They are supposed to represent style and luxury, but compared to the company's other more premium offerings - like the LG 4X HD and the Optimus Vu - the new L series really means budget.

That's the feeling we got when we went hands-on with the new range at a special behind-closed-doors event with LG at this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

So what do you get? Well, there are three handsets in the line-up so far, all aimed at the mid-range buyer.

The LG L5

The Optimus L3 is the baby of the range and comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread rather than Ice Cream Sandwich and a thicker (than the other two) 11.3mm body. It will be powered by an 800MHz process, and have a 3 megapixel camera with fixed focus.

The Optimus L5 delivers a 4-inch HVGA screen in a compact 9.68mm body. Powered by Ice Cream Sandwich it will also offer NFC support, a 800MHz processor and 5 megapixel camera with LED flash.

The Optimus L3 gives you a 3.2-inch display, the L5 is a 4-inch model and the L7 is 4.3-inches.

The Optimus L3 is said to be landing in Europe in March 2012, but running only Android 2.3. The L5 and L7 will arrive with Android 4.0 and they're expected in the first half of 2012.

lg optimus l3 l5 and l7 pictures and hands on image 18

The LG L7

Finally the LG Optimus L7 sports a 4.3-inch screen, is 8.7mm thick and has a 1GHZ processor. It will come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and sport the same 5 megapixel camera.

The take-away from our play? They are all good mid-range handsets that do what they profess to do. However with little to excite and little to impress against other models from LG or the competition, you;re not going to lust after them in the same way you will the LG Optimus 4X HD, for example.