Volvo C30 is European-style package

Volvo is thinking small these days for U.S. consumers and introducing its littlest car here, the 2008 C30 hatchback.

Based on the front-wheel-drive platform of the Volvo S40 sedan, the C30 is a tidy, European-style package, with four bucket-type seats inside and three doors, including a mostly glass rear tailgate. Except for its instantly recognizable Volvo front end, the C30 looks distinctive on American roads.

Typical of a Volvo, the C30 comes with an array of standard safety items such as curtain air bags, electronic stability control and traction control.

Starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, for a 2008 C30 is $23,445 with six-speed manual transmission. A five-speed automatic transmission adds $1,250 to the price for a total of $24,695.

This is substantially higher than small hatchbacks from Japan-based carmakers, such as the Honda Fit that has a starting retail price of $14,545 with manual transmission and non-turbo four cylinder.

But the C30 pricing fits with other hatchbacks from European car companies, such as the 2008 Volkswagen GTI, which starts at $23,370 with manual transmission and turbocharged four cylinder, and the Mini Cooper three-door car which starts at more than $21,000 with manual transmission and turbocharged four cylinder.

How small is the C30? It's some 8 inches shorter in length than an S40 sedan, but it's 10 inches longer than Honda's five-door Fit.

The C30 also weighs some 770 pounds more than a Fit and with its safety structure under the body panels and European-tuned suspension, feels quite firm and stable in its ride. On mountain roads, the test C30 stuck like glue as it made its way around sweeping curves. It held its line without a lot of tending at the steering wheel, and body motions were few and predictable.

I just had to get used to looking at the tailpipes of trucks. Passengers in the C30 sit low to the pavement and can feel surrounded by taller vehicles. Heck, I even looked up at the license plate on a Scion xB in front of me.

There's only one engine for the C30, and it's the same turbocharged five cylinder that the S40 sedan has. In the C30, horsepower peaks at a commendable 227, which far outpaces Honda's Fit with 109 horses from a naturally aspirated four cylinder.

But torque -- that "oomph" that propels a car forward when the accelerator goes down -- is what's truly memorable in the C30. Maximum torque is 236 foot-pounds and can be reached as quickly as 1,500 rpm. It continues to 5,000 rpm, meaning there's a palpable get up and go sensation in the C30 at startup and in many other driving situations.

Just watch that the steering wheel isn't turned a bit to one side or the other. Torque steer -- that unnerving pull of the steering wheel to one side or the other -- is in the C30, and it can take quite a bit of effort to right the steering direction if a driver is also tapping all that torque.

But, it sure can be fun passing other cars quickly on country roads and darting through traffic congestion.

There's just a bit of turbo lag, at times, before the power takes hold. Using the C30's six-speed manual transmission expertly, though, can reduce the chances of turbo lag -- provided, of course, a driver doesn't mind hearing the engine operating at high revs.

There's considerable road noise from the standard 17-inch tires that can become fatiguing. The performance of the engine and the weight of the car take a toll on fuel economy, even in a car this small. The federal government fuel economy rating with manual transmission is just 19 miles per gallon in city driving, which is akin to that of some larger cars with V-6 engines. On the highway, the C30 government rating is 28 mpg.

In contrast, the Fit with manual is rated at 28 mpg in city driving with manual transmission, and its highway rating is 34 mpg.

I was surprised at how large the turning circle is for the C30: 38.1 feet. Volvos are known for much smaller turning circles.

And the interior of the C30 can convey a bit of a tight feel, width-wise, in both front and back seats. It's a more European feel that may take some getting used to to Americans whose vehicles tend to be wider than the C30's 70.2 inches. For example, a 2008 Honda Accord is 72.8 inches wide.

The back seat provides decent legroom for someone my size -- 5 feet 4. But the 34.2 inches back there really is on par with some of the smaller third-row seats in sport utility vehicles and might not be comfortable for long distances for tall passengers. I also found the sizable front seatbacks blocked forward views.

Cargo space is small when the back seats are in use. The maximum cargo room, with back seats folded, is 20.2 cubic feet. And no matter how much space you have back there, it's all exposed under the large hatchback glass. My grocery bags and their contents were in full view of every passerby in the test car.

While the base C30 isn't pricey for a European hatchback, the uplevel model, with optional automatic transmission, moonroof, leather-trimmed seats and heated front seats with driver's power adjustment gets up to more than $29,000.

That's within a few hundred dollars of a stylish convertible like the 2008 VW Eos with automatic transmission, standard sunroof and turbocharged four cylinder.