Volvo has always been known for safety, but with a new generation of car buyers entering the scene, having an appealing and sporty entry level model is an important piece of any car makers lineup. Enter the C30. Is this sport hatch enough to pull 20 and 30 something’s to the Volvo brand?
Some of my first memories of Volvo include the commercial
where a sedan is pushed off a building, slamming face first into the ground.
The Volvo was trashed but the point was that the occupants would have been just
fine, because Volvo was synonymous with safety. The link worked and to this day
when someone asks me what the safest line of cars is, I point out Volvo as a
good choice, but because they actually are- not that I bought the marketing
hype. A main concern of a typical new American family, but often held to a
lesser regard to people of my generation. It's not that we don't care about how
safe a car is, but if it won't get our hearts pumping at the same time- there's
just no point. Volvo, being obsessed with the safety image has recently made
strides in the design and quality of their vehicles but until the C30, lacked a
sporty disposition in any shape or form.
So, now in 2008, Volvo has really gotten their act together.
The C30 represents an entry level car that the Volvo brand has needed for years.
Starting at $22k it's affordable for the segment the company is aiming for. It's
right in line with the GTI- a car that has done a great job positioning itself
as not only cool, but extremely sporty for an obtainable price. And although the C30 and GTI start in the
same spot the idea is to funnel future buyers in completely different places.
Volkswagen is a family marquee- Volvo is a luxury brand. Both V-dub and the Swedes
hope their respective models entice younger buyers to end up staying in the
brand once they need to move up in size.
In person, a look at the C30 and you can't help but stare-
even if for a second. Unmistakably a Volvo from front to back but very unlike
any Volvo you've seen on the road before. It certainly sticks out. A fastback
shape, signature Volvo tail lamps, and a slightly more sporty front fascia
adaptation from the S40. A large glass
hatch dips down to the beltline presenting what some would call an odd
appearance in the rump. Not odd in a bad way, more "hmm.. that's interesting." Where the C30 is unmistakably svelte is in
its profile. Standing only 4.5-feet
tall, the rear sloping back at such an angle, the wheels pushed far to each
corner, you just get the feeling this is an automobile for someone who dreams
of carving up a desolate mountain road.
Don't let the Volvo badge fool you- those instincts are right. The "T5"
badge on the back is abstract, but if you didn't know already stands for
Turbocharged 5 cylinder. 18-inch low profiles on a compact? Hmmm... indeed.
A quick jump into the driver's seat sets an interesting
tone. Shapes you've never seen outside another Volvo
flow from the outside in. The interior's
main focal point is the waterfall dash.
Normally, being able to slide your hand behind the radio and heating
controls means you're a few pieces of plastic short of an interior, but in this
Volvo it's a fully intentional work of art. The slim controls gracefully flow
from dash to center console in a smooth aluminum finish leaving room for a cell
phone or other small item behind. Four symmetrical dials control audio and
temperature. The dash pad is tastefully textured and soft to the touch. The
seats are quite possibly the only disappointment we found in our non-leather
C30 Version 2.0. Volvo's T-Tec synthetic covering is meant to be a comfortable and
wear/stain resistant leather substitute. Despite being comfortable and wear/stain resistant, it still feels like vinyl. A small grievance that is made up for in the rest of the
interior. Sliding the front seats forward
gives you access to the rear. The system
is clumsy, as the folding lever pulls in an unnatural direction and resets the
seat distance. The good news is that all
seats feature decent bolstering, gripping you tightly around the corners. Staying firmly in place while driving a small
hatch is a nice touch we appreciate.
So we've determined, stylistically at least, the C30 is
extremely well executed. All for naught
however if you can't flip it around a corner like a starving fruit fly. As
mentioned, The T5 badge is the only hint on the whole car that you're not just
paying for a pretty face. Even upon firing the inline five there is no rush of
noise or exhaust burble. At full throttle there's not even a hint of the turbo.
Perhaps Volvo should have added, or at
least offered, a more vocal option- but that's just being picky. Line up for a
corner and we could care less about the exhaust- the C30 is nimble. It's obvious
that the idea was to incorporate Volvo comfort with a connected and tossable
feel. We were skeptical, but after a
week of tearing up New Hampshire back-roads we came away feeling as if they did
a half decent job going far enough to satisfy the enthusiasts without becoming
disconnected from the rest of the Volvo lineup. The one downfall is that to get
that touch of complacency the rebound of the suspension is noticeable on frost-bubbled
and bumpy routes. It's loose enough that you feel like the car never quite
settles down. Not bad, but not as perfect as the GTI or MazdaSpeed 3.
