With such a wide choice of MPVs now available to the Irish market, buyers can be faced with quite a bewildering choice. Between small, compact and full-size, you really have to look hard at your lifestyle before picking one to suit.

Enter Honda’s medium-sized 2-litre SE Sport Stream, a full 7-seater people-carrier in the compact segment, built for comfort. The 2-litre i-VTEC engine, offering an output of 156bhp, will provide all the power you need.

The 4-door Stream is an attractive looking car, if a little peculiar in shape for some people's taste. That end quarter seems to have a fight going on between the roofline and the end window.

More like a car in height, the Honda Stream offers one of the most comfortable rides in its class. It’s not that the seats, (and there are three rows of them), look a whole lot better than those in other models, it’s that they are so very comfortable. It is a car you could go a long way in.

The Stream is mostly aimed at the needs of a growing family or those with a pretty hectic lifestyle who need to truck around a lot of equipment.

Visibility is great, due to the low scuttle line in the front and all that glass (tinted) which includes a very steeply raked windscreen, three good sized windows and a small A-Pillar window along the sides, as well as a huge rear window. High-mounted brake lights frame the rear window.

It is easy to get in and out of the car and this could be a boon if grandma and grandpa or an elderly aunt are being taken along for the ride, even sitting in the very back seats. An important factor, too, is that the centre headrest is lower so as to allow the driver a good rear view.

The cabin is bright and airy with good quality materials and lots of chrome effect. Added light filters through the electric sunroof which comes with a slide across panel for those who have an allergy to light.

The central stack is square in shape, aluminised and with two big air vents on top. The Panasonic radio is a bit fiddly but the sound is good. Two big temperature knobs are situated on either side of nine big square buttons, all marked clearly with diagrams to tell you what they are. Dials are set in aluminium surround. Orange numbers stand out against the black background.

The Stream is very easy to drive. Firstly, I was able to get a really comfy driving position helped by the fascia mounted gearbox. No reaching behind to use the gears when I’ve had to push my seat so far forward to reach the pedals. It’s also surprising how quickly you get used to just reaching down a little instead of a lot. And the amount of space this gearshift opens up in the front of the cabin is unbelievable. It all helps towards easy driving, which is what driving should be.

Foot pedals suited me fine and there is a great big footrest.

On the road, the car is a great drive. When you want it, the power is there. The engine is quiet and smooth and that gearshift is magic.

So were there any drawbacks? Just a few. And quite minor.

In bright sunshine, and we did have some, there is no shaded area at the top of the big windscreen, nor is there a dotted area above the mirror. And you miss them. Also, the kickboard in the front passenger area doesn’t quite leave enough stretch room for the long-legged. That’s even with the seat back as far as possible.

There are lots of cubbies in the cabin including a tray hidden under the front passenger seat.

Seats can fold and flatten creating huge load space. You’ll find two cup holders in the back of the rear seat when it fold down. There is, however, only a driver’s seat armrest and this can be pulled up against the side of the seat.

Standard equipment includes front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes, emergency brake assist, the electric sunroof, air conditioning, front fog lights, remote control blipper, alarm system, electric windows and a CD player. It’s quite a considerable list.

The Stream is priced at E32,062. Competitors include the 1.8-litre petrol Opel Zafira (2-litres are diesel) at E28,939, the 2-litre Hyundai Trajet at E26,300 and the Toyota Avensis Verso at E32,000. That rather makes the Stream on the expensive side, partly because Hondas have always sold at a premium price here, and partly too because the Civic-based vehicle only comes in Ireland with the 2-litre engine.

Maybe we’ll see a diesel version when the new Honda diesels come on-stream in the next year?