A smart little saloon in a surprisingly appealing niche. The S40's trick is to squeeze all of the qualities of a sophisticated saloon model in the footprint of a smaller model. No mean feat, but one that Volvo is ideally positioned to pull off.

The first triumph hardly comes as a surprise given Volvo’s reputation for building sturdy and robust vehicles. From the very first impression it’s clear that the model benefits from the solid build quality of a larger, premium saloon model.

Engine choices run the gambit from 1.6-litre to 2.5-litre, so both economy and performance are available. Somewhere in between sits the tractable 2.0-litre diesel unit. with a highly respectable return on fuel and packs enough punch to make it brisk and comfortable on the open road, while remaining a breeze to drive around town.

Premium saloon attributes squeezed into a family hatchback footprint looks like a great combination on paper and proves to be in the flesh, too. For drivers feeling stymied by the limitations of the UK market, the S40 could be a very welcome alternative.