When the revised C3 came out a few years ago, my wife and I looked at it as a serious contender for our next car. But unfortunately, it wasn’t quite big enough for a growing family.

So when they announced the C3 Aircross, the SUV version of the smart hatchback, I was quite looking forward to driving it.

But did the promise of the car we liked with the space we needed live up to expectations?

No, not quite. Which was very annoying. It came close, but didn’t quite get over the line. Don’t get me wrong, it has a lot going for it, but for me, there are a few niggles that ultimately mean it won’t be joining our garage.

Great visibility on country roads at night

Before I get on to the niggles, there are some positives – this car wasn’t right for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be for someone else! Starting at the front: the grill looks good, and the styling from the outside is strong.

The lights are seriously impressive too, giving great visibility on winding country roads at night. My test car was Cosmic Silver with a Spicy Orange roof. Lots of promise, but in reality grey and orange.

Moving inside, again there are some good points, but these are interspersed with some less positive ones. Firstly, the gearstick. The distance between gear selections was massive – I don’t think I’ve driven something with such a big throw from first to second – but despite this, it was still easy to miss a gear and end up in fourth just after starting off.

Close to the gearstick, the handbrake was also slightly oddly shaped and very chunky. But in time, this grew on me and I liked it. It looks weird, but feels good.

The stereo controls were a disappointment

The stereo controls were, for me, the biggest disappointment. The touchscreen was very responsive, but the controls for switching between satnav, radio and phone were small and placed all the way to the left of the screen. Perfect I suspect for the European market, but for us right-hand drivers, not so good.

Now to the rest of the interior: lots of space and well laid out. I loved the materials of the seats and the way they were incorporated into the dash too, but for a family with young kids, the colour choice and fabric would not be a good combination. They’d be filthy in weeks and next to impossible to clean!

Boot space was good – this is a positive and effectively one of the main failings of the C3, and the seatbelts were excellent. I know that sounds weird, but I test so many cars where the seat belts don’t work well even with small child seats, that this was a refreshing change. Not having to fight the kids into their seats is a big tick on the positive column.

It’s not for me, but it’s worth considering

So in the end, a mixed review. It’s not for me, but it’s worth considering… just don’t expect all promises to be delivered on.