Here it is — the new car, a Volvo C30. I’d been wanting to replace our Nissan Murano for a bit now (the Nissan just didn’t make sense from a the-way-we-use-the-car standpoint, although it had many virtues), but the concept of buying a Volvo simply did not occur to me — until I saw this one.

It ain’t your suburban mommy/old person/crunchy-granola-eater car. It’s something quite different.

It’s a hatchback, and it doesn’t look like a Volvo (or any other car on the road), and it is sneaky-fast and fun to drive. It also has room to haul stuff and it gets decent gas mileage. And finally, when you step into the car, it’s like you stepped into some kind of parallel universe — this vehicle that looks so small on the outside is downright roomy and comfortable for two on the inside, with the best seats of any car I’ve ever driven. It’s the perfect Beltway commute/occasional highway trip/grocery getter/still-fun car, and I’m glad I bought it.

Now, when I go camping in a couple of months, I’m going to miss that Nissan, but you can’t buy a car to cover you for once-a-year events. This car made sense, and it’s a pleasure to drive. It’s also rare enough that you feel like you’re driving something unique, but with almost all of the mechanical parts and frame swiped from other Volvos, Mazdas and even Fords, I don’t worry about repair or replacement. And it’s got a decent warranty. And it comes with free roadside assistance. It’s just sweet.