Touching into the throttle and a slow turbo-driven surge
brings things up to speed quite nicely. The 6-speed manual is a great choice
for this type of car but doesn't have quite the finesse and accuracy we would prefer. We do thank Volvo for at least offering a
manual because a sport compact without one is most certainly missing something.
Even with the performance you still get decent mileage. We averaged just shy of
20mpg with plenty of full throttle "testing."
Conclusion:
A much needed injection of youth into the Volvo brand that may come up short
for hardcore sport-compact enthusiasts but will excite the economical/safe
crowd.
The Good:
- Low cut side profile that screams sport
- 227 horsepower turbo 5-cylinder with
an impressive 90.8 hp per liter
- Stylish waterfall radio/HVAC surround
- Every safety feature you expect from a Volvo
Could be
better:
- A suspension that sacrifices sport for comfort and in return feels unsettled
- Shifter linkage feels sloppy and numb
- Volvo calls the seat covering "T-Tec"- we call it "plastic"
- Sliding the front seats forward to access the rear means readjusting the driver's
seat. Not fun when you're just getting out your backpack.
Our exclusive gallery
photographed by Zane Merva
We've got another whole set of photos from our time in the C30.
http://www.autoinsane.com/reviews/galleries/2008-volvo-c30-gallery.html
Does photos of the new BMW 335i Convertable, Mazda MX5, Shellby GT-500, Nissan 350Z, 08 Audi TT sound interesting? We have em here.
http://www.autoinsane.com/reviews/
Detailed Specifications | 2008 Volvo C30
AS-TESTED
MSRP: $27,950
Vehicle Type: Two-door hatchback
Days In Fleet / Miles Traveled: 7 Days, 775 miles
Equipped Options:
Metallic Paint: $475
Front Fog Lamps: $295
Cruise Control: $185
Sport Gearshift w/Aluminum: $100
Sport Steering Wheel w/Aluminum: $150
Custom Build Charge: $300
Standard Features:
227-horsepower Turbo-I5
6-Speed Manual Transmission
18" 10-spoke wheels
Side Impact Protection Curtains
Premium 10-speaker, 650-watt Dynaudio Dolby Prologic-II Sound System
PRICE / WARRANTY
Base Price: $22,950
Max Price: ~$34,320 (not including numerous accessories avaliable)
Destination Charge: $745
Warranty:
Basic: 4-years / 50,000 miles
Corrosion: 12-years / unlimited miles
Competitive Models:
Volkswagen GTI
Mazda 3 /Mazdaspeed 3
FUEL ECONOMY
EPA City/Highway: 19/28
Observed: 24.47mpg
Tank Capacity: 15.9 Gallons
Required Octane: 91 Preffered, 87 acceptable
Estimated Range: 300-445 miles
ENGINEConfiguration: Turbocharged Inline-5
Displacement: 2.5-liters
Bore x Stroke: 3.26 x 3.66 inches
Compression: 9.0:1
Horsepower: 227-hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 236 lb-ft @ 1,500rpm
REDLINE: 6,500-rpm
CHASSISChassis Type: Unibody
Curb Weight: 3,201 lbs
Weight to Power: 14.1-lbs per horsepower
Wheelbase: 103.9-inches
Length: 167.4 inches / 13.95 feet
Width: 70.2 inches / 5.85 feet
Height: 57.0 inches / 4.75 feet
Turning Radius: 38.1 feet
Suspension F/R: MacPherson Struts with coil-over springs and stabilizer bar / Multilink independent with coil springs and stabilizer bar
Brakes F/R: Ventilated Disks 11.8-inches front / 11.0-inches rear
WHEELS / TIRES
Wheel Size: 8.0 x 18-inches
Tire Size: P215/45/18
Spare: Compact
INTERIOR SPACE
Cupholders: 4
Headroom F/R: 38.2 inches / 37.8 inches
Shoulder Room F/R: 54.7 inches / 51.3 inches
Legroom F/R: 41.6 inches / 34.2 inches
Cargo Volume: 12.9 cubic feet - seats up / 20.2 cubic feet behind - seats folded
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Airbags: Front and Side Impact everywhere (hey, it's a Volvo- it's a given)
ABS: Yes
Traction Control: Yes (Defeatable)
Stability Control: Yes (Not Defeatable)
Front Crash Rating D/P: Not-Tested
Side Crash Rating F/R: Not-Tested
Rollover Rating: Not-Tested
Automatic Remote Assistance: No
GET MORE INFORMATIONModel Website: Volvo C30 Website
Enthusiast Forums:
Volvo-Forums / C30 Section
C30 World
Wikipedia: Volvo C30 Entry
NSTSA: Not Avaliable
EPA: Fuel Economy
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On the interior, though, isn't the C30's interior much like that in the S40 and V50?