Volvo’s V40 is a bit of a left-field alternative to premium hatchbacks such as VW’s Golf, Audi’s A3 and BMW’s 1-Series and, on looks alone, it certainly provides some serious competition.

It’s slightly larger than either entrants from Audi or BMW but with a height of less than 1.45m it retains a sleek, sporty profile. An update in 2016 mainly revolved around additional trim options such as new alloy wheel designs and additional colour choices but also included a redesigned grille and Volvo’s trademark “Hammer of Thor” daytime running lights.

Trim levels were also aligned with the XC90, which means buyers now have the choice of Momentum, Inscription and R-Design versions with T2 and T3 petrol engines and D2, D3 and D4 diesels.

R-Design models are fitted with sport-biased suspension and bigger wheels. The ride is firmer, as a consequence, but it remains compliant, with an isolating ride at speed and a suppleness in urban environments that allows it to soak up bumps well.

With 152hp and a healthy 250Nm of torque available from just 1,300rpm in the manual version the T3 petrol engine impresses with both its refinement and flexibility. The gearbox has a nice crisp action and progress is satisfyingly spritely, with 60mph arriving in a none-too-shabby 7.8 seconds.

The V40 sits on a heavily revised version of Ford’s Global C Focus platform but, while it’s clear that Volvo’s tinkering has resulted in a car whose focus (pardon the pun) is more on safe than scintillating, it is nimble and precise in corners.

The steering is sharp and body control is excellent but, though you can certainly string a few high-speed corners together with confidence, the experience is not as engaging as some of its better-handling rivals.

The front seats are comfortable and supportive but mounted, perhaps, a little too high and that impacts on headroom. Legroom shouldn’t be an issue for either driver or passenger. In the front, anyway, because room in the rear is a little restricted and taller passengers could find longer stays in the back a tad uncomfortable. I think it would be fair to say that trying to squeeze three across the rear bench is far from ideal but that’s largely the case with many of the V40’s rivals.

Cabin storage is a little hit and miss. There are plenty of places to stow your belongings – even a tray behind the "floating" centre console – but some of them are on the small side.

There are lots of soft, tactile materials while tasteful application of metal trim adds a touch of real class to what is a beautifully pieced together passenger space.

If the V40’s cabin has an Achille’s Heel, it’s the number of buttons that, literally, litter the dashboard. There are far too many and they are far too fiddly to make trying to use them while driving a wise choice.

The standard-fit five-inch screen is too small, too low-res and lacks touch functionality. Despite the addition of large portrait touchscreens in newer models such as the XC90 and S90 Volvo’s hatchback is stuck with what is, compared to its rivals, an antiquated set-up.

Even the larger seven-inch screen fitted to Nav models, which includes the firm’s Sensus Connect and adds voice control, internet browser and connected web apps, fails to bridge the gap.

Safety, as always, is a Volvo trademark and every V40 is equipped with the firm's City Safety system which works between speeds of 2 and 31mph, applying the brakes if it detects a potential collision and the driver doesn't react quickly enough. Intellisafe Pro - a £1,900 option - is a comprehensive safety system that adds collision warning with full auto brake, pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, distance alert, lane keeping aid, driver alert control, active high beam, road sign information display and blind spot information with cross traffic alert.

The V40 has the upmarket looks, the refined drive and high-quality materials and workmanship to give its premium rivals a bit of a scare. It is, however, let down by its dated infotainment system and the compromised cabin space.

Volvo V40 T3 R-Design Nav Plus

Price: £25,155

As tested: £29,555

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Max power: 152hp @ 5,000rpm

Max torque: 250Nm @ 1,300rpm

Max speed: 130mph

Acceleration (0-60mph): 7.8sec

Urban: 38.7mpg

Extra urban: 61.4mpg

Combined: 50.4mpg

Emissions (CO2): 127g/km

For more information visit www.volvo.co.uk