Pulsars are the lighthouses of the universe. They are rapidly rotating neutron stars that emit radio waves along their magnetic poles and, because we can only detect them when that beam sweeps across us, they’re very difficult to find.

Nissan’s Pulsar is neither as spectacular, nor as mysterious, but it is probably almost as hard to find thanks, in no small part, to its slightly conservative styling. It’s not that this is an unattractive car but, when you consider this is the same company that brought us the Juke, it is disappointingly unadventurous.

Clearly a car’s styling is no reflection on how it’s going to perform but I think it’s safe to argue that, particularly among younger buyers, looks matter.

The Tekna version that Nissan loaned me goes a long way to addressing the underwhelming look of the basic model, adding bespoke 18in alloys, LED headlamps with darkened bezels, black honeycomb grille and a carbon-effect rear diffuser but the feeling remains that this is a car that will struggle to stand out from the crowd.

Heated leather seats greet you when you climb inside – very welcome they are too at this chilly time of year – and they also happen to be very comfortable. Once ensconced you'll note that Nissan have attempted to add a little visual excitement to the dash and, to some degree, they’ve succeeded.

Silver-coloured inserts on the steering wheel house audio and cruise controls while the centre console has been raised from the fascia, creating a separate module. It’s different, but I’m not sure it’s better, looking a bit like an afterthought.

Passenger space is excellent. People in the back will have absolutely no reason to complain about either head or legroom, an advantage of the car's taller-than the-norm profile. The boot is among the biggest in its class as well.

You’ll not want for equipment, however, with a 5.8in touchscreen, DAB radio, dual zone climate control, automatic headlights and surround camera system that provides a bird’s eye view of the car during manoeuvring. It really does make parking a doddle.

The touchscreen, while not the biggest, is one of the easiest to use. It is very responsive and, unlike other systems I’ve tried, you’re unlikely to find yourself in a virtual cul-de-sac thanks to the logically laid out buttons and intuitive menus.

Under the bonnet is a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit producing 187bhp. It’s good for a 0-62mph time of 7.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 135mph. They might be impressive figures but the reality is the Pulsar never feels quite as quick as those numbers suggest. That's not necessarily a bad thing, however.

Part of the reason for that is the Pulsar’s civilised manners and excellent refinement. The cabin enjoys decent soundproofing and, while the suspension has been tweaked to improve the handling, the ride remains compliant and forgiving.

The steering has also been revised to make it a little sharper and more direct but a little more feel would go a long way to improving the drivability.

The Pulsar is a good car that’s been burdened with middle of the road looks. Many people will find its conservative styling appealing and, while the Tekna trim level does add a little visual excitement, it won't be enough to scare those potential buyers off.

It’s looks only hint at its spritely performance but all that promise is let down by slightly less than enthusiastic handling. Still, not every driver is looking for limpet-like grip and rocket-ship acceleration and, for those people, the Pulsar will shine brightly enough.

Nissan Pulsar Tekna DIG-T 190 Manual

Price: £22,345 OTR

Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Max power: 187bhp

Torque: 177lbft @ 1,600rpm

Max speed: 135mph

Acceleration (0-62mph): 7.7sec

Urban: 36.7mpg

Extra urban: 58.8mpg

Combined: 47.9mpg

Emissions (CO2): 138g/km

For more information visit www.nissan.co.uk