STYLISH YES - SENSIBLE NEVER I know our roads are crowded and at times driving can seem a chore but I am one of those hearty souls who still believes that time behind the wheel should be largely a pleasure. And it seems I am not alone. Alfa Romeo posted a 40 per cent rise in its UK sales last year, although cynics might point out that this follows years of seemingly terminal decline and that a rise of 40 per cent of not a lot is not a lot more. To hell with anyone who thinks like that, at least for today. For here we are talking driving pleasure and anyone who owns an Alfa Romeo fully understands what that means. Alfa launched the 159 a couple of years ago as a saloon, following up shortly after with the Sportwagon estate. The cars took over from the seminal 156 which, even at 10 years old, as one delighted owner told me, is still one hell of a car. He said it had never let him down, although I detected him reaching for the nearest piece of wood at the other end of the phone as he said it. Nothing wooden about an Alfa, though. No matter which one you choose it’s going to deliver on the fun factor in a big way. This is particularly so with the 159 Sportwagon because here you have a car with an incredible Italian sporting pedigree and you can claim it’s practical as well, up to degree. Lots of people think Italian motoring pedigree is Ferrari but remember that Enzo made his name managing the highly successful racing team for Alfa Romeo first and that’s where he perfected his craft. I have always been drawn to the Alfa brand and as a young motoring writer one of my ambitions was to get behind the wood-rimmed wheel of a GTV and experience the thrill of driving this famous marque. I was not disappointed when the moment arrived. Back then, with powerful engines and rear wheel drive it was easy to provoke the GTV into tail slides, not always voluntarily. These days Alfa Romeo is a brand that largely concentrates on front wheel drive unless you choose a car like the latest model I have driven, the 159 Sportwagon 2.4 JTDm fitted with the company’s Q4 four wheel drive system. This at least puts some of the power where it belongs, reaching the road through the rear rubber instead of just the front. It takes away some of the understeer associated with front wheel drive yet at the same time does not induce the oversteer that many sporting drivers crave. I know you see pictures in the magazines of cars rounding corners at crazy angles with clouds of smoke pouring from the tyres but, believe me, there is really no room for that type of driving on British roads or for pictures that encourage that kind of driving in British magazines. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no killjoy. But I believe you can have fun without taking risks, especially when they involve potential damage to other people when you have unwittingly take your own car beyond the point where you can control it. It’s a very fine line to tread. But back to the Sportwagon. Here’s a car with the looks and body of an estate car that will bring you hours of pleasure, although at some cost. The test car used Alfa’s 2.4 litre turbodiesel with the boosted 210 bhp output and in the latest £28,500 TI trim. Anyone buying this car expecting economy with their pleasure should think twice, though, as our test car never managed to exceed 30 mpg. It came close when the computer readout eventually struggled to 29.9 but it never got over the summit. That’s bad when you consider that a 3.5 litre V8 Range Rover diesel, with no aerodynamic subtlety but huge off-road ability, will manage 26 mpg. Did I worry? Slightly, but not for long. There are times when you just have to let go and enjoy yourself. I’ve done it now, so it’s back to the push bike for a bit. Only joking! Maurice Hardy Some of the best car stylists in the world put their efforts into the Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon. So you get attention to detail like a tailgate that opens halfway along the roof towards the rear seats to make a bigger aperture. And what for? Not a lot. The lip of the opening is so high that even the fittest dog would have a job to jump in or out of the Sportwagon. Alfa should offer an electric dog hoist as an option. That probably won’t stop dedicated enthusiasts wanting to buy this car, though. They will just accept that their choice is less than practical, that lifting wet dogs into the back when wearing decent clothes is perfectly normal. Sensible even. The Sportwagon is not a big car and packs only 1,235 litres of maximum boot space. The new Skoda Fabia estate, based on a supermini, which we have just had delivered for a prolonged test, offers 1,460. But much as I love and appreciate the sensible nature of running a Skoda it doesn’t sound quite the same as saying you drive an Alfa Romeo. For that reason, cars like the Sportwagon will always have a place on our roads. Car: Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon 2.4 JTDm Q4 TI Does it fit your ego?... 0-62 mph: 8.6 secs Top speed: 139 mph Bhp: 210 @ 4000 rpm Torque: 295 lb ft @ 1500 rpm ...and your wallet?... Price: £28,500 Urban: 27.7 mpg Extra urban: 47.1 mpg Combined: 37.2 mpg CO2 emissions: 199 g/km Insurance Group: 14 Best bits: style; driving experience; it makes no sense at all.