When the Volvo C30 was launched last year it marked a big change in direction for the Swedish car company.

The C30 is Volvo’s first compact car since the 480ES went out of production back in the mid 1990s.

And its spiritual successor is the unusual Volvo 1800ES sports estate which hasn’t been built since 1973 and featured a distinctive glass tailgate.

For the first time in years Volvo is aiming a car squarely at young people, and the result has been a real head-turner.

We sent Andy Goodwin to see if he fits into Volvo’s target audience.

View more images of the Volvo C30 Powershift

The C30 we are here to drive is finished in bright white paint - making it even more alluring – and it features Volvo’s brand new ‘Powershift’ gearbox and an R-Design body kit.

From the front it looks aggressive thanks to an edgy bumper, perfect for channelling air around the car and into the engine bay.

And there is a modern and clean look thanks to Xenon headlights which stay on  for safety in low light conditions (a Volvo trademark)and are fitted into a tinted cluster with a black surround.

Along its flanks the C30 has a strong shoulder line, which becomes more pronounced over the rear wheels, and ground hugging side skirts.

Bold boot

But, it’s the back of the C30 which has been the cause of most pub conversations between beer drinking car connoisseurs.

A dark glass tailgate stretching down to the rear bumper gives the C30 quite a unique rump. Surrounded by rear lights and sporting prominent Volvo branding it manages to be both retro and modern.

Such individual looks and the fact Volvo only plans to sell 7,000 in the UK each year should be a real hook for customers who want to drive something a little bit different.

Drive a white Volvo C30 R-Design into a petrol station and the chances are someone will pluck up a conversation about it, curious to know what it’s like.

The Volvo C30 is quirky inside too, with four separate seats rather than the traditional two front chairs and a rear bench.

Volvo claims this is more comfortable for the rear passengers and says there are plenty of other cars in its range with five seats if you need extra space.

But we reckon it’s a shame the Volvo can’t match the seating space of competitors like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus.

The R-Design leather seats fitted in our test car are comfortable and feel expensive, with embossed logos and neat stitching.

Eight engines are available including 1.6, 1.8, 2 and 2.5-litre petrol units and 1.6, 2 and 2.4-litre diesel engines.

View more images of the Volvo C30 Powershift

Powershift

We drove the 134bhp 2-litre diesel - the only engine currently available with the new ‘Powershift’ gearbox – and the model which we expect to be the UK’s best seller.

Turn on the engine and there is no doubt the engine is burning diesel, but there is no vibration through the car.

On the move things improve markedly, the engine is smooth and quiet when cruising and only makes itself heard under heavy acceleration.

Leave the gear selector in ‘D’ and its automatic changes are made smoothly and quickly, with little interruption in the flow of power – impressive stuff.

Two clutches work in unison, one selecting the odd gears and the other taking care of the even ones.

The result is impressive and works in a similar fashion to Volkswagen’s DSG system.

Fitted with the Powershift 'box, the 2-litre turbocharged diesel accelerates from 0-60mph in nine seconds, thanks largely to its healthy 236lb/ft of pulling power.

Slip the gear selector to the left and you can shift through the gears manually – but there are no wheel mounted gear paddles, which is a shame.

With such a fast gearbox it feels unnatural having to take your hands off the steering wheel and makes the driver more inclined to leave the gearbox in automatic mode.

Volvo claims the C30 has the sportiest handling of any current Volvo model and it does certainly feel agile and grippy.

Handling is assured, but can’t compete with more hardcore and similarly priced cars like the Ford Focus ST.

While the suspension isn’t jarringly firm, it does translate more of the road’s surface into body movement than Volvo customers may be used to.

This trait is partly down to the handsome 18-inch alloy wheels and low profile tyres fitted to R Design models.

View more images of the Volvo C30 Powershift

Five star EuroNCAP result

Volvos are best known for their safety and the C30 certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Anti-lock brakes, electronic brake distribution, electronic brake assist, dynamic stability control and traction control all constantly monitor the car to help prevent skids.

Side impact curtain airbags, driver and passenger airbags, whiplash preventing seats, side impact beams and crumple zones all work to make the C30 one of the safest hatchbacks on sale.

In EuroNCAP crash tests it scored the full five stars for adult occupant protection and four stars for child occupant protection.

Every C30 comes equipped with alloy wheels, performance sound system, electronic climate control, power windows, dynamic stability and traction control, remote central locking and an alarm.

The Volvo C30 will never be as common on British roads as the Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf, and its price is high – but its exclusivity seems to us to be its greatest selling point.

Buy one and you will have chosen something different – a car which is a conversation piece and a statement about your taste, as much as a method of transport.

View more images of the Volvo C30 Powershift