An icy Winter followed by a freezing Spring has made us all think about 4x4s. Fears that such beasts may destroy the planet evaporate as soon as you struggle to get your wheels off the drive or slither slightly on the estate.

Forget eco arguments. Just get me a car that can handle snowdrifts. And if it doesn’t cost the earth to buy or run, then so much the better. Well, Hyundai is at the forefront of offering cheap 4x4 motoring. That’s cheap as in affordable. Not cheap as in duff quality, I hasten to add.

Hyundai and its sibling Kia have come on leaps and bounds in recent years, followed by rivals such as SsangYong who recognise that not everyone can afford BMW and Audi list prices.

The i40 Tourer’s my favourite, but you could be equally enamoured with the i40 Saloon or the iX20 hatchback. Would you believe it, the Veloster coupe is attracting warm applause, too.

But it’s the ix35 which we’re testing here, one of two SUVs which this company makes. The other, the Santa Fe, is bigger and more expensive (from £25,495).

The ix35 is no lightweight, though, and costing from £17,400 it offers an affordable way to drive a smart 4x4. It looks the part and it’s affordable and it comes dashingly equipped. The 2.0 CRDi Premium is one of the more expensive versions but it is loaded to the hilt.

Power steering, alloy wheels, climate control, air conditioning, powered windows and sunroof, cruise control and parking sensors, all the gear you might expect on a limousine-style saloon, plus it has a raft of stability systems to keep it going through snow, ice, mud and whatever else you want to throw at it.

Since the original model’s sales launch in March, 2010, ix35 has proved popular. It became the fastest-selling model in Hyundai’s European history, exceeding all of the company’s expectations. Up to March this year, Hyundai sold more than 220,000 models in Europe.

Hyundai? A small-time player? Not any more. The more refined ix35 is presented with new alloy wheels and inside the cabin of new ix35, the seats and upper door trims are now finished in higher-quality materials, the dashboard air vents are ringed in chrome, the front cup holders are illuminated and the windscreen receives a shade band.

It looks, feels and drives like a much more upmarket vehicle than you would imagine. I like the light-as-air steering but I know some motorists prefer more ‘feel’. Of course, Hyundai appeals to the masses, which is why it sold 33,000 cars under the ‘scrappage’ system designed to get old cars off the road and give the economy a lift in the process.

The iX35 follows the trend for family crossovers that combine practicality and sensible proportions of hatchbacks with the high driving position of SUVs.

Build quality is strong and the interior layout smart and stylish.

It’s roomy, too.

Headroom is naturally very good, but legroom in the rear is generous and the boot is not short of potential. The iX35 does not feel wide however; three adults across the rear bench may find things a little cosy. The sensible dimensions pay off in terms of road manners, however. Like all good crossovers it doesn’t feel like a big car in town, but offers an excellent driving position with a genuinely commanding view.

The iX35’s triumph, however, is its equipment. Yet even the entry-level model gets heated front and rear seats, reversing sensors and Bluetooth amidst a long list. The upper grade, itself only a small additional financial commitment, gets a full length sunroof, dual-zone climate control keyless entry and auto-lights and wipers and more.

At the iX35’s asking price, that’s a hard factor to ignore.