A car explosion in Melbourne’s north that seriously injured one man and shut down a suburban street while the bomb squad scoured the area, is being treated as suspicious.

A 29-year-old man is undergoing surgery after his Ford Mondeo exploded in his Kiewa Crescent driveway in Dallas about 9am on Thursday.

The car exploded shortly after he had started the ignition, according to reports.

Paramedics treated the man at the scene for serious leg injuries before he was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, an Ambulance Victoria spokesman said.