THE number of quality crossovers flooding the market is rising constantly with buyers demanding top quality vehicles that are economical to run, packed with technology, practical and feature a reasonable price-tag too.

Those strict criteria certainly put the pressure on manufacturers to come up with the goods but the striking Mazda CX-5 is a winner on all counts.

The rugged, athletic-looking model is an instant attention-grabber with its bold, sporty appearance and stand-out features include 19-inch gunmetal alloys, muscular wheel arches, a large grille, twin tailpipes, a high mounted spoiler, body-coloured door mirrors and handles, adaptive front lights, tinted windows, a tow bar and lots more besides.

Move inside and you are greeted by a wealth of techno treats and a very modern and comfortable interior.

The leather seats are power adjustable and can be heated, there is a brilliant pitch-perfect Bose surround-sound system with 19, speakers, sat nav with a seven-inch colour touchscreen, and a whole host of other features that are accessed via a simple-to-operate dial that is conveniently positioned near the gearstick.

The CX-5 was the first Mazda model to feature the company's SKYACTIV technology which offered a strong lightweight chassis combined with the latest powertrains to deliver efficient running costs without compromising on safety or performance.

Powered by a punchy 2.2-litre 175ps diesel engine, the test car could sprint to 62mph from a standing start in a creditable 8.8 seconds and onto a top speed of 129mph.

According to official figures it can deliver combined fuel economy of 54.3mpg with carbon emissions of 129g/km.

But it's more about the manner in which this car performs and handles that really impresses.

The driver benefits from an elevated ride height and is treated to excellent all-round visibility which is vital in a vehicle that will often be used on the school run.

In busy town centres it proved deceptively agile and easy to manoeuvre with rear parking sensors and a reversing camera proving a true bonus when squeezing into tight parking spaces.

But this car is anything but a pipe and slippers car that only enjoys the city life. It excels when unleashed on the open road and easily keeps pace with fast-moving motorway traffic.

The road holding is beautifully reassuring and although there is a little road-surface and engine noise when the vehicle is pushed particularly hard, it is not that bad. And after all, that's when the Bose sound system really comes into its own.

There is ample room in the car for five occupants and the storage options are plentiful too with a 503-litre boot capacity which can be increased to 1,620 litres with the 40:20:40 rear seats dropped down. Elsewhere there are cup holders, a deep central bin, good-sized door pockets and a glovebox to store any bits a pieces away from view.

The CX-5 also features a comprehensive list of safety specifications.

As well as the more instantly-recognisable systems such as anti-lock brakes, traction control, stability control, hill-hold assist and airbags, this model was fitted with a Safety Pack costing £800 extra which introduced the likes of blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, lane-keep assist, driver attention alert, adaptive LED headlights and rear smart city brake support. And, of course, it also had all-wheel-drive capabilities to keep you on the road during the cold, winter months.