Volvo aims to hook younger buyers with its distinct C30 four-seat three-door coupé. But will these "empty nesters" buy a Volvo over an A3, Golf or 1-Series?
Volvo has embarked on a design renaissance in recent years, with its C70 hard-top convertible, the floating centre console adorning its latest models and now the C30, the Swedish maker's latest sports coupé.
The C30 is not the first time Volvo has attempted to woo up-and-coming young single buyers into its cars, although this time it hopes it will have more success. In the 1980s it produced the 480 and 460, and 20 years earlier the P1800, best known as Simon Templar's car in the hit British TV series, The Saint.
While the C30 is based on Ford's Focus platform and shares many of its engines, it has only three doors and four seats. All its competitors, from the 1-Series and A3 down to the Golf, Focus and Civic, come with the option of five doors, and all have five seats. Over the past three years, all of its competitors, except for Audi, have sold many more five-door hatchbacks than three.
Despite this, Volvo remains optimistic that 75 per cent of C30 buyers will migrate from competing marques, the majority of which will be upgrading from the mainstream brands. There will also be buyers at the opposing end of the age spectrum - as many as 25 per cent - who are downsizing to the C30 after their children have flown the nest.
Volvo has priced its entry 100bhp 1.6-litre petrol C30 at €26,500, which is over €5,000 more than the identically powered Focus. This puts it on par with Audi's 1.6-litre entry A3, and over €3,000 less than BMW's 1-Series, both of which may have five seats but are otherwise less equipped.
The C30 has a very distinct look for its design-conscious audience, although the front resembles the S40 from which the C30 is derived.
Behind the large steering wheel, the experience is typically Volvo, with excellent seats, logical layout and a feeling of quality. Driving the top of the range €39,950 2.5-litre turbocharged 220bhp petrol, the chassis lives up to our high expectations. However, the steering does not offer the quality feedback one would expect from a competitor to cars such as the excellent, practical and cheaper Golf GTi.
This highlights the problem facing the C30 - there are several superb alternatives that already have the desirable badge that is so important to this market.