Sharp-eyed folks will notice that the C30 has been redesigned for 2011. Changes include a new hood, front fenders, headlights and grille. (Check out the changes for yourself here.) The rest of the car looks pretty much the same, and I have to admit, I've always been a fan of the car's design. The C30 always looks fresh to me.

There are two trim levels of the Volvo C30: T5 and R-Design. The T5 is the "base" model, and the R-Design is the sportier version. It has a sport chassis that Volvo says lowers the car's center of gravity, plus it gets a stiffer suspension and a quicker steering ratio. It also includes 18-inch wheels, as opposed to the stock 17-inchers. Both the R-Design and T5 get the same engine and either a five-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission.

The T5 and R-Design normally look different from the outside, as R-Design models add a spoiler, some body-colored trim pieces, 18-inch wheels, and a bunch of R-Design-branded elements on the inside. I say they "normally" look different because you can buy a T5 with an R-Design package that gives you all the R-Design model's looks, but skips the stiffer suspension. Our test model had this appearance package.

Normally I don't like go-fast appearance pieces, but I'm a big fan of this package. I like how the R-Design model looks, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want the stiffer R-Design chassis if I intended to drive the C30 every day around Chicago. This lets me have it both ways.