Stylish Volvo C30 is a bit of all white

Sporty Volvo C30 is a bit of all white

I MUST admit to being slightly surprised by the white alloy wheels worn by the Volvo C30 test car that arrived at Advertiser HQ recently.

Usually the preserve of rally car wheels, the stand-out hue sits a little uneasily alongside a far less dramatic colour scheme on the little coupe-cum-hatchback.

The wheels are a standard feature of SE-spec versions of the C30 which has brought some youthful expression to the Swedish firms range.

And they do one simple job very well...communicating the fact that Volvo is finally finding its design edge.

Volvo's new design direction

Recently the firm, famed for its boxy designs and for putting safety and comfort as its top priorities, has become a little adventurous and the C30s new front end epitomises the new direction.

Tapered headlights and a prominent front grille dump the usually bluff Volvo snout for something more dynamic.

It's still strange, however, when your eyes rove backwards over the familiar strong Volvo shoulders only to reach a stubby rear, which houses a very diminutive glass-hatched boot space, rather than a saloon-like boot.

Premium price for premium hatchback

At £18,610 in two-litre diesel form, the SE comes in just below mid-way in a five-spec line-up made up of ES, SE, SE Lux, R-Design and Drive models.

For your money you get a host of safety equipment including Isofix child seat docks, side curtain airbags and a host of electronic driver aids.

There's also some premium kit including Home Safe and Approach Lighting - to make sure you can find your way out of the garage - cruise control and automatically folding door mirrors.

The style, fit and finish of the Volvo aim it somewhere between Audis A3 and Volkswagen's Scirocco. It's a great start.

Crisp, clear controls are a joy to use and a floating centre console (its hollow at the back) remains a nice touch.

Sports car-sized boot and rear seats are a drawback

Only the sports car like boot space and MINI-rivalling rear leg room undermine the C30's usability.

Volvo's C30 is a car for the style-conscious couple, therefore, and the fact that it drives with a mixture of Volvo stability and comfort and some hatchback agility is a real bonus.

With the C30 mid-life revamp, the Swedes have continued where they left off with the big XC60 SUV which impressed me with its driveability ten months ago.

The C30 turns in keenly and, though not alive on a twisting back road, it offers the kind of fluid and stable progress usually found in a sporty saloon.

Volvo dont do loose and wild, it seems, but engaging? They might just have got there...

Five-cylinder diesel is brisk and frugal

A five-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine delivers a healthy 134bhp and even better 236lb.ft. of torque.

That equates to a surprisingly rapid 8.8-second sprint to 62mph and a 127mph top speed while economy of 49.6mpg is possible along with emissions of 151g/km mean its also pretty green.

Recent months have seen C30s flood onto the roads. After a steady start, it seems like theyre everywhere you look and the youthful new styling has to be key to its success.

Still an acquired taste

In terms of style, it remains an acquired taste, however, and the lack of boot space and rear leg room must have proved real hurdle for traditional Volvo buyers to get used to.

The little C30 is a refreshing break from the norm though, and with build quality and economy to match the best out there, its worthy of a new fan base.

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