Boston.com's view

Somehow, as befell the seemingly omnipresent minivan, the term “hatchback” has fallen out of favor.

Maybe it’s because hatchbacks became associated with grocery shopping and antiquing. Maybe it’s because so many dual-income-no-children families that drove them had children and needed four doors.

And maybe it’s because, like the minivan, they lost their panache, their sense of sportiness.

It certainly explains why Mercedes-Benz has chosen to call its new, truly entry-level 2002 C230 Kompressor a “sports coupe” rather than apply the outdated H-word.

Yet it is a hatchback and, frankly, there’s nothing wrong with that. For the right person at the right time of life, there is nothing at all wrong with a hatchback that has the attributes of a sports coupe — particularly if it comes at an affordable price and gives at least strong tastes of performance. Does the C230? Yes and sort of.

First, the price. When Mercedes announced it was to offer the C240 and C320 “entry-level luxury” Benzes at under $30,000, it seemed like a great idea. The problem was, unless you pushed really hard, it was difficult to find one of these for less than $32,000 and easy to find them pushing toward $40,000.

So the good news with the C230 Kompressor is that, yes, you can buy it for around $27,000 (not that $30,000 isn’t within easy reach should you opt for leather, a nifty two-panel sunroof, electronic stability control, and other assorted goodies).

Loading up with goodies means you should also be shopping among Audi 4s, BMW 3s, and the Acura RSX S-Type. Sticking with the basic new baby Benz means your competition is the Toyota Celica GT-S, Volkswagen GTI, or the upcoming (hatchback) Honda Civic Si, a car that could be not only cheapest, but best of the lot.

But give Mercedes-Benz credit — they have built an entry-level car that may help in their efforts to lower the average age of Benz buyers from 52.

A question, however. How did they manage to knock nearly nine inches off the length of the C240 and C320, lower the car by an inch, and yet produce a car that feels heavy to drive? It’s not like driving a brick, by any means, but it’s just not as much fun as some of its competitors. Tamed sportiness might be the appropriate phrase here. And maybe that will appeal to some folks. For me, it got sporty only without stability control, when a healthy dose of oversteer could be induced.

This is a rakish, bold-looking car — radical wedge, if you will. Its nose seems to sniff the ground, its spoilered tail sits high. It sits atop underpinnings that take wheelbase, suspension, steering and brakes from the C-Class.

The ride is very smooth on the highway, and the Kompressor holds relatively flat, if a bit soft, in hard cornering.

The only engine option is a supercharged four-cylinder that produces 190 horsepower — not quite enough for the mission of this 3,400-pound car. It burbles pleasantly at cruising speed, accelerates moderately we ll when passing at high speed, and, surprisingly, seemed to have a bit more low-end torque than even the 6-cylinders in the C240 and C320.

The five-speed automatic shift (a six-speed manual is an option) had one wonderful trait: In sport mode, it let you downshift and upshift without intruding the way many manual-option shifters do. If you wanted to grab second at high speed, it let you. If you wanted to shift up early in the rev band, that was OK, too.

The cloth interior that comes on the standard model is a fine, two-tone/patterned touch. I found the front seats to be a bit low and slab-like, particularly at the thighs. Bolster support was good, and the view from the driver’s seat down the sloping nose was excellent.

The wood grain trim from grander Benz models is replaced by a milky aluminum, and that befits the sporting image. Right out of the more expensive models comes the audio/climate control pod sloping down from center dash toward the shifte.

Front head and legroom are excellent, though rear legroom is chopped and the lower ceiling is noticeable back there.

Has Mercedes built a sporting machine to run with the tuner cars and hottest factory models? Not exactly. Have they built an affordable Benz that offers a modicum of sportiness while incorporating Mercedes luxury and quality? Absolutely.

The test will be to see whether younger drivers will buy it.

Nice touch
The see-through panel below the rear window and between the taillights. Gives great added visibility for backing up — a task that would otherwise be a challenge given the height of the rear end.

Annoyance
The view from the rear. From every other angle, this is a distinctive car. From the rear, it is oddly Saabish.

Base price: $24,950
Price as tested: $27,535
Horsepower: 190
Torque: 200 lb.-ft.
Wheelbase: 106.9 inches
Overall length: 171.0 inches
Width: 68.0 inches
Height: 55.4 inches
Curb weight: 3,400 lbs.
Seating: 4 passengers
Fuel economy: 23.1 miles per gallon
SOURCE: Daimler-Chrysler Corp.; fuel economy from Globe testing.