YOU might not know it yet, but Kia is slowly but surely taking over the roads. They tend to pass under the radar when you're not paying much attention but trust me on this - they're everywhere.

Have a look the next time you're out and about. The roads are now awash with Picantos, Rios and Optimas.That model-wide success has seen more premium versions follow suit, with the four-wheel drive Sportage and this, the new Carens, stealing yet more sales from well-established European rivals.

Factor in the lure of seven-year, 100,000-mile warranties, cheap running costs, very reasonable purchase prices and a mass of in-car technology and it's not hard to see why.

Rewind back five years ago and Kia was an altogether different proposition. Style-free, made on a shoestring budget and with the scratchiest plastics known to man, the firm's striking turnaround has been nothing short of remarkable.

Now, instead of cheap cloth and catastrophic dash materials, gloss black fascia and premium leather has forced its way into Kia's dramatic rebrand.

Still, I don't think anyone has ever proudly placed a poster of a Carens on their bedroom wall. In fact I'm not even sure a glossy version of the Korean marque's flagship seven-seater ever made it to print, but when the reality of small children sinks in and saps those two-seater dreams, you may well want to replace that bright red Ferrari and stick one up in its place.

We all know about those hard-to-shake aforementioned connotations a Kia brings, but it's also common knowledge that their resurgence of late has seen them match - and better - its rivals in the German speciality of build quality.

The revised Carens is no exception to that and exudes a well-made feel, with soft-touch leather covering just about every surface on our £25,000 range-topping 3 model.

This sector is all about having space inside and it's absolutely superb in the Carens, while the small touches make a big difference and lift its appeal. Standard sun visors built into the back doors and tinted windows boost rear passengers' experience, while a heated steering wheel and front seats add a luxury feel for mum and dad.

There's an in-built infotainment system and although it works well when you've managed to enter your desired destination into the satellite navigation, its size is simply miniscule. At just seven inches wide, making commands by touch is difficult if your hands are bigger than a child's. It's a small (literally) gripe in an otherwise brilliant interior.

Let's face it, some seven-seat MPVs tend to be slightly aesthetically challenged. Cast your mind back to the Carens' predecessor - the Sedona - and you'll be put off tonight's tea. However, I think the Carens looks perfectly admissible. The continuation of the Peter Schreyer-designed 'tiger nose' front grille is carried over and makes a world of difference, following the firm's new styling ethos of being clear, clean and fluid.

Despite its considerable bulk, our test car's 134bhp 1.7-litre diesel feels like a good match. There's a fault-free six-speed gearbox in the way it feels, but its final ratio offers very little momentum and you often find yourself dropping down to fifth to make any notable progress.

The steering's actually very good, too, but its somewhat wallowy ride lets the side down on winding roads. Remind yourself that it's a family-friendly MPV and you can kind of forgive it.All in all, the Kia Carens is a very inoffensive car. It does its job extremely well and swallows everything you throw at its cavernous 492-litre boot. It blends an appealing, practical and even attractive interior with a Swiss Army knife-like attitude as nothing's ever too much for it.

It might not be red hot to drive but it'll become a firm favourite with any family who buys one. It's without doubt one of the very best MPVs on the market and that, in a very competitive sector, is high praise indeed.