The new-for-2008 Volvo C30 hatchback is courting younger and edgier buyers than those who typically consider the Swedish automaker’s sedans and wagons.
While its well-earned “safety first” image isn’t usually a draw for swinging singles, Volvo hopes that the compact C30 two-door hatchback will bring a younger and more urban-oriented class of buyers to the brand with its lively performance and sleek appearance. Borrowing a page from Scion’s playbook with quirky styling and unconventional marketing, the Volvo C30 is sold under the computer software-inspired Version 1.0 and Version 2.0 trim levels.Today’s twentysomethings aren’t old enough to recall it, but the Volvo C30’s styling cues — particularly its rear end treatment — suggest the classic P1800 ES coupe that was sold in the U.S. from 1971 to 1973. The C30’s front end is a more rakish interpretation of the brand’s current signature look, with a beltline that sweeps upward to meet the downward-sloping roofline at the rear. The back end is denoted by a broad-shouldered look and a polygon-shaped all-glass hatch. Even the automaker admits the Volvo C30 is wrapped in “love-it-or-hate-it” styling, and we tend to find it distinctive in a good way.
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The front-wheel-drive Volvo C30 is built on the same platform as the more conservative S40 sedan and V50 wagon, and shares many components with them, though it’s considerably shorter and lighter. This helps the car wring more acceleration out of the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder powerplant that it shares with the top version of the S40. The car can reach 60 miles per hour in a respectable 6.2 seconds with only a hint of torque steer (the tendency of a front-drive car to pull to one side under heavy acceleration), but you have to flog it hard for that quirk to appear.
Standard on the Volvo C30 is a six-speed manual transmission that shifts smoothly; Volvo expects a higher-than-average number of buyers — perhaps as great as 35 percent, which is unheard of for a Volvo in the U.S. — to choose this gearbox. The optional Geartronic five-speed automatic includes a manual-shift mode.The Volvo C30’s handling is entertaining. Riding on 17-inch wheels and tires that are pushed to the corners of the vehicle, