#02#The latest in a glut of folding hard-top coupé convertibles to arrive in The Car Enthusiast car park, the Volvo C70 was nonetheless eagerly anticipated. We're recently-converted Volvo fans and have warmed to the company's new found style that combines with the traditional values of practicality and safety to create highly desirable cars that slot into daily life seamlessly.

The C70 is unmistakably a Volvo, but a new-age Volvo, complete with complex body lines and pronounced curves. Roof up or down it cuts a dashing line and is a head turning sleek and stylish car. It has mass-market appeal and the target audience in the US and Europe will love it. As you'd expect, it's all about a restrained and classy appearance that reflects the car's purpose. It's easy to imagine the C70 woofling its way down Rodeo drive or Kensington High Street.

As we've become used to, the roof is a masterpiece of engineering and packaging. It folds away into the boot in a series of hushed whirrs and the cover folds flush in place leaving a rakish bodyline. Boot space is compromised, as it the norm with such configurations, but it remains Volvo-esque in size. The real penalty on space is in the cabin.

Interior space is disappointing given the exterior dimensions of the C70. In practice it doesn't feel any roomier than the VW Eos, and seating two tall adults one in front of the other means compromises in terms of space for both occupants. It is plenty wide and the seats themselves are comfortable and well finished, but it's something of a tardis in reverse. #p##02# The reason for this is the roof. The Volvo's size dictates a number of lengthy roof panels for its coupé form and it is the length of these, plus the clearance necessary for their storage, that dictates the extent of the boot and therefore the rear deck. As you can see in the pictures, the rear of the car is a large flat expanse that takes up a significant proportion of the total vehicle length.

This compromise aside the cabin is the usual understated Volvo. It is a little dark and part of me can't help wishing Volvo would embrace some interior flare in terms of colouration, but the sober form works well. Our old favourite, the floating centre console, has pride of place in the middle of the cabin and houses the controls for air conditioning, CD changer, satnav and phone.

Materials used feel good and it is all well finished and screwed together; it certainly has the customary air of solidity associated with a Volvo and on the move you'd be hard pushed to notice a significant degradation in occupant comfort as compared to the old fixed-head coupé. Wind noise is slightly more pronounced and there is the occasional rattle around the joints in the roof, but these are few and far between and for the most part it is a refined and comfortable coupé.

Once the roof is stowed away there is a noticeable reduction in chassis integrity. The car feels more vague and there is movement evident in the pedals, scuttle and steering column that can be intrusive to driving fun. Volvo has obviously put some work into structural rigidity (look no further than the kerb weight for evidence), but the loss of stiffness due to the removal of the roof panel is pronounced. #p##02# On the move, the cabin is impressively free of buffeting, even with the optional wind deflector stored in the boot; dropping the windows as well obviously worsens matters, but even at motorway speeds it's easy to converse in the cabin and the stereo doesn't have to work too hard to be heard.

The T5 powerplant has its work cut out in this car. Long-legged gearing combines with the hefty weight to blunt performance you may expect from 217bhp. The 2.5-litre turbocharged five-pot feels a little weak at times, a feeling not supported by the claimed 7-second 0-60mph time; although the 150mph maximum remains akin to its fixed head stable mates. It is a refined engine though, emitting a cultured howl when extended, with decent in-gear performance and a torque characteristic tailored perfectly for cruising.

We found that the C70 can trot on when pushed, but in the main a more relaxed driving style is its strongest ally and in such contexts it drives well and produces reasonable fuel economy whilst working in relative silence. We achieved an average of 22mpg during our week and 30mpg is attainable at a cruise, but the T5's thirst is healthy when worked hard.

The chassis loss of stiffness is noticeable on the open road. This is not a car in which to explore chassis dynamics, but then it was never intended to be. The driving position is quite high, but the range of seat adjustment means a comfortable position is easily found for all shapes and sizes of driver. Memory seats ease the transition between users. The steering wheel is a little large for our liking and the helm is a little on the light side for some tastes, but the driving controls in general are nice to use. The gear shift is smooth and slick and the brakes well modulated. #p##04# Pushing the C70 hard will produce an indifferent response from the car; pronounced understeer is the dominant trait and it begins to take hold at relatively low rates of exertion. Bear in mind that this is intended to be a refined cruiser though. The likely purchaser of this car is not looking at skidpan 'g' and slalom figures.

In everyday driving environments the Volvo C70 is a much finer car. The handling is more than adequate for the countryside or boulevard amble the car is designed to undertake. The ride is absorbent enough, but it feels like perhaps the body isn't stiff enough to let the suspension work completely effectively and the whole structure shudders over any pronounced bumps.

Overall, driving enthusiasts should look elsewhere, as the Volvo is not likely to please in the way a more sportingly biased car might, but the more likely clientele (i.e. the more style-conscious or mature) will find the new Volvo C70 a very tempting proposition. Sleek, refined and solid with a rare air of class and a sound, well-equipped interior, as well as the usual Volvo assurances of safety and quality, the C70 is a hard to beat package.

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Volvo C70 UK range overview

- Volvo C70 2.4i Sport: £26,225
- Volvo C70 T5 Sport: £29,500
- Volvo C70 D5 Sport (Geartronic): £29,420
- Volvo C70 2.4i SE: £27,475
- Volvo C70 T5 SE: £30,750
- Volvo C70 D5 SE (Geartronic): £30,670
- Volvo C70 2.4i SE Lux: £29,975
- Volvo C70 T5 SE Lux: £33,250
- Volvo C70 D5 SE Lux (Geartronic): £33,170