I WAS sitting at breakfast reading my favourite car magazine and at the back it lists its greatest road tests of all time. And there was the Jensen FF.

This was the car that brought four-wheel-drive before the Audi Quattro and anti-lock brakes before any of the Germans to production cars.

It would also manage 130mph and 0-to-60mph in 8.4 seconds, thanks to its massive, and massively thirsty, Chrysler V8 engine.

Move on again to 2008 and here we can see similar performance from another car that combines the 4x4, anti-lock brakes, and turbo-charged attributes of the two I've already mentioned, plus an ability to give 50mpg too.

It is, believe it or not, a Subaru Legacy Sports Tourer - the company's first diesel. It'll do 126mph and 0-to-62mph in 8.5 seconds (faster than the Jensen).

As it's an estate, it also has 1,649 litres of load space.

Trickle along an urban or rural road and this flat-four diesel, the first and only one of its type, feels docile and subdued. Give it its head on a dual carriageway and it's manic.

Better than the 0-to-62mph time is the in-gear acceleration. This car is truly phenomenal - and it costs less than £21,000, which will endear it to the rural community that adopted Subarus in the early days before they became too plush and too thirsty.

This car will also pull 1.7 tonnes whether you buy the standard R model or go instead for the £1,500 dearer Outback, which offers raised ride height but gets slightly lower performance figures as a result.

It also has practical features like a reversible cargo bay floor with one side carpeted and the other washable to take all the worst excesses of wet dogs or muddy wellies.

The Sports Tourer does it for most people who want a practical, go-almost-anywhere car that's cheap to run.

As quite a few farmers buy their own bulk diesel and not just the duty-free red stuff that's illegal for road use, the Subaru really is about to win friends.

It's true that build quality, fit and finish may not be up to Audi, BMW or Mercedes standards, but neither are the prices.

If you need a practical diesel-powered, go-anywhere car, you need to speak to your nearest Subaru dealer.

For more information, contact Harwoods Subaru on 01256 300654.