It sits on a pair of 17 inches rims and some 225/45 tires. Let’s get it out of the way from the beginning: this is a very goodlooking car. The arched body resembles the katana of a samurai, its every muscle tensed and ready to leap at a moment’s notice. It follows Volvo’s new design language that was introduced with the C30 and S60 models. It does look quite apart from its predecessor but the Volvo image is undeniably still here. The easily recognizable badge hangs from a glossy black plastic radiator grill. Below the beautifully sculpted headlights is a pair of LED daytime running lights and a glossy painted spoiler that looks cool but is doomed to take quite a beating from day to day usage in a city. The windshield is angled in order to maintain the overall look of the car but it is a rare case in which the form does not come over function as it provides a very good visibility for the driver. The glass contains the City Safety System in its upper part, a pair of sensors that constantly monitor the road ahead while maintaining a safe distance behind another car and even coming to a full stop without the driver’s intervention. There are many impact zones in front of the engine and around the passengers so the impact energy is evenly distributed around the safety zone made up by the pillars and other reinforcing elements. Volvo even has a proprietary system called SIPS (side impact protection system) that ensures the doors can be opened and the passengers can be taken out of the car in the event of a crash.

This particular model also comes with the R-design badge , a trim level that brings a few design elements on top the basic ones such as front and rear spoilers painted in the same color as the car, a front grill, side mirrors and ornaments painted with a fake brushed aluminium finish, bespoke 17 inches rims and double sport exhaust pipes. The rims look very good but they will let you know when you are driving on less then stellar roads with some potholes on them. The back end of the car houses some decent size rear doors that provide good access to the back seats. As you move towards the rear end the very wide C pillar has quite a dramatic effect on the looks of the car as it makes it look like a cross between a station wagon and a hatchback. The pillars end with some very big, interestingly shaped and unmistakable Volvo taillights. These design cues give the car a very unique character while following the Volvo’s new design guidelines. The trunk ends quite abruptly like in a station wagon and it has a decent size but well within the classes average, certainly not the cargo space  you might think is available at first sight. The designers made some clever use of space with the floor mat that can be folded up and locks in different positions to reveal a little more storage space and a temporary spare tire. With the rear seats folded down you do get a far bigger storage space but it is more appropriate to carry some chairs from IKEA than a whole couch like you could do with the previous model.

The interior of the car is Volvo business as usual. It is by no means spectacular but it does not even try to be. It is a well studied design that has evolved over the years and you can still see many design elements from the old V40 and other Volvo models. It is a clean and interior and very pleasing to the eye. The 16:9 central display has good contrast and sunlight readability and is quite elevated on the central console so it can be seen by any passenger in the car. It also comes with an lcd display on the dashboard that can present the driver with a wealth of information. Every element of the interior is studied so that its form and materials react in the best possible manner to help the driver in the unfortunate event of a serious accident. Small details stand out such as the start button with the key slot that have been moved away from the steering wheel column so that they do not hit the driver in the event of a crash. The seats offer a good lateral support and have a good headrest that is supposed to minimise the whiplash effect and protect the driver’s neck. The driving position is really good and is helped a lot by the grippy steering wheel and good visibility. Although the brushed aluminium accents are made out of plastic, all  the materials used in the cabin are of good quality and offer a nice tactile sensation. The ergonomics are good and you can find a lot of storage spaces around the cabin. The audio system is also above average with a good space in the doors to house some decent sized magnets for the speakers. For the Sweedish company safety comes first so all the passengers are well protected with lots of airbags and the Isofix system is standard so you can install a baby seat with no problems.

The engine is a Duratec 2.0 diesel borrowed from Ford and produces 150 bhp and around 258 ft/lb of torque. The platform also comes from a Ford Focus and that is not a bad thing at all. It is coupled with a 6 speed automatic gear box. It is not the latest generation of gearboxes and it does not utilize the 2 clutch setup but it holds its ground pretty well. In the city it always tries to change the gears at optimum rpms in order to give the driver maximum torque but also keep the mpg high. This car manages some very good fuel economy. If you drive it over long distances like commuting in and out of city, even with a sporty driving style and AC always on you would be hard pressed to have lower than 38 mpgs showing on the dashboard computer. If you have a more tempered driving style this car will do about 60 mpgs without any struggle. This will be a hard thing however as the car tempts you constantly to put you right foot down and feel the good accelerations and the great pull from that diesel power plant. At around 4000 rpms the sound of the engine resembles a classic v6 and that wonderful noise coupled with the good responsiveness of a torquey diesel can really make you day and put a smile on your face. It is a fun car to drive and offers good stability thanks to the independent rear suspension and some clever tricks with anti roll bars beneath the bonnet.

