Volvo C30 2007 Review

Not so much
>> Minimal rear cargo room
>> Pricey options

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 4.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.5/5.0
Safety: 4.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 4.0/5.0
X-factor: 4.0/5.0

OVERVIEW
Not a sportscar, not a family car, Volvo's C30 could be accused of having little relevance to those other than the fashionistas at whom the striking hatchback is aimed. Yet it's the impressionable youth market the company wants, convinced that when the kids 'get over it' they'll grow into, say, the XC70… Volvo is, after all, "For life".

In the C30's target customer's case, that's unashamedly the pre- (and even post) family stage of life. Already with a healthy line-up of safe, sensible family mules, Volvo can afford to get interesting.

C30 has sporty styling and driving dynamics, is offered with a range of customisation options designed for the young and young-at-heart and is strictly four-seater. ISOFIX points for a child's safety seat aren't even listed in the options.

And while it may look faddish to some, followers of the safe Scandinavian brand have seen Volvo's cool side before: the new hatch is reminiscent of the early '70s P1800ES 'sportwagon' with its frameless glass hatch design.

Volvo also used a three-door, four-seat formula in the '80s for its 480 model which was built on the same platform as the 440 hatch sold here.

Like fads, these strangely snazzy Volvos weren't around long. The P1800 series was intended as an exclusive, relatively limited line and the 480 suffered reliability and image problems, and was dropped after less than a decade.

Volvo has different plans, however, for its new volume-driver C30. The company expects that of the 65,000 buyers it wants per year, three of every four will be new to the brand -- thus first impressions have to be good. Combining the S40's solid attributes with some styling and driving edge, the C30 is not only a standout within Volvo's line-up, but also among most of the hatchback horde.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
C30 is targeted at buyers aged under 35, and priced and packaged accordingly -- it's the cheapest car in Volvo's range starting at just under $35K, and can be ordered with an iPodable (surely that's a word by now) premium sound system and patterned centre console.

Volvo Australia spokesman, hip Todd Hallenbeck, told us that one day he'd like to see an eco-friendly fibre-like cane wicker finish offered on the floating consoles for later models. [Ed: not sure what Todd was on but the launch was around Byron Bay…]

We can't talk about the entry model C30 S spec until it arrives later this year but the next-up LE model, equipped with a 2.4-litre five-cylinder engine and starting at $38,450 for the five-speed manual, is well-appointed with 16 x 6.5-inch alloys, leather upholstery ('Kalix' cloth trim is also available), eight-speaker sound system, leather-trimmed steering wheel, cruise control, interior air quality system, halogen headlights with headlight washers, foglights in the front spoiler and stability traction control.

The 2.5-litre turbocharged T5 starts at $42,450 with a six-speed manual and features extras above the LE including 17 x 7-inch aluminium-alloy wheels, aluminium interior treatment, bi-xenon headlights, dynamic stability traction control and rain sensor wipers.

The T5 also comes with a stylish rear spoiler.

The turbodiesel C30 D5, also due later this year, starts at $42,450. All models with five-speed auto cost an extra $1500.

Metallic paint comes at a hefty $1350 premium and you'll need to add around $2000 each for an electronically-adjustable driver's seat and sunroof. The premium sound system with 12 speakers is $900-plus and an in-dash six-stacker costs $795. A rear cargo cover is also available and is a must-tick option to hide your goodies when parked.

Essentially S40 from the front windscreen forward and similar to the sedan in dimensions, save 220mm of rear overhang, the C30 has good room for all four passengers with adult-sized seats all 'round.

MECHANICAL
Only the petrol models were available to drive on launch. The C30 LE is equipped with a naturally aspirated, inline 2.4-litre five-cylinder engine rated at 125kW/230Nm, and the 2.5-litre T5 uses a turbocharger with air-to-air intercooler, for 162kW/320Nm.

The LE is offered with a five-speed manual as standard; the T5 comes with a six-speed manual. The $1500 five-speed automatic features sequential manual shift, and won't change for you at redline, instead using a limiter which, apart from authentically sporty, makes even the 2.4-litre gurgle and yelp like a stricken Formula Ford. So cool.

