Road test: Volvo V40 Cross Country

One of my favourite test cars of 2013, this Volvo V40 Cross Country will appeal to many for its snazzy robust looks, how it drives and for the comfort it provides, writes Trish Whelan. As well as for all the gee-whiz, high-technology stuff onboard.

It will appeal to city and country folk alike who want a car that stands out from the norm.

The review car was in pale grey with black trim around the doors, decked out with chrome roof rails on a black stripe, sitting on smokey black anthracite alloy wheels, and with higher ground clearance. It also comes in other exterior colours including white with black and chrome accessories giving off a powerful but rugged look with its promise of performance and adventure. I also particularly liked the boomerang shaped LED lights inset into the front bumpers.

Most buyers will opt for the 2WD model which is fine for a bit of soft off-road enjoyment (just the T5 top petrol engine has proper 4WD). My test car was the T4 1.6 petrol version with 180bhp, mated to a smooth 6-speed manual gearbox. This is a beautifully quiet, and powerful engine. All T4 grades of ES, SE and SE Lux are in Band B1. The automatic versions are in C and E.

You sit up somewhat higher in the Cross Country than in the ordinary V40 so have a very good view of the road ahead. Visibility is also enhanced by the fairly big rear window and blind spot cover on the driver's side mirror. But the B-pillars hinder your side-rear view somewhat as they are slanted and wide due to the car's design.

The cabin has been thoughtfully designed around the driver and the interior style is top notch. Pale grey leather seats in the test car were a perfect foil to the exterior colour and were every bit as comfy as they looked.

The dash is upmarket but there are so many features to comprehend that it takes time to familiarise yourself with them all. I especially liked the instruments, with the centre dial showing your current speed in large white digital numbers. There's a very visible gear shift indicator on the very right of the instrument panel which you just can't miss!

Features included cruise control, Bluetooth, heated front seats, parking sensors and reversing camera, air conditioning, Start/Stop function and a trip computer which showed how many kilometres are left to empty. I always turn off Stop/Start in my press cars as I always feel apprehensive when stopped at lights and the engine cuts out, fearing it will let me down when I go to move away - although it rarely does.

Always mindful of storage areas, big or small, the large glovebox was very useful as were the big door bins and the open upholder for my bits and pieces.

The car's driving dynamics are superb as you expect from Volvo and the higher ground clearance makes for a more comfortable ride for all onboard.

The V40 is one of the safest cars on the road with its many safety features resulting in a top five-star Euro NCAP rating when the car was launched last year. It also won their Best in Class in the Small Family class with the best overall result ever recorded by the organisation. Here in Ireland, it won the Continental Irish Compact Family Car of the Year 2013 award, run by the Irish Motoring Writers Association.

Volvo say 'every year is a safety year' and that by 2020, nobody should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo.

While there is good boot space, there's no spare wheel, just a sealant puncture repair kit.

Prices for the V40 Cross Country (CC) begin at €30,445.