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. There's a bewildering range of eight, including one that'll take E85 bioethanol mix. 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 60mph in little over 6sec without being mad on the CO2 scale. The diesels are a bit noisy: among them the 1.6 is weedy but the 2.0 is OK and the D5 muscular but heavy.

   

  

• Cool

  A Volvo estate 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 an estate 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 estates so 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 1.6 diesel and the tyre-shredding, high-insurance, thirsty T5. The Flexifuel option has advantages if you live near the right pump.