No flowers, just donations, said the official announcement but there was no reference to clothing so we just went for the traditional sombre look.

I have known funerals that insisted on colour and carnival but my husband's uncle was a military man and his farewell was to be a celebration of his life set to a backdrop of medals and uniform.

It was only when we were halfway there enjoying the twists and turns of the A32 that it dawned on me.

SEAT colours do tend to stand out in a crowd and its first all-road vehicle did come in that shocking trademark yellow.

Would you take an AA van to a funeral? Would you set the roof lights ablazing and fire up a siren as you followed a gleaming black hearse through Aldershot?

No, you wouldn't.

So imagine the feeling of climbing back into a canary yellow Altea Freetrack 4 as the undertaker, all top hat and dignity, walked the party up the church road, and the family car cruised silently past with faces at the windows.

Oh yes, this SEAT turns heads.

It stands out in any church car park, especially amid black coats and hearses - it is a little ray of sunshine on a dark day.

That memorable faux pas aside, it looks stunning in all other situations, though it is classed as designed for all-terrain but not a fully-fledged 4 x 4.

It has all the efficiency that we expect from a SEAT and that little dash of style sets it apart in a segment occupied by one or two bruisers.

There are too many cars that are as bland as a motorway breakfast so it is always refreshing to get into something that has made an effort to be different.

The original Altea unveiled three years ago came from the same design house as the 147 and 156 Alfas and the car was the first SEAT model to be wholly developed within the Audi stable so it has pedigree and solid credentials.

But forget the fluff and spin, cars should be judged on the road and this MSV gets a pass - with flying colours.

Ride height has been raised from the original XL model, a change that is noticeable from the aloof seating position.

Steering feels positive and any compromises that have been made for rougher terrains do not create too many issues on road.

It comes in one trim level that includes a rear-seat multimedia system, and with a choice of two powerful 2.0 litre engines, in keeping with SEAT's sporty brand ethos: 200 PS TSI petrol and 170 PS TDI diesel, delivering via a six speed box.

And did the yellow peril amid the polished black paintwork cause offence at the family funeral?

No, it just raised a smile on a day when life was being celebrated, the kind of philospohy that SEAT has based its brand on.