Perhaps the biggest problem with the Alfa Romeo 166 is that it suffers from comparison with its smaller and decidedly more elegant siblings, the 156 and the 147.

Where both the latter are capable of turning the heads of any age group - especially the 156 - the 166 presents a far more muscular and mature profile. The car appeals to an older and more conservative audience and for this it is hard to fault Fiat's stylists - the executive sector is older and a lot more conservative and to avail of its spending power car companies often have to rein in the enthusiasm of their designers.

In this context, it is interesting to see how the latest version of the 166 - the 2.0 litre TS Sportivo - fares when trying to set pulses racing a little faster. There are, of course, several engines to chose from in the 166 line-up but this 2.0 litre 150bhp unit - now mated with a six-speed gearbox - is actually capable of catering for pretty much all of one's needs. With plenty of torque at relatively low revs - a top speed of 130mph and a 0 to 60mph time of ten seconds, it is not lacking in performance capabilities.

However, this version of the 166 has a lot more going for it than the usual dry performance statistics, which are largely academic anyway but they do put a car's abilities in context nevertheless. I liked the Sportivo for its understated blend of performance and elegance. At cruising speeds on a long journey I thought the car could have done with a little extra leg and head room overall, but its ride, handling and road manners were impeccable.

With a price tag of £31,500 and a level of specification not matched by the likes of BMW or Mercedes, the 166 Sportivo actually represents good value. Anti-lock brakes, brake force distribution, traction control, a five inch display screen for controls, an integrated GSM phone system, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, a front screen rain sensor and an eight speaker sound system are all standard.

Driving the Sportivo for a few hundred miles can make you a little attached to this car. There are few cars on the road that can match an Alfa Romeo for driver feedback and satisfaction. You don't have to even drive at speed to feel the response that Alfa designer and engineers have striven to provide.

Double wishbone suspension lay-out at the front and a multi-link system at the rear give one a feeling of being constantly in touch with the car's behaviour. The other slightly odd thing is that the 166 is quite a big car yet you don't feel any of the wallow you would normally get with a car this size.

The leather upholstery takes up a lot of interior space and there is a certain intimacy as a result. It is rather like returning to your favourite armchair, but without the slippers.