While not as quick as the blown version, the 2.4 is a worthy combination with the lithe C30, having enough vigour to tap the handling and ride qualities inherent in the strut front and multilink rear suspension set-up.

C30's gratifying driving dynamics are rounded out by electro-hydraulic assisted rack and pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes; ventilated up front.

The 2.5-litre is good for 162kW at 5000rpm, which is ample to classify the so-equipped T5 as a hot hatch. The engine is extremely flexible with 320Nm from 1500 to 4800rpm. Volvo claims a 0-100km/h time of 6.7sec and combined fuel economy is 8.7lt/100km.

By way of comparison, the atmo 2.4 delivers 8.4lt/100km and a 0-100 time of 8.1sec

As noted above, the rest of the C30's mechanical package is very much S40 based (save for the absence of AWD). See our S40 coverage here for more and our international launch review of the C30 here.

The C30 is also almost as strong as S40: Volvo's figures for body structure stiffness for the hatch versus the sedan are 16kNm/deg and 17kNm/deg respectively.

The EuroNCAP rates C30's adult occupancy safety as five-star and, interestingly, despite the kid-free zone in the design department, the hatch gets four stars for child safety.

C30 scored highly for its protection of a 1½ year old in tests using a Volvo-manufactured child seat but missed full marks because the presence of ISOFIX and top-tether anchorages was not clearly marked.

COMPETITORS
C30's eccentric looks make it appear high-born compared to any of the Japanese hatches or Continental commoners such as VW Golf and Audi A3.

And it's certainly not as flaky as MINI Cooper, which is probably its main market foe, or as expensive as the comparatively gutless BMW 120i…

Alfa Romeo's 147 is closest on style, price and exclusivity (Volvo Australia's likely to limited stocks of C30s at least initially due to demands in Europe) but for something more run-of-the-mill, there's its 'poor' cousin, Ford's Focus XR5.

The five-door XR5 exploits Volvo's own 2.5-litre turbocharged engine with slightly more power (166kW) and similar 0-100km time (6.8sec). It's also cheaper. But bright orange.

Faster bends during the launch drive uncovered some understeer but C30's responsive handling maintained an impression of decorum and control. The steering is weighty and direct, if a little slow at times -- but less fidgety than most hatches for its composure.

It also feels immediately assured and agile, and it's this sporting undertone that encourages spirit when behind the wheel, especially the T5's. With the smooth six-speed manual, the 2.5-litre turbocharged C30 is responsive and every bit a sporty coupe delivering slick shifts and plenty of boot in between.

As mentioned above, the T5's 320Nm is available from 1500-4800rpm making the engine very usable and willing.

The 2.4-litre LE is equally well-mannered. We drove it with the five-speed 'Geartronic' automatic with manual shift function and have no complaints about in-gear response. Indeed, even in this rather more sedate form, the C30's sporty character makes the experience better than hatch-average.

The C30s both have good grip and braking, and ride well over most road surfaces. However, a couple of nasty potholes caught the launch fleet off guard, turning out complaints of 'crashing' through the steering. We'll let you know after a more thorough drive if Volvo Australia retunes the more Euro-oriented suspension to suit our notoriously bad roads by the time it gets to showrooms.

The driver's seat is supportive and low (fine by us, but some buyers prefer a more elevated position -- such as Focus), and the highly-specified cockpit feels classy and comfortable.

The two-seater arrangement in the back, as well as the large, frameless glass hatch allows good vision rearward and adds a sense of airy, spaciousness for rear passengers. Friends of up-and-coming 30-somethings and empty-nesters alike won't mind taking to the C30's adult-sized back seats, either.

Volvo might not be marketing C30 as a family or sportscar but it's actually close on both. Its generous accommodation, high-specification and competent performance make it a more mature choice among the hatches and, forgetting "one for the country", families are just as likely to grow into the C30 as they will out of a five-seater small car.

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