Car Statistics: Volvo - C70 Series 06 (3 stars)

Styling (3 stars)

Volvo's familiar design language is obvious, although the front looks a little too similar to the S60 and V70 for our tastes. The roof mechanism is amazing to watch.

Handling (3 stars)

Decent to drive, but happiest when cruising rather than being thrown at corners. Lacks the character that makes a 3 Series cabrio so special.

Comfort (4 stars)

Comfortable in the front and with good insulation against wind noise with the roof down. Limited rear space, but still better than rivals.

Quality (4 stars)

Solid-feeling construction instills confidence that the complicated roof mechanism will stay the course.

Performance (4 stars)

Both petrol engines provide decent urge compared to the competition, with the torquey T5 particularly impressive. The six-speed manual gearbox is excellent, too.

Roominess (3 stars)

Roof up there's 400 litres of boot space - enough for a weekend away - but with the top down that's halved. There's a clever button in the boot that raises the stored panels slightly so you can get bags under it, before clicking it back down.

Costs (3 stars)

Fleet buyers can get fixed-price servicing from Volvo, an offer than may eventually be extended to private buyers. Residual values should be towards the top of the class - servicing and fuel costs are pretty decent, too.

Value (4 stars)

Priced hard against more upmarket competition, but the Volvo comes with more equipment as standard. The Saab 9-3 Convertible will be the main challenger.

Stereo (4 stars)

The stereo sounds brilliant with the roof up or down, especially with one of the upgraded systems. Satnav is a pricey £2,200 option as part of the Communications Pack.