The Volvo C30 is a pretty bold statement. The once hyper-conservative Swedish manufacturer is gunning for younger buyers and there’s no doubt the striking four-seat hatchback will pull in a good few.
But surely the Ford owned company has gone mad as this Volvo isn’t remotely practical? True, the C30 can seat four, but after a few kilometres adults in the back will be writing to Amnesty International and demanding a lawyer! It is however the same for backseat passengers in the very cool MINI - so fair enough.
The C30 is about style and bringing younger buyers to a brand that is seen as very family orientated. The exterior has a similar front end to the car it shares its ‘under-bits’ with, namely the S40.
The platform was developed by Ford for the superb handling Focus, so I’ve no complaints. The rear of the car is the most interesting to look at and also the most impractical aspect of the car. The sloping rear is very curvy and makes the Audi A3 which is its main rival look very dull. The C30 has a gorgeous hip line but the glass hatchback is less than useless as a practical boot. The fabric load cover is a real pain to use and I’d bin it except for the fact that it is essential for security as the glass door is a great shop window of the boot's contents.
Inside the cabin DNA from the S40 is present particularly with the fresh centre consol but sadly the exciting exterior design isn’t continued inside. The steering wheel is far from being sporty as it has a similar diameter to a ship’s wheel. The dials and secondary controls fail to excite or come close to those found in a MINI. Volvo should have been bolder with the interior, in other words traditional Volvo drivers will like the interior a lot.
The C30 sits very securely on the road and is well behaved. Even my nippy D5 2.4 litre turbo-diesel test car couldn’t unsettle the ride. The steering is light and offers very little in the way of feedback. The engine range is comprehensive with petrol units starting with a 100bhp 1.6 litre; next up is a 123bhp 1.8; the 2.0 litre has 145bhp on tap while the top of the range petrol unit is the 220bhp T5. The turbo-diesel range starts with a 109bhp 1.6; next is a 136bhp 2.0 litre and the range topper is a 180bhp/350nm 2.4 litre D5. The 1.6 diesel has more power than the 1.6 petrol and better fuel economy while the 2 litre is sporty enough for most. My five-cylinder D5 looks the business but is simply too expensive starting at 40 grand!
In Sweden you can get a C30 with a 125bhp 1.8 litre flexi-fuel engine that in time will make it to our shores especially as the Government has committed to force bio-ethanol on us in an effort to meet reduction targets for CO2 emissions.
Readers may remember the old Volvo 480 four-seat hatch with its pop up headlamps and hatchback configuration; it was a flop! The C30 is a far superior car compared to that heap and it will bring new and younger buyers to Volvo.
Sadly with prices starting at €26,500 I won’t be running to join the queue.
Michael Sheridan
