Volvo C30

The C30 has offers good looks, an attractive cabin and tempting prices.

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On the road price: £15,495 - £21,095
For : Stylish and unusual looks, attractive pricing, cabin design, smooth ride, comfortable seats, slick gearbox, strong diesel engines
Against : Small boot opening, cumbersome load cover, overly light steering, cramped rear cabin, miserly single-year recovery package

Driving
The sporty-looking C30 serves up similar handling to the larger S40 it's derived from, but is lighter and more responsive. The steering is short on feel, but the hatch corners sharply and only understeers when really provoked. However, rivals such as the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series are more fun to drive, and it doesn't lead the class for grip and body control, either. But if your driving includes long motorway commutes, the Volvo's complaint ride will appeal. We drove the popular 2.0-litre diesel, which impressed with its refinement and smooth power delivery. It lacks a little punch low down, but is fast through the gears. The throbby and unique five-pot petrol and diesel engines, meanwhile, give the C30 a distinctive feel in this sector.

Marketplace
Just look at it! The Swedish company claims the C30 is aimed at younger buyers who put style as high on their list of priorities as driver appeal - so it's no wonder sales have been healthy from the off. From the front, it bears a resemblance to the S40 saloon, with a virtually identical bonnet, grille and headlights. It's at the rear that the designers have been daring - this is where the three-door really stands out. The unusual U-shaped glass hatch is framed by striking tail-light clusters, and there are strong echoes of Volvo's last hatch, the 480, in the proportions and angles. It's a welcome change from the ordinary hatchbacks we've become used to in this sector. The premium hatch offers a huge range - five petrol engines and three diesels, plus four trims. We particularly like the R-Design variants, with bespoke sporty trim and some neat detailing. It's up against the Audi A3, BMW 1-Series, Mercedes C-Class Sports Coupe and Volkswagen Golf.

Owning
The C30 is undoubtedly stylish, but this seems to be at the expense of practicality. The shape of the rear hatch means that the boot opening is narrow and has a high sill. According to our figures, the Volvo actually has a large boot, but in reality it seems considerably smaller than rivals'. The load cover is a cumbersome affair, too - it's a single fabric sheet that has to be clipped in place and doesn't retract. Still, the rear seats are comfortable, even if there are only two, and elbow and legroom is a bit tight. And it's the driving environment that will sell this car. Okay, the interior will be familiar to S40 owners, and while that's no bad thing - with elements such as the floating centre console carried over - we wish the designers had differentiated it in some way. Nevertheless, it's far more creative than rivals, and the seating position is excellent, with plenty of adjustment in the chair and steering wheel. It's also well-priced, with a substantial standard equipment list; it's a great car for the money. Retained values are promising too, though servicing is likely to be rather expensive.