THE Japanese came up with the idea of a small people carrier, but it took the Europeans to refine the idea into something people wanted to buy.

The Suzuki Wagon R and the various Daihatsu Moves showed what was possible within a small but tall car, but their gangly looks and nonadjustable interiors meant they were never anything more than niche players in the European market. It was Renault that took the concept and really made a go of it. The result? The Modus, a mini MPV with big ideas.

Built on the same platform as the Clio and Micra, the Modus majored in innovation, with sliding seats, hidden cubby holes and a multi-adjustable boot space.

But that was three years ago. Since then the mini-MPV market has become a lot more crowded. Nissan now has the Note, one of the best small people carriers around. There's also the new Skoda Roomster, the excellent Honda Jazz, the Ford Fusion, the Mitsubishi Colt and the Vauxhall Meriva.

The Modus certainly has the beating of the Ford and the Vauxhall if only because it looks so much better.

The Skoda, too, has highly individual looks that will split popular opinion.

Renault set out to make the Modus a friendly car. Taking the original Twingo supermini as its inspiration, the Modus expresses warmth and cheerfulness to such an extent that the front face of the car seems to be grinning.

The Modus may be a tall car but the lines disguise its height very well.

The tapering rear window line automatically draws the eye down from the high roof line and the 16-inch wheels fill the bulging arches nicely.

There's nothing gawky about the Modus from any angle. In fact, there's a hint of the Renault Megane about its pert bottom.

The door handles are in silver, to contrast with the paintwork, there's a carbon fibre-like texture to the B pillars and it sits on alloy wheels shod with 185/55 tyres.

With an overall length of 3,792mm, the Modus belies its compact size by offering excellent room for two lanky adults sitting in the back. The designers have pushed the wheels out to the extremities of the car in order to liberate as much space as they possibly could. Should you need it, the unusual sliding seat base allows even more space to be created for two rear occupants. The base slides together creating more width for a couple of people at the expense of room for a third passenger in the middle. In this way the Modus becomes a spacious car for a maximum of four people, instead of five.

The rear seat bench has a host of other tricks up its sleeve. Apart from being able to move by a maximum of 170mm, it has four possible positions and can accommodate two or three passengers. A handle on the side of the bench moves the cushion in and out.

The rear seat backs split 70/30 - just like a conventional hatch - but the base can also be folded up to leave a completely flat floor. This is a good idea in theory. In practise, however, the Renault way of doing this (pull a handle here, use a strap there, tie a knot and hope for the best) is far too convoluted and makes this configuration one that needs lots of patience and pre-planning. Several rival mini- MPVs - including the Note - do the seat-tumbling trick far better!

The Modus' interior is nicely designed with a central LCD instrument display which allows both the passenger and the driver to see them, plus a handy locker where the speedo would usually sit.

The heating/air conditioning controls are easy to adjust and close to hand - and although the CD/radio buttons are bafflingly small, you can control the unit's major functions via the steering wheel remote controls.

Plastics quality is a bit iffy. Although Renault's designers have paid attention to colour in a bid to lift the interior ambience, there's no getting away from the fact that most of the major fitments are hard, brittle plastic, not higher-class soft-feel stuff. That said, the hard materials should standuptoagoodpummelling from your kids without looking tatty. At least a strip of higher-quality plastic covers the fascia, so it's not all bad news.

The front windscreen pillars have a horrendous blind spot, though. Entering roundabouts and leaving junctions requires extra attention because, as I found, it's possible for a car to hide' in the A pillar and suddenly emerge at the last moment.

The doors open wide giving easy access for all, but the hinges are very strong and they can spring back. Two days into the test I opened the front door and it smacked me square in the face. A day later the same thing happened to my wife.

The Modus also breaks new ground with its split opening hatchback. You can pop the boot lid as per normal or press a switch and the middle of the hatch drops open (this reminded me of the boot on the original Mini) making it easy to access the boot at all times, even in cramped car parks.

Renault also offers an innovative bicycle rack that can carry two push bikes and still allow access to the modest luggage compartment, which has enough space for the weekly groceries and a small pushchair.

The leather-trimmed steering wheel feels nice and chunky. The front seats have small side bolsters and are good for long trips. The rear seat base seems to be cut from a kind of memory foam. It marked up quite badly when I fitted a child seat - and it took several days for the mark to go.

Engine choices include a 75bhp 1.2, a 98bhp 1.4 and a 113bhp 1.6-litre petrol.

There's also a brace of diesels including a gutsy 1.5-litre with 106bhp on tap.

The latter is likely to be the smartest choice if you intend to make frequent use of the Modus' carrying capabilities.

The Modus is soft around corners but pleasant to drive over the worst roads.

It's also more firmly sprung than the Clio to compensate for its height.

The Modus brochure offers a bewildering array of trims and equipment specs.

The entry level model, called Authentique, comes with a fairly spartan array of kit. An Expression throws in the CD player, go for a Dynamique and you'll get smart alloys, and opting for a Privilege brings with it the air conditioning system. If you want all this and metallic paintwork, cruise control, climate control and leather upholstery you'll be needing an Initiale - and that can take the price beyond £15,000 which is a lot of money for a mini MPV that's based on a supermini chassis.

To be honest I didn't get along with the Modus, even though I am the type of driver Renault is hoping to hook - someone with a young family who's looking to trade in a gas guzzling 4x4 for something a bit more sensible.

Maybe it was the door trying to maim me, or the wrestling match I had trying to lie the rear seat flat, but something about the Modus experience just didn't click. Which isn't to say it wouldn't with other family men or women.

First impressions count and, for me, the Modus blotted its copy book twice.

That said, Renault's take on the small MPV shows some smart thinking, goes well, shouldn't cost the earth to run, looks good and has an excellent fivestar NCAP crash rating - the highest of any city car. Just don't forget to watch out for the doors!

SPECIFICATION

Engine: 1.5-litre turbodiesel
Max bhp: 106bhp
0-62mph: 11.2 seconds
Max speed: 116mph
Combined fuel consumption: 60.1mpg
EQUIPMENT: Electric windows
Power steering
Anti-lock brakes
CD/radio with remote controls
Air conditioning
Six airbags