Volvo C30 T5 2007 Review

Road Test

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The proliferation of fast, agile and frugal three-door hatches from Europe has been dramatic. No longer just a variation of the five-door version, many of this new breed have more radical rooflines and unique semi-coupe styling. They can also offer a slightly tighter, more agile driving feel as well as a cost saving.

The slick sporty styling of the Volvo C30 has put the spotlight on this segment more than most. I can't remember the last test car where drivers asked me to wind down the window at traffic lights for an opinion. Neighbours told me later they sneaked up my drive to have a closer look.

It is not as if the C30 concept of combining a small car front with a truncated three-door liftback rear is new to Australians. Honda offered Civic and Accord versions over 20 years ago while the Mitsubishi Mirage was a similar variation of the Lancer. Volvo updates the idea with outstanding rear vision, individual seats for four adults with space to match, benchmark front crash safety and looks that evoke Volvo's own classic P1800ES.

From a distance, the C30's rear haunches carry a hint of Jaguar E-type or Porsche 911.

That's the key to the C30 that has Australians excited. It can be a first or second car where both genders would get a thrill out of looking at it and driving it. It is not much longer than my Barina office runabout but with a heap more presence. Its low height and long roof would make loading skis or bicycles on the roof easy for the vertically challenged.

Yet it is not the best of its type and the price climbs as soon as you get into the serious versions like the T5 under test here.

The Focus XR5 Turbo must be included as a rival when it features the same mechanical package and extra doors for considerably less. Just because BMW doesn't sell a three-door 120i locally, a buyer would be silly not to consider the five-door version even if it won't get close to the T5's performance.

As for the rest, the Volvo C30 T5 carves a neat middle line between the size and flexibility advantages of a compact hot hatch and the easy-going feel of a large luxury car while sacrificing some driver involvement and rear space (the sharp tapering of the rear section leaves space only for an armrest between the individual rear seating positions -- it's strictly a four seater only).

It's a combination that might suit the growing number of empty nesters, young and not so young. Its vista from the rear glass makes it ideal for carrying dogs. Indeed, with the back seat folded to form a relatively high luggage platform and the optional luggage net in place, it's hard to imagine a better pooch transporter or weekend getaway chariot for two.

Given the short rear overhang, the space saver spare is larger than expected and raises the luggage height. At least there is one.

The T5, despite a healthy 162kW from its turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder inline engine, is not a hard-edged peaky hatch, nor can it be when it weighs 1526kg. Its 320Nm and the engine's progressive delivery give it the strong, easy-going feel of a much larger engine which makes it easy and relaxing to drive even as a manual.

This torque and the six-speed's tall fifth and sixth ratios help generate sub-9.0lt/100km figures on the open road. However, fuel use will quickly climb to 11.0lt-plus around town as soon as you exploit an engine that can sound remarkably like a big V6 as soon as it's worked. The strong engine feel from low revs contributes to the feeling of substance.

The C30 body stiffness and big car feel are unusual in such a small package. The visible triangulation at the base of the centre pillar and the massive front strut brace suggest it is built to stay tight and hold together in a crash. A special cooling duct just for the battery is typical of the long life detailing.

Backed by competent suspension tuning even with the T5's big 17-inch alloys and low 50-profile tyres the ride is not as sharp as expected and handling is nimble enough considering the weight in the nose. The 10.6 metre turning circle is also better than expected.

Although it's a welcome advance over some crashy Volvo sports suspensions of the past, the T5 can feel a little remote compared to a Golf GTi or Civic Type R. Horses for courses.

As Volvo has separated the cabin from other Ford Focus derivatives which share the C30's architecture, it delivers some very different details while continuing with others. The rear centre armrest and extra elbow space in the sides are welcome. The S40-derived floating centre console available in a choice of finishes with matching door armrest inserts is classy and hides a practical storage area.

The glovebox is narrow but deep. Some controls are fiddly including the tiny fuel flap release. The single control knob for the dual zone climate control with its inset right and left buttons can cause the passenger to change the driver's settings, however.

There are two 12-volt outlets. The Premium sound option with its 10 speakers is probably worth it but best enjoyed with the rear luggage blind in place to minimise road noise.

There is no driver's left footrest in the manual and like the Focus, the handbrake is on the left of the cupholders; not so good if there are tall drinkbottles in place. There is also no cover over the cupholders, which I can live with, but centre console storage is small and the front door pockets are slit-like. The quality of cabin materials is higher than most.

The test car's white leather interior could take some care to keep clean while the seats themselves are not contoured as aggressively as some in this class, an advantage for getting in and out but not so good for location. Accessing the back seat is not easy but there is a tag to keep each seat belt out of the way, even if it is fiddly.

The T5's standard power adjusted driver's seat with memory is a plus when this is a vehicle that demands to be shared. Even if the brochure says otherwise, the classy sports steering wheel adjusts for height and reach so the cabin caters for all sizes.

There are up to 12 cabin treatments, 14 exterior colours and seven alloy wheel styles for the T5. You can choose from four lower body paint colours but the unpainted plastic on the red test car was judged to be one of its better features when it provides 360 degrees of nudge-protection. Lower panels front and rear are less likely to scrape than most.

Despite the compromises, a week with the C30 T5 was a pleasure. It was smooth and easy to drive around town but impressed with its relatively neutral stance at high speed as its front-drive layout is less discernible than most.

The standard Bi-Xenon headlights were outstanding. Because they are a $2350 option on other C30 models, they already account for much of the T5's $4000 price premium over the comparable non-turbo C30 -- even before you factor in the extra performance gear.

If you have already enjoyed any three-door hatch, this one preserves the fundamental appeal of the genre without the cheap and disposable feel that usually comes with it. Compared to some of its more finely-honed sporty rivals, it is not as alive but then not as demanding or nervous either.

Although the loss of load space and a rear seating position might be a concern for some, this is where the big emotional factor steps in. The Volvo C30 T5 doesn't pretend to be a Golf or Megane. There is an honesty about its extra style and what it can and cannot do.

As for the T5's extra grunt -- think of it as a shot of Southern Comfort in your Diet Coke.

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