Overall Volvo has achieved its goal of creating a replacement of the legendary V40. Sure it does not have that big of a trunk nor does it have any true sport aspirations but for a young driver or even families with a child it can be a sensible choice that offers a world renowned safety rating, a decent interior space and good driving dynamics.

This model comes equipped with the 17 inches rims and 225/45 R17 tires. The way a car looks is most often a subject of debate as many times beauty really is in the eyes of the beholder. With the Giulietta however, the matter is really simple : this is maybe the most beautiful hot hatch on the road. Viewed from certain angles it even has a Ferrari vibe to it. The way the taillights seem to drip towards each other, the hidden backdoor handles that give it a coupe look, the agressive headlights and the classic Alfa Romeo shield make for an excellent lesson in design. All the competitors should take notes. The rims are quite big and the tires can take quite a pounding when driving on less maintained roads. The black matte finish of the rims is especially attractive but it can be quite a challenge not to get them scratched. Even if it does not have the biggest trunk in its segment, it is sufficient and falls in line with the compact class. A nice touch is the fact that the trunk lid is well balanced and gives a nice sound when it effortlessly closes.

The car is brought to life by a 1.8 liter turbo charged engine that runs on petrol and outputs a total of 235 bhp and a maximum torque of about 258ft/lbs. It is a very responsive engine and it is aided by an equally good turbine that reaches its optimum pressure very quickly and at relatively low rpms. The accelerations are good and it truly gives the sensation of a proper super hot hatch. All this power means nothing unless the car can actually transfer it to the wheels. Traditionally all true sport cars have rear wheel drive, and for a good reason. As a car accelerates, a good portion of the mass is transferred to the back. This is a good thing as it results in a very good grip to the wheels that move the vehicle. The Giulietta is a front wheel drive car and it suffers from the same symptom as all front wheel drive hot hatches: a relative lack of traction. This is a constant problem for the engineers and many have employed a range of tricks in order to mitigate the issue, ranging from different suspension setups to clever differentials and torque steering. The Italians have installed a system called DNA (it stands for Dynamic, Normal and All Weather), an electronic differential that tries to put all the torque to good use and make the car more manageable under sudden accelerations. In the Dynamic mode, the car tries really hard to make a good impression and not let down that QV badge and it manages for the most part. From a dynamic point of view it will always struggle behind cars like the BMW 1 series but at the same time it is nowhere near as bad as the Mazda 3 MPS. The six speed gearbox is something of a let down. There is an option for a dual clutch automatic but the manual feels a bit imprecise. The lower gear ratios can especially be a bit hard to change if you build the revs near the limit. The engine is electronically limited to about 6000 rpms and it really comes to life as it hits  3000 to 3500 rpms and above.

The interior of the car is quite beautiful from a design point of view but it consists of a mix of good materials and some really cheap looking ones (especially the steering wheel that looks totally bland and out of place ). The Italian auto maker is considered somewhat of a premium brand, definettly a notch above the likes of Fiat and the car really tries to make a case for itself. There is a red stitched leather steering wheel along with matching front seats, aluminium insertions, round dial controls for the AC, a fake aluminium gearshift knob and so on. Some of these design choices make sense, others not so much. There is also a matter of ergonomics. For example the lateral support of the seats, although decent, has quite a big design flaw. The armrest is positioned in such a strange way that if someone chooses to use it often,  it results in a rather unpleasant feeling when changing gears as the driver’s elbow usually hits the lateral upholstery of the seat. There is also the case of quite a strange placement of the different buttons on the central console. The car also lack proper storage compartments and the ones that are present are quite small. There is an ever present feeling of a waste of space in the cabin. The driving position is very good with plenty of visibility . Overall the interior and ergonomics of the controls do not live up to the excellent exterior image of the car. Where the car does score some big points is in the safety department where it performs admirably when subjected to crash tests.

As a hot hatch, the Giulietta is not hard to recommend. It is a really good looking car with an overall decent interior, a very lively engine that likes to be pushed to its limits and quite an economical one when driven like a normal city car and it is not crazy expensive considering its image and performance. For someone looking at an alternative for the likes of Golf GTI, it is a good car to tell everyone that you chose with your heart and appreciate the seductive Italian madness more than the bland and cold pieces of German engineering. If however you are looking for the best driving chassis, good ergonomics and the uttermost performance, than you need to look elsewhere.

It comes equipped with a set of 17 inches grey rims and a set of 205/50 R17 tires that look quite good on this model. It is visually almost identical to the well-known Megane hatchback family model. The only differences are the grey mirrors and door handles, the grey plastic insertions on the front bumper along with the glossy black plastic that houses the “GT Line” badge. The headlights have also received a slight treatment in the form of a grayish tint. At the back of the car, Renault has placed a false grey plastic rear diffuser that serves no aerodynamic purpose but rather an aesthetic one. Overall the car has a fresh look to it without having any sport aspirations. It is a rather understated design that has become a little bit stale over the years but it is by no means an ugly looking car. The luggage compartment has a big opening and it is one of the more spacious ones in the compact class. Underneath the floor mat there is a full sized spare tire, a rare sight these days, especially in the compact class. The key is a typical Renault card-key. Because it is an intelligent key,it can be inserted in the specially designed slot on the dashboard or simply be kept in a pocket. All the driver has to do is press the clutch pedal and the Start button and the car will come to life. The interior of the car can be considered up to date but without excelling in any way. The steering wheel, gearshift knob and handbrake leaver are all covered in leather. The seats have a sports aspect and the headrests are inscribed with the “GT Line” logo. And those are about the only things that stand out compared to a regular Megane model. There is nothing out of the ordinary and nothing exceptional about the interior. Instead , all the little touches and inscriptions tend to give it a more sportier feel, without really offering any real sport features. It is not about the luxury but rather the good ergonomics and friendly atmosphere that this car has to offer. The seating position is good , all the buttons and controls are relatively easy to reach and the space is quite generous in the front seats. The back seats do not offer the most enjoyable of the rides but there is decent room for 2 persons. The 5th passenger however will suffer a bit on longer trips due to the modest space. It does not have a strong character but nonetheless it will appeal to younger drivers who have a tight budget but still apreciate such small details that make the interior stand out a little bit compared to the standard models.

As far as the engine goes, the car is set in motion by a 1.4 liter engine that runs on petrol. It is an engine that has some really strong points and some equally weak ones. It is a small engine that will bode well with taxes and insurances. According to Renault it is able to output 130 bhp but be mindful, that power does come at pretty high rpms. In traffic it has an interesting effect : it tempers any itching that the driver might have in his right foot. While certainly not lacking in power, it delivers it in slices. It is not a sensation like a rush of adrenaline but rather a progressive feel. The car will almost never loose traction unless you push the revs to about 5000 rpms which is not something that the Megane is built for in the first place, so the burnouts amateurs should take notice. The gearbox is a 6 speed model that manages smooth accelerations without loosing any grip, putting all the power where it is needed: to the wheels.

You might think that it was built with fuel economy in mind but this is not always the case. It manages some very quick shifts from the 1st all the way to the 4th gear. The 5th and 6th offer good gearshifts too but it nearly makes no difference as by the time you shift into the last gears, the car is already at cruise speed. Driving in the city the gearbox feels well balanced managing some good accelerations. The torque is a bit on the small side (150 foot pounds) and you do need to build the revs quite a bit in the 1st in order to manage a good launch from a standing position but by the time you hit the 2nd gear, the car settles down and runs smoothly into the 3rd and 4th. One of the downsides of the engine is the fuel economy. In urban conditions and a brisker style of driving the car barely manages 15mpg. This is usually the risk with a car like the Megane that is not the lightest in its class. At times it feels like it could have done better with a bigger engine.In order to reach all the 130bhp, the car revs quite alot and that is a bad thing for fuel economy. On an upside, it is a quiet and quite refined little engine and you will rarely hear it in everyday traffic conditions. As a matter of fact, the soundproofing of the car is above average and it gives a really nice sensation when driving. The suspensions are well adapted to the city traffic and the car goes over the potholes without the slightest discomfort or any squeakiness.

Overall it is a car that does not have a lot of features and it certainly does not have a wow factor. Even so, it will attract its share of customers, mainly young drivers that do not have a lot of money to spend but still want a bit of performance in traffic. Driven by a more settled down driver that has learned how the engine works, it might even be possible to increase to mileage to around 20. It is not a must buy car for everyone but for the Renault fans that want a different take on the Megane, it might be a tempting deal.