There's less to this baby than meets the eye.

In Europe, Volvo identifies the new C30’s main competition as the BMW 1-series and three-door Audi A3, neither of which is sold in the U.S. (we get the five-door A3). When the car goes on sale here this summer as a 2008 model, however, it will be pitched at the Mini Cooper S.

The C30 is essentially a pretty coupe version of the Volvo S40 sedan, which is based on the corporate C1 platform that also underpins the European Ford Focus and the Mazda 3. It is 8.5 inches shorter than the S40 but is otherwise dimensionally close and mechanically the same.

Whereas elsewhere the C30 becomes the entry-level Volvo, the U.S. will get only the top-of-the-line T5 version sporting the turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine producing 218 horsepower and driving the front wheels.

The C30 T5 is respectably fast — 0 to 60 mph in an estimated 6.4 seconds and a top speed of perhaps 149 mph — but won’t scare Volvo traditionalists. It includes the marque’s usual comprehensive array of safety equipment but manages to look more lithe and youthful than other Volvos.

In fact, the shape, with its rising beltline and tapering tail and the glass hatch that recalls the 1970s P1800ES, comes directly from the Volvo SCC (Safety Concept Car) that previewed BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), which is available as an option on the C30.

The SCC emphasized visibility, and the C30 follows the same principle. All-around vision is probably the best of any current small car, thanks to narrow pillars, a deep windshield and glass hatchback, and some subtle details such as triangular-section door pillars and the narrowing tail that improve the view over the shoulder and through the side mirrors. The same features are used to emphasize its visual appeal. The designers urge you to look through the rear window and appreciate the clear path between the separate rear seats leading to Volvo’s trademark “floating” center stack.

The two rear seats are for adults, with adequate leg- and headroom for a six-footer; they drop down at the flick of a lever to form a flat but high load space. With the seats in place, however, the addition of luggage spoils the designers’ effect, and neither hard cover nor soft window shades are entirely satisfactory in hiding cargo from prying eyes.

Like the sporty versions of the S40, the C30 handles nicely enough, but it’s not terribly rewarding. The optional Sport setup — stiffer, with the ride height lowered by an inch and 18-inch wheels — isn’t very comfortable and, if anything, aggravates the T5’s tendency to torque-steer when accelerating on an uneven road. Unlike the S40, the C30 will not be offered with four-wheel drive.

Generally, though, what you see is what you get with the C30: a practical three-door-hatchback version of a familiar sedan. Like the Mini Cooper, it offers cute looks, sporty performance, and sharp handling in a compact package. The Volvo is a better car in terms of accommodation, interior furnishings, and safety features, but we aren’t sure its more conventional styling (and likely higher price) will appeal to those who have come to love the Mini.

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 3-door hatchback

ESTIMATED BASE PRICE: $25,000

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 20-valve inline-5, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 154 cu in, 2521cc
Power (SAE net): 218 bhp @ 5000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 236 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm

TRANSMISSIONS: 5-speed automatic with manumatic shifting, 6-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 103.9 in
Length: 167.4 in
Width: 70.0 in
Height: 57.0 in
Curb weight: 3000 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 6.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.5 sec
Top speed (drag limited): 149 mph

PROJECTED FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city driving: 20–22 mpg
EPA highway driving: 28–32 mpg