IMAGE x Volvo: From funky street art to upcycling shops, IMAGE Business Editor Leonie Corcoran tours Barcelona

Leonie Corcoran travels to Barcelona to test drive the brand new Volvo EX30 – the brand's smallest, and most affordable, SUV ever.

We had only met a few hours earlier so it was always going to be a polite battle. Standing in the easy warmth of Spanish sunshine, we were both resting a hand casually on the cloud-blue Volvo EX30 in front of us as we eye-balled the car’s key tag eagerly. I knew my soon-to-be co-pilot, a motoring journalist who had travelled in from Singapore, was eager to take the wheel first, but he was managing polite restraint.

In the end, I magnanimously stepped back, a decision that was, admittedly, influenced by the fact that the first driver would be faced with navigating the busy streets of Barcelona given our attractive, fully-electric SUV was parked not far from Las Ramblas. Driving in European cities is usually something I avoid (more on that later), so despite the allure of getting into the driving seat, I was content to settle into the spacious passenger seat and take command of the car’s centre display system – a 12.3” tablet that’s easy to view, with customisable driver interfaces and smart widget arrangement, and ridiculously easy to use, with Google already built-in.

After selecting a playlist of EX30-inspired creative classics, we were soon zipping along tree-lined avenues, bonding over the smooth driving experience as the sounds of the Foo Fighters radiated from the Harman Kardon sound system through a first-of-its-kind, home-inspired soundbar that covers the entire width of the dashboard (which means extra space in the car doors, usually devoted to speakers, is now free to store for my handbag).

A few tunes later, as we swung into a typically tight European underground carpark, I allowed myself a moment of smugness as I inaccurately predicted the challenge of negotiating the tight ramps in an SUV. As I was busily recounting a recent challenge I faced coaxing a jeep around a similar car park in Dublin, we were suddenly three stories down and parked with ease. Yes, my co-pilot used the Park Pilot Assist but the key element I had forgotten? That the Volvo EX30 is Volvo’s smallest SUV ever (as well as being its most affordable). The bold exterior design, with its stylish character lines, means it looks bigger than its actual dimensions. And it feels bigger too, with clever interior design features, including a fabulous panoramic glass roof, giving an impression of spaciousness. Importantly, and to be expected from a marque synonymous with safety, it also feels as sturdy and secure as a larger SUV.

A short stroll brings us to L’escola d’Upcyling Barcelona (upcyclingbarcelona.es, @upcyclingbarcelona), a collective of designers who use creative sewing to upcycle materials and reduce the waste generated by the fashion industry. Regular classes and workshops are available to learn how to bring new life to old garments.

Back in the EX30, I take a fresh look at the interior which features a range of recycled materials, which assists the car to be the most carbon-neutral of all Volvo’s models. There are four interior designs available, all inspired by the Scandinavian countryside – Breeze, Mist, Pine and Indigo – and they feature recycled denim, flax and wool, bringing both sustainability and a sense of Scandi design to every touch point.

With such an homage to creative design, it seems the perfect car to zip around the streets of Barcelona, and with skilful manoeuvring, we are quickly back on ground level. We glide past the avant-garde architecture of Antoni Gaudí’s La Sagrada Familia, which has been under construction since 1882 (or 1883 depending on who you ask), but opt to immerse ourselves in art that suits the feel of the EX30 – the playful and powerful street art scene. As we pull in, a fellow EX30 passes us and it’s hard not to smile at its bright Moss Yellow exterior that, despite being inspired by the lichen found on rocks on the Swedish west coast, looks equally natural in this urban environment.

We start to explore El Raval, a neighbourhood that is akin to an open-air art gallery that also features outstanding architecture. We spot the recognisable fish murals of artist El Pez, who has been decorating the streets of Barcelona since 1999 and eagerly point to the romantic and optimistic messages written on recycled beer cans, hanging high on the walls before stopping at Pinza’t (pinzat.org).

This workshop was inspired by the graffiti scene in New York during the 1970s when trains and subways were moving canvases of street artists. Similarly, the bags of Pinza’t are moving pieces of unique art designed to be used by cyclists and made by a collective of artists from durable recycled materials. Close by, in Soruka (soruka.com) you can find timeless collections of one-of-a-kind handcrafted leather bags and wallets, all made by using scraps of leather that would otherwise end up in landfill.

And then we see the distinct and colourful style of Mali Mowcka. The contemporary artist from Buenos Aires is now based between Barcelona and London and through her unique and positive style, Mowcka (mali-mowcka.com; @mowcka_official) inspires people to connect with their inner universe and explore their subconscious. One of the Volvo EX30s she painted for the global launch of the car is set to become a permanent installation at the Volvo Museum in Gothenburg.