Here’s another recent review of the car and he loved it: 2009 Volvo C30 R-Design Review

I really want a nice, small, upscale hatchback/small wagon.

I like the C30 but Volvo’s future seems shaky.

I also like the Audi A3 but worry about its reliability.

Between the two… Which would you buy?

And… What else should I consider?

Note: My wife is handicapped and the seats — at least on the driver’s side and preferably on both — need to be power.

Many thanks.

In fact, Ford is going to introduce the Focus with basically this same T5 engine that can produce 300hp. Just upgrading the software can net a noticeable performance increase. There is a lot of potential in this platform. The fact that the Volvo flavor does not push it with a turbo that peaks at only 8psi translates to a longevity you would be hard pressed to find in some other offerings.

Lets not forget that you can also run “regular” pump fuel in this engine without any problems. How many forced induction engines do you know that can do this?

The Volvo chassis can come with 3 different suspensions. The base level is the softest, the R-Design has the ‘Dynamic’, and then there is a ‘Sport’ available in the Volvo parts catalog that also lowers the car a bit. For a daily driver over rough New England roads, the ‘Dynamic’ found on the R-design feels the best compromise for me with both Pirelli summer tires and winter snow tires.

One of the things that most people notice is just how quiet the car is. Until you are spinning the motor high in the RPMs or long left the legal speed limit behind you have little sense of the speed. You can easily get up to highway speed in second gear and do it in a hurry with a full load. In mountains or otherwise cowpath type roads where the corners are variable and unpredictable, the car isn’t. Some understeer exists to really keep you honest, but overall it is a good flickable driver that provides enough feedback to keep the unskilled from getting into real trouble.

Inside, the layout and comfort is ideal for long rides, or your daily grind. Options like the automatic climate and IAQS (automatic air source control to keep bad air out) just make driving comfortable.

2 doors? Why not? Go to Europe where it costs too much to have a large vehicle and climbing into a hatchback isn’t a huge deal. Practicality wins over the slight issue that a few times a month someone might have to squeeze in.

Being a Volvo, you get a lot of safety that few realize exist. The Volvo whiplash protection in the seats where the seatback is designed to move to help limit injury is just one such feature.

Instead of complaining about how much this car costs for a small car, the press should really be crowing about how much luxury, performance, and practicality you get in such a small package for so little money.

When fuel prices are as unpredictable as they have become, a car that can get 30mpg is a nice thing to have. To get that and a car that is really fun to drive as well as able to go many miles in comfort is a very very rare combination. To do that in the $30k range is nearly impossible to find.

Damn thing wouldn’t hold on to the road, wasn’t stable, and there were too many general annoyances with it. I wouldn’t take on if you gave it to me.

The prices of used C30’s will drop like a stone in another year or two. They might make a convincing bargain at that point.

If your focus is more on looks, I’m with you. In the right color, of course. And my God do they have some colors, wheels, options!

It was a very solid little guy – definitely no tinny door closing here. Interior was impressive – nice build quality, upscale seats and unique center stack for sure.

That 5-cylinder is a bit strange sounding, but that’s par for the course. I really had trouble with their Tiptronic equivalent. As in it’s not. It wouldn’t upshift worth a crap for me. I’ve shifted plenty, so I don’t think it was me. Might have been a bad example.

I’d like to see a diesel and a more practical hatch. The Jetta TDI or even the A3 would hold much more interest for me. Both look as good, are as solid and safe, and have much more in the way of room and real-world practicality. The mileage is going to really put off a lot of folks.

If you’re really stuck on this vehicle, measure that hatch opening. And imagine your dogs trying to jump up through that or, even worse, through the side and up on top of the high folded seat. Or imagine that big box from Fry’s that would sit outside the C30 while your friend with the Fit/Jetta/A3 swallows it right up.

Jonny…
Usually love your reviews and look forward to them.
But this car?
Is it me or is there some DNA from the old AMC Pacer here?
I mean, the total glass rear, the rear/side look makes it seem as though it was dropped to the floor as a clay model, landed on the rear….and they liked it!
Only 2 doors and premium fuel?
Simply does not compare to a Mazda3 dollar for dollar.

I’ve heard rumors of a 300HP AWD R version; it’ll probably never make it to production.

Check out these pics of the “XC30.” Looks cool.

http://forums.swedespeed.com/zerothread?id=108266

BMW’s 1 Series has always struck me as the same prototypical BMW design and driving experience that just doesn’t interest me. It’s not that I hate them. It’s that it seems like everybody wants to climb aboard the same roller coaster for the same experience.

The C30 is completely different from the rest of the Volvo line in terms of driving. It’s weird of me to say, and perhaps I’m not saying it in the way I want to. But to me the C30 has an amazing level of utility and ‘contentment’. I guess that’s the word I’m looking for.

The T5 powertrain is one of the most proven in history. The design of the C30 is stunningly different and yet useful. Interior materials have a WYSIWYG authenticity that is very much in keeping with the classic RWD Volvo approach.

I don’t look for snob value when buying a car. I look for something that suits my needs and will last 250k if I really want it to. By those two measurements, the C30 would be high on my list.

In that comparison, the C30 loses on all counts except maybe the subjective one of style. I kind of like it but then again I also like BMWs, and overall that’s a better car (did I mention it was a hatch?).

In any case, for the C30 you have to have the right color, I drove behind a black one in traffic a few days ago and all of the sudden I was less than impressed.

@Martin Schwoerer: damned, I had to look, that last one looked really tasty, now I’m hungry, and there’s no place I can get a burger like that in these parts…

I fell in love with the Volvo S40 instantly on my first test drive of the 2005 model. I didn’t want to spend over $20k, but toyed with the idea of stretching my budget for the Volvo. A few months after the 2006 models showed up, the Volvo dealer near my office parked a white S40 Demo on the curb with a $21k sale price. It had a manual transmission and no options- but still looked good and drove even better.

I had every intention of buying that S40, but wanted to test drive a few other premium small cars for the sake of comparison. The VW Jetta didn’t impress me, but the rave reviews of the Mazda3 (and knowing that it, the Volvo S40 and Euro Ford Focus were platform mates) made me want to check it out myself. I really liked the Volvo, but the Mazda3 s 5-door was LOVE (and LUST) at first drive!

Now it’s three years later and it’s still amazes me that a 5-door hatchback (some even say “wagon”) can look that damn good! I have a similar affection for the C30, funky looks and all! I’ll be buying a new car in the next six months or so and the C30 is on my list! The S40 is off of my radar now because the T5 versions are too expensive…but the C30 and 2010 Mazda3 are the front-runners.

While I do think the C30 and related S40 are a solid step up from the mainstream brands, the interior quality does fall a bit short of the luxury competitors. The s60 does a bit better here, and certainly the new s80/v70 do very well in direct comparison. Volvo would do well to up the interior quality a bit on the C30/S40 — at least on the higher end options.

I have the MT6 transmission. I like it except in cold weather. My favorite thing about the engine is the torque band. You can drive it up hills with the RPMs as low as 1500. The engine has lots of traction down low. When you rev it up to about 4500, it snarls and is really quite fast.

Tires make a huge difference. I have two sets of wheels. With summer tires, the car handles very solidly.

I easily get 32-32 on road trips. In suburban driving, I average 22.5.

Wha? In my opinion it has the best quality materials in the class. I can see how you may not like the gauges, but for the 15k I paid for it, I don’t think there’s a better interior available.

Now, MazdaSpeed3… Hmmm.

Dunno. I really liked this Volvo.

I loved the Volvo’s look and feel. And the power. The only thing that gave me pause was the milage. It should do better. I don’t drive that much, though, so it wasn’t a deal-breaker.

Can someone suggest a good set of tires to throw on her? It’s the only mod I plan on making.