a 0 to 100km/hr dash and should be cost-effective to buy and own.

We took the car across some interesting hillside test routes and on to motorways to assess its performance. Relative to the bigger 1.6 litre diesel engine version, the 1.4 engine was more suited to the car in terms of comfort and ease of use.

The economy figures are also impressive. It's difficult to judge economy in these conditions but with a low CO2 figure of 104g/km, it has to be very fuel-efficient. A test here at home will prove that better.

In a styling sense, the 2008 is more cautious than the recently launched Renault Captur that's set to appeal to the same market. Peugeot are less adventurous with their design and they are hoping this feature will give it wider appeal.

The overall styling is clean and modern and the interior is well designed but let down a little by a very plastic finish that's bound to show signs of wear very easily. That hard plastic finish extended to the seat height adjustment levers that were not comfortable to use.

The boot is bigger than that of a Peugeot 208 SW and that's a useful bonus. So too is the fact that the boot folds flat with the rear seats down.

There's loads of safety kit on the car. It has six airbags and all the modern braking systems with hill-hold on some models. There are easy-to-find isofix brackets in the rear for child seats. The 2008 has yet to undergo the more stringent Euro NCAP crash tests and the Peugeot team is keeping its fingers crossed in the hope of a five-star safety award.

What really impressed me was the value offered in the two extra features. The afore-mentioned Grip Control system, which just adds €350 to the cost of the car and the Park Assist system which adds €300 to the price. Not the most expensive in terms of extras and real value for rural drivers and for anyone who finds parking a hassle.

The Grip Assist system uses features such as ABS, EBD and traction control to vary the power to the front wheels. The system increases the car's traction in slippy conditions without adding weight because it works through the electronic components already fitted to the car. The system adds no weight to the car, compared with typical 4x4 systems that usually add weight to lower economy

All this adds up to a car that's stylish, practical and affordable with a list price that is going to be close to €18,000 for the petrol version and marginally over €19,000 for the diesel car. The 1.4 litre diesel model is the best in the pack from my driving experience.

The car will be here around the start August and its worth waiting for as it will give the Nissan Juke, Opel Mokka and new Renault Captur a real run for their money.