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Volvo C30

Do styling and chassis tweaks bring hatch into contention?

Volvo C30

By Conor Mills

January 2010

Fresh-faced and with added road presence, the Volvo C30 has had a mid-life makeover. Going up against the Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf, the compact three-door hasn’t been a big sales success since its launch in 2006... so the Swedish manufacturer is pinning its faith on this revamp to tempt more buyers.

The first thing that strikes you is just how different the car looks to its predecessor. The major changes have taken place up front, with a new, honeycomb-patterned grille and sweeping, sharper-angled headlamps inspired by those seen on the recent S60 Concept. The air intake has been enlarged as well, and a fresh bonnet and front wings make the C30 look sportier and more imposing on the road.

Video: watch CarBuyer's video review of the Volvo C30

 

While the rear of the car remains relatively unchanged, two new body colours have been added to the line-up: this Orange Flame Metallic, plus Lime Grass Green. White 17-inch alloy wheels are also now available for the first time.

Inside, there are several new trim options, but although the interior is well put together it’s still short on luggage space. On the road, the C30 remains an impressive all-round performer. Our car featured the company’s new sports chassis, which offers a stiff ride but agile handling. Sadly, the steering still lacks the feedback of the Ford Focus.

Volvo expects our 2.0-litre diesel model to be the big seller, but despite providing plenty of torque and a 0-60mph time of less than nine seconds, the C30 feels a bit sluggish. It could be more refined at high revs, too. However, the compact hatchback is happier once sitting at motorway speeds.

The range will continue to include an eco-friendly DRIVe version, with a 1.6-litre diesel hooked up to a stop-start system. This promises 74mpg, CO2 emissions of only 99g/km and a £16,785 price tag, and should appeal to both private and business motorists.

On the whole, the C30 represents an interesting and stylish alternative to the likes of the Golf. It’s certainly worth a look if you’re in the market for a fashionable hatch.

Rival: Golf 2.0 TDI 140 SE
At just short of £20,000, this diesel offers everything you’d expect from a VW. Refinement and comfort are top-notch, and the punchy engine balances good performance with superb economy and emissions.

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For an alternative review of the latest Volvo C30 visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk

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5 Comments

Wrong end

The new front is an improvement, but in my view it's the rear that has always let the car down. Yes, I know it's a reference to the old P1800, but very few of the target audience will know what that is. If I were in charge, I'd ask the designers to get rid of the over-deep faux rear window, and give it a more contemporary appearance. Look at the Scirocco to see how it can be done.

By Mustafa25 on 2 February, 2010, 8:29am

Two Words....

Dull, Boring....... Actually, I could go on. Uninspiring, bland, souless etc etc.

So, the steering is lifeless, it has no luggage space, poor performance but gets 4 stars???????

By philipdayton on 2 February, 2010, 12:45pm

This seems to be one of the rare occurences of a mid-life facelit actually improving the looks of a car. The C30 has always been an attractive looking little car but the accomodation is little better than a Mini and the boot is completely impractical and unfortunately the driving experince lets the car down. Not everyone wants to treat the road as a racetrack but the lively connected up feel of the Mini is a major factor in its success, not just the image and the looks. Volvo need to click on the the fact that thecar needs to deliver on the promise of the marketing and the looks or it will never achieve the success they surely must have hoped for.

By Beckerman on 4 February, 2010, 10:58am

Still Not a Hatch

I considered buying a C30 when they first came out. I read it was supposed to be a 3 door hatchback like the old P1800. When the dealer demonstrated that silly window as an excuse for a hatch I was stunned. That little window makes the C30 as useless as a coupe. Now they "fix" the front end. I wonder who makes these bonehead decisions and further how they keep their jobs.

By rango on 9 February, 2010, 2:57pm

Shane Chauhan

i was unsure of the design at first but the facelift has much improved it, it's got a young funky look and feel about it. Around Yorkshire there are many people who are fans of the stylised look of the car

By Shane_Chauhan on 15 May, 2010, 3:21pm

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FIRST OPINION

    The C30 was a revolutionary car for Volvo when it debuted four years ago. And although a lack of space has held it back – it falls somewhere between a coupé and a sensible hatch – the smart design has meant that it’s not short of appeal. This facelifted version looks even better than the original, and adds extra trim options and colour choices. While it’s still not as good to drive as that styling suggests, with a line-up which includes a brilliantly efficient DRIVe model the sophisticated new C30 deserves some success.

 

AT A GLANCE

    Price: £19,195
    Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl
    Power/torque: 134bhp/320Nm
    Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
    0-62mph: 8.8 seconds
    Top speed: 127mph
    Economy/CO2: 49.6mpg/151g/km
    Equipment: Rear spoiler, daytime running lights, tinted windows, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather-covered steering wheel
    On sale: Now
     
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