Volvo V50

The Volvo V50 is a smart way of getting a moderate amount of clobber down the road.

• Comfort

  Volvo always does brilliant seats and the ride comfort and refinement aren't bad either. But this is a smallish car and it's not very roomy in the back.

  

• Performance

  The engines are shared with the S40. The four-cylinder petrols are unexciting, and then there's a gap to the superb T5, which is a fine-sounding engine and kicks you to 100kmh in little over 6sec without being mad on the CO2 scale. The diesel D5 is a bit noisy; muscular but heavy.

   

  

• Cool

  A Volvo wagon is stylish and restrained and quietly cool, yes.

  

• Quality

  The V50 has another example of Volvo's tasteful, individual, minimalist and modern interiors, so we like it. The whole car is chunky feeling, important for a wagon where you'll be abusing it a bit.

  

• Handling

  The V50 isn't a car you have fun in. It feels bigger than it is, with a slightly lazy response to inputs that makes it relaxing rather than exciting.

  

• Practicality

  The V50 isn't as boxy as bigger Volvo wagons so, unlike Jade Goody, it couldn't swallow a wardrobe. But there are lots of handy places to strap and stow stuff, and Volvo is very good at things like built-in child seats.

  

• Running costs

  It's pretty much middle of the pack, depending on where you choose between the pedestrian base diesel and the tyre-shredding, high-insurance, thirsty T5.