REVERSE HALO; Volvo hopes small C30 hatchback will bring new customers to the brand.(AB Volvo)

Byline: ROGER HART

Volvo is expecting the smallest car it has ever built to make big changes in how the company is perceived. Its C30 goes on sale in the United States on Oct. 1. Buyers of the three-door hatchback will be able to personalize their cars with more than 30 different features in a unique program the company hopes will appeal to younger, nontraditional Volvo customers.

The Swedish car builder, whose reputation for building safe and reliable cars has made its average customer a woman in her mid- to late 40s, now wants to attract a younger, more male buyer segment and believes the C30 is the ticket. The car is based on the C30 concept shown in Detroit in 2006, which went on sale in Europe last fall. While still touting safety-the C30 uses four different grades of steel for added strength-Volvo is aiming the C30 as a sporty and fun car at carmakers' favorite targets: 28- to 38- year-old urban customers engaged in an "active'' lifestyle. The requisite amped-up stereo with iPod connectivity is part of the package.

Volvo research found these young hipsters want to make their own statements with their cars, and the Custom Build program allows for that. For a one-time $300 charge, customers can choose from a long list of Volvo options to make their cars reflect their tastes and lifestyles. Custom Build buyers can pick from 12 custom colors, in addition to the five basic colors dealers can order for their stock. A bevy of graphic appliques are available for exterior and interior trim. About eight weeks after placing the order, the custom car is delivered to the dealer.

The C30 is being offered here with just one engine, a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline five-cylinder that makes 227 hp and 236 lb-ft at 5000 rpm. Buyers can choose the standard six-speed manual or an optional five-speed automatic with "auto-stick.''

From the front bumper to the B-pillar, the C30 is identical to Volvo's S40 sedan. It is the rear of the car that makes the C30 stand out. With broad shoulders, a short rear overhang, horseshoe-shaped taillights and a frameless rear hatch window, the C30 distinguishes itself not only from its siblings but from others in the hatch market.

The C30 is 18.5 inches shorter than the S40 and 330 pounds lighter. When driven, the car feels ...