Some television ads make me squirm at the lack of confidence they imply. Years ago there was British Rail's desperate "We're Getting There" campaign, "Above All It's A Rover" was stomach-churning, and I thought Skoda tried to get away from the Jasper Carrott effect long after it should have had to show any concern about it. And now we have Volvo's "Love It, Hate It" ad for the C30, which practically invites viewers to think that there may be something dodgy about the car.I suppose Volvo's advertising people are trying to suggest that the C30 is controversial, but you can do that without the suggestion of perspiring foreheads and crossed fingers that oozes from the screen every time the ad is shown.This subtext may in fact be quite accurate. Volvo has said that the C30 was originally a styling exercise which was not intended for production, and I get the feeling that there is some nervousness within the company about whether bringing the car to market was such a good idea after all.Be that as it may, here it is. Volvo makes the C30 available with a wide variety of engines and four trim levels, and the car tested here is at the budget end of the range. It uses the smallest and least powerful of the various turbo diesels on offer (1.6 litres, 109bhp) and is in the SE trim level, the middle of the three you can get with this engine (like the 1.6 petrol version, this one can't be bought in ultimate SE Lux form).It costs £18,295, but you can spend £1500 less by choosing the S model if you're prepared to accept smaller wheels and do away with cruise control, front foglights, a trip computer, a bottle holder and various less important fripperies. Alternatively, you can spend £1500 more on the SE Sport, which has larger wheels and a racey-looking bodykit. Given the performance of the 1.6D, I can't see many people doing that unless they have a particularly well-developed sense of irony.Not that I'm complaining about the engine. It won't get you very far on a track day, but for normal motoring use its 109bhp is quite sufficient. It feels weak only in the sense that you miss the surge of acceleration typical of more powerful turbo diesels such as the 2.0 and 2.4 units available further up the C30 range. With those, you can overtake in reasonable safety in situations where it would be wiser not to bother if you're at the wheel of the 1.6.The 1.6 also has an excellent combined fuel consumption figure of 57.6mpg and a 129g/km CO2 rating, both of which are good news. And it's admirably quiet, even during a cold start, or when you're trying to whip every one of those 109 horses into action.If you do that, the C30 1.6D springs an interesting and not very appropriate surprise; it's one of those cars which gets better the harder you drive it. It has enough grip to respond well to enthusiastic treatment, and not enough power to risk any kind of serious trouble.The rest of the driving experience isn't all that great. Although the C30 is quite small, it feels like it has been set up by people who are more at home with larger cars. So, although it should be nimble, it can in fact be rather laborious, reacting like a bulky and slightly wallowy saloon rather than the "SportsCoupé" which Volvo claims it really is.For all that, it feels much better than the two-litre diesel which was the subject of a previous review. The 2.0 might seem more impressive, and it's certainly quicker, but the 1.6 is the one I'd prefer to live with. Engine 1560cc, 4 cylinders Power 109bhp Fuel/CO2 57.6mpg / 129g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 11.3 seconds Top speed 118mph Price £18,295 Details correct at publication date
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