KEY POINTS:
Volvo has deliberately priced its new C30 hatchback to appeal to New Zealand buyers who perhaps believed the Swedish marque was beyond reach.
The two-door, four-seater goes on the market at $49,990 - an introductory price designed to pull in the punters.
It will last until the end
of the year, or when Volvo's 2007 allocation is sold, whichever comes first.
Thereafter the C30 will cost $54,990. It's a bit like the warranty: 100,000km or three years, whichever comes first.
The price will alter again, too, when Volvo introduces two C30 variants, one powered by a 2.4-litre naturally aspirated five-cylinder petrol engine, the other by a turbodiesel unit.
The launch model uses a turbocharged 2.5-litre inline five-cylinder petrol engine producing 162kW (220bhp) and 320Nm of torque.
It drives the front wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox with manual mode.
The C30 is Volvo's smallest car and is based on a shortened version of the S40 sedan chassis.
The original chassis donor is the Ford Focus, a dynamic class leader.
Volvo says the standout styling feature of the C30 is the rear glass tailgate, a design borrowed from the Volvo SCC (Safety Concept Car) of a few years ago. The tailgate dovetails with the car's rounded rear shoulders, which are accentuated by the horseshoe-shaped lighting pattern of the tail-lights.
"The distinctive tail lamps ensure that no one will be uncertain about which car they have in front," says Volvo design director Steve Mattin.
That is so, but the C30 remains a curious car.
It is not as sharp as the Focus but there is much to like.
Ride and handling on MacPherson front wheel and multilink rear suspension is good; steering is accurate, if a little woolly on turn-in through the twisty stuff; and the relationship between engine and gearbox won't need counselling. Both are slick and quick. The driver's position is first-class, so is the uncluttered dash and instrument panel.
Storage in the form of pockets isn't great but the soft-feel fit and finish of the cabin overall is excellent.
But while the C30 would be very easy to live with, more so for two people, things get a bit mixed behind the front occupants.
Volvo is talking up the car as a two-door with seating for four adults. Yes, the rear two seats are more than adequate, slightly centred to provide reasonable leg, head and shoulder room for average-sized adults.
But climbing into the rear via the front doors, like most two-door hatchbacks, is awkward.
The unusual tailgate opening with its high sill doesn't help the view either.
Looking at the small aperture from the inside, especially with the boot raised, is like looking down the wrong end of binoculars.
Boot storage is small. Doubtful Volvo will aim the C30 at golfers, as it does its bigger models through support of the New Zealand Golf Association.
The C30 boot will hold two golf bags but only if the rear seats are folded down.
Volvo reckons the C30 will appeal to singles, or couples without children who see the car as an entertaining tool for keeping up with their intense lives.
"Volvo's intention is that the C30 should attract people who love driving," said Wallis Dumper, managing director of Volvo importers Motorcorp Distributors.
The 30's compact format has not prevented Volvo from integrating much of what is best in the larger Volvo cars, says the company. Safety is a prerequisite.