We were once spoiled for choice with domestic off-roaders from Vauxhall. In the mid 1990s there were long- and short-wheelbase Fronteras and Montereys, both Isuzu-based vehicles and both selling pretty well - the Frontera second only to the Land Rover Discovery.It's been a while now since that was the case, but with the arrival of the new Antara we can probably look forward to another successful GM-backed foray into the world of mud-modelled motoring.The Antara is a crossover car, styled like a delver into the trackless dirt, but clearly focussed on the tarmac strips that divide it up. If you doubt me, check out the brochure – the dirtiest thing in it is probably the collar of the slick young exec you see skipping down the steps of the art gallery to his aesthetically-posed but appallingly-parked car.Having spent a few days with the mid-range S version, powered by the two-litre CDTi diesel engine, I've come away in two minds. On the up side, it's a very good-looking motorcar and its road manners are excellent. On the down side I couldn't get anywhere near the rather impressive claimed average fuel economy, and its rear seat-folding and cargo handling are not as clever or flexible as many of its rivals.First things first, though. What will sell the Antara will primarily be its looks. It exudes an air of class, thanks to its aggressively focussed headlamps at the front, the wide and stable stance, the clean lines of the flank and the bonnet, but most of all the gill-like vents on the forward quarters, just behind the front wheels, that are reminiscent of the current Range Rover. The back end is tidy, but it's safe to say the anterior of the Antara is superior to the posterior, while the interior is far from inferior.Out on the road the car performed . . . well . . . like a road car. Firm and supportive suspension cut body roll to a inimum, steering was perfectly weighted at all speeds and manoeuvring into tight parking spots was a doddle thanks to good visibility and proximity sensors bleeping when I got too close to the enemy.I found it was important to keep the revs up when pulling away. Setting off with anything less than about 1400rpm left it gasping and staggering. As soon as the needle swept over the number though, it picked up its skirts and headed off with enthusiasm. The gearshift was a little notchy through all five forward cogs on this new car, but it located every time.I know it sounds like a cliché, but the Antara really is an extremely instinctive car to operate. Not just the driving controls either. The sound system was easy to navigate through, as was the onboard computer, both without any recourse to the instruction manual.I was reluctant to take the Antara far from the metalled road - its sub-8" ground clearance didn't promise much rock-hopping ability - but I did take a short foray up a rain-gauged gravel and dirt track to the scenic summit of a nearby hill.The drive system normally works through the front wheels, but when the combination of gravel and gravity proved too much for it, the electronically-controlled four-wheel drive system cut in to feed up to half the torque to the back axle and keep the beast moving forward. Coming back down, engine braking was good enough on all but the steepest sections, and where it wasn't, the Descent Control System carefully braked it back to a steady 6mph.Here's an interesting aspect. Driving home through the black night in heavy rain, the headlamps were doing a great job of splitting the dark ahead, while simultaneously displaying a fan of reflected light straight up into the sky in a manner not uncommonly observed in the Aurora Borealis. I don't know what it meant, but it was certainly a talking point.Accommodation was more adequate than impressive. All five seats had plenty of head and knee room for an average-sized bloke like myself, and while the boot didn't have a lip over which to lift your shopping or luggage, that was because the floor of the cargo hold was quite high, partly to accommodate the space-saver spare under the floor.On paper, the diesel Antara is as economical as the best of the rest. A claimed average of just over 37mpg is similar to the new Freelander and just behind Toyota's RAV4. Unfortunately I was unable to get within 10mpg of that figure during the time I had it.According to the onboard computer, my far from frantic countryside romps were burning a gallon every 26.4 miles. If that's the genuine figure, I'm not sure I could live with that. One other thing I think would bug me is its enthusiasm for bleeping at me when I do something radical and potentially dangerous - like engaging reverse.With a price tag of £22,620, the Antara is pitched in around the same level as similar-sized offerings from the other big players in the sector like Mitsubishi, Toyota and Land Rover. There are a few that match or exceed its performance, but few to match its looks and in this image-conscious sector of the market that could be all it takes to push it well up the sales charts. Engine 1991cc, 4 cylinders Power 148bhp Fuel/CO2 37.2mpg / 198g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 11.1 seconds Top speed 111mph Price £22,620 Details correct at publication date
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