The Volvo V40 debuts at the Madrid Motor Show

The biggest news at the 2012 Madrid Motor Show came from Volvo. The Swedish brand unveiled its smallest estate, the V40, at this unusual event. There was great anticipation. All the journalists cleared their schedules to see it for the first time. The official photos are deceptive. The reality is quite different.

This small Sporthatch, measuring 4.36 metres long, 1.78 wide and 1.48 tall, can be described simply with two adjectives. Sporty yet practical. Its youthful character comes with the option of a sporty chassis, yet its spacious cabin and generous boot allow it to tackle long journeys without much trouble.

When the presenters let journalists loose to test the V40, a long queue formed, and no wonder. This Volvo in the C-segment grabs the attention of every onlooker. Its exterior looks like a remix of two models from the brand. At the front, it shares many features with its bigger sibling, the V60, while the rear echoes the youngest of the Volvo family, the C30.

The interior hardly surprises. It still feels like just another Volvo. That doesn’t detract from the quality of its finish, which, without reaching the level of Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz, is good. The cabin again shows a sporty character. The seats hold occupants perfectly, so if you feel like exploiting the engine, there will be no problems.

One of the V40’s biggest innovations is the use of a TFT screen in the instrument cluster, from which we can select much of the information we want to display. The technology in this car takes one step further. From the cabin you can choose three different lighting modes depending on your driving style. Red conveys speed and aggression, green efficiency, and amber calm. You’re sure to find your own.

After driving, in less than half an hour, three very similar vehicles, the Volvo V40, the BMW 1 Series and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, the first one left a different impression on my palate than the rest. Its value for money is very good, but for a little more I would choose any of the German cars.