Strong recommendation for a test drive on different road types – city, suburban, and motorway if possible. That will give you the best sense of whether it suits your driving patterns. Best way to decide really.
The new design looks so much better than the previous generation. Really growing on me. Seen quite a few on the road lately and they seem popular with younger drivers and those downsizing from bigger vehicles.
As long as the non-Volvo branded vehicles maintain similar quality standards and reliability, I think this works. Customers trust Volvo dealers, so the dealership reputation transfers somewhat.