BEFORE hot hatch lovers get too excited, the quick version of Mitsubishi's latest three-door Colt isn't a smaller version of the firm's ballistic Lancer Evolution.

Disappointed? Don't be, because the little car sporting a more aggressive front bumper than its sensible five-door cousin is still worth a look.

It's easy to see why Mitsubishi chose to endow its Colt CZT with just enough poke to put a smile on your face, but held back from making it the wildest ride of your life.

In simple terms, the Japanese car maker wants the CZT (pictured) to appeal to a broad audience hankering after a good time behind the wheel - not a bone-shaking, back-jarring experience suitable only for hardcore performance pilots.

And after driving the car, I have to admit that Mitsubishi has got the balance right.

The three-door car dispenses with the versatility-at-all-costs approach in favour of a dash more fun.

More than just a five-door with two doors taken out, the three-door range - CZT included - boasts new exterior sheet metal, save for the bonnet and front wings, a lower roofline and more steeply raked windscreen.

In the case of the CZT, the Colt also possesses a more purposeful-looking face and pert rear end - thanks to the aforementioned front bumper, plus the use of a cheeky little roof spoiler and a sporty-looking exhaust. Its beefy stance is further enhanced by alloy wheels.

All this would count for nought if the car didn't perform on the road, which is where Mitsubishi's desire to make the Colt CZT appeal to the masses comes in.

Instead of some rarefied, rocket-fuelled motor, Mitsubishi has given the CZT a 147bhp, 1.5-litre turbo petrol motor.

Granted, the CZT won't be able to keep up with Renault's Clio 182 or other such highly-strung hot hatches, but the little Colt can be pedalled fast enough to make you smile on even the most challenging of roads.

Key to the Colt CZT's abilities is the engine's smooth power delivery and the fluid way in which the car tackles low and high-speed activities.

Serious enthusiasts might bemoan the car's lack of feel through the steering wheel and driver's seat, but the upside is a car that's relaxing to drive when you're not in the mood.

When you are, though, the CZT will happily oblige. Turbo lag is almost absent from proceedings, which makes getting a move on so much easier.

It also means that quick bursts of acceleration are just that - quick. You could be overtaking on an A-road or zipping past a truculent truck on the motorway - it makes no difference because the peppy engine bursts into life on command.

And for a car that's supposed to be a mainstream "warm" hatch, its eight-second sprint-to-60mph time is rather good.

However, more useful is the CZT's mid-range performance. That the Colt can cruise at silly speeds all day is testament to impressive levels of refinement, but its ability to charge from one bend to the next without you feeling like you've gone the distance with a boxing champion is equally impressive.

Grip levels are pleasingly high and, despite the lack of race car-levels of feedback, the CZT always feels secure and planted on the road.

In fact, the Colt is a good example of the "less is more" concept, where overall ability proves more important than stacks of horsepower.

After a hard drive in the CZT you feel like you've achieved something, which is not always the case after piloting a billion-bhp point-and-squirt merchant.

The Colt - and the CZT in particular - is proof that Mitsubishi is more than just a two-car firm.

For more information about the Mitsubishi Colt CZT, call Mill Lane Mitsubishi on 01256 780790.