IT’S what it isn’t that makes it what it is.

A stupid slogan that I seem to remember someone, somewhere, using to market a tourist destination – Guernsey, wasn’t it? – but in the case of the Alfa Romeo 159 the phrase comes close to making sense.

What it isn’t is one of the big three German models that dominate the compact executive sector.

The reason for that domination is, of course, that the Audi A4,

BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class are beautifully put together and, while each has subtly different talents, between them they tick every possible box.

But their deserved popularity has come, inevitably, at the expense of some of their exclusivity.

More than once have I heard a finance sector manager tempted towards one of the top three shying away from buying the same car that a junior administrator had just signed away four years of his life for.

So not being an A4, C-Class or 3-Series means that the 159 has a ready market with those similarly Teutonically disaffected.

However, once you’ve made your decision to stand out from the compact exec herd, you then have to live with what it is.

And in the case of the 159 Sportwagon, that is no hardship.

Launched back in 2005, the 159 has had a makeover and offers new Euro-V compliant engine options.

A 200bhp 1,742cc turbo petrol that punts out its 340Nm of torque at a diesel-like low 1,400rpm, is available alongside 2.0 diesels developing either 136 or 170bhp, and 350 or 360Nm at a still decidedly handy 1,750rpm so all engines pull strongly at the sort of speeds we are likely to be doing.

Dealers Le Mont Saint let me loose in a Sportwagon in mid-range Lusso spec and with the more-powerful of the diesel powerplants.

Although their top-flight motorsport successes are, to be kind, less than recent, Alfa Romeo retain the affection of motoring journalists and their loyal Alfisti.

And never mind the 100-year history and marketing spiel, when something looks as gorgeous as the 159 Sportwagon, it is hard not to be won over.

With its triple headlamps and offset number plate, the saloon is not bad looking but the Sportwagon really is special – a far cry from estates that just box over the saloon’s boot, this has been designed from scratch as a sporty estate and designed in a nation that cares about style.

But is Giorgetto Giugiaro and Alfa’s own stylists’ collaboration a triumph of form over function?

Certamente non. (Darned Italians – they even make ‘deffo not’ sound sexy).

Settle into the cockpit and everything is driver-focused with deep-cowled instruments and the centre console angled nicely towards the pilot, although some bits of Alfa plastic might not be to all tastes.

And it was a bit surprising, at this level, not to find an illuminated mirror behind the sun visor – although I am reliably informed by ’Er In Drawers that until I get a haircut and a beard trim the view is best avoided.

Still, gripes over.

The driver’s office is comfy, the footwell roomy and the interior spacious up front and adequate in the rear.

And it is safe – five Euro NCap crash test stars for passenger protection, a full complement of airbags (although the passenger’s knee bag is an option) and a couple of three-point Isofix attachments for child seats.

So pretty good for people, but how much of a load lugger can anything so low and sexy be?

A surprisingly good one – although it is probably not going to tempt antique furniture dealers.

The rear seatbacks split-fold but only onto the squab, which remains in place.

But in terms of volume it is pretty much on the money – a vast improvement over the old 156 and just a few litres shy of the 3-Series Touring with the seats up.

Importantly, the imperfectly-flat loadbay’s user-friendly shape and freedom from intrusions mean that it might well outcarry some estates with nominally bigger boots.

That said, it is unsullied by load rails and the like so, while it is a decidedly handy estate, it is aimed at the lighter, cleaner user.

Not for people like me who was once sent to get 10cwt of sand, 4cwt of cement and a concrete mixer in my lunch hour.

On the road the Sportwagon drives as good as it looks.

The double wishbone front suspension and multilink rear make for composed handling and virtually no dive under braking.

Like the Giulietta, it makes a cracking job of putting the power down on slippery roads.

Alfa say that’s down to the Electronic Q2 system that uses the stability program’s control unit and the brakes to do a decent impression of a limited slip diff.

Performance is more than good enough to walk the talk of the styling and the particularly refined diesel means that an eye must be kept on the speedo both here and off-island to avoid trouble.

New it isn’t, but the 159’s chassis still holds its own and the steering is direct and communicative.

Find the right (or indeed any open) road and you can play a bit – as you would expect.

The ride is decent, too, although in potholed Britain some might shy away from the lowest-profiled tyre options.

Around the stop-go grind it remains an easy companion, not that wide and quite easy to manoeuvre – with one proviso.

With three rear head restraints and that angled rear window, parking sensors are a sensible choice – they are standard on the Lusso and Ti and an option on entry-level Turismo models.

Alfa coincided the introduction of the new 1750 TBi engine and the 2.0 diesel powerplants to refresh the 159.

They added equipment and tweaked the model line-up.

So there we have it: a well-equipped, safe, enjoyable drive and not the same as your office junior is driving.

And even when it isn’t Italian racing red, it is outrageously good looking for an estate.

Do you know, maybe it is what it isn’t that makes the 159 Sportwagon what it is.

In this sector it is not dear.

That should make daring to be different a rather easier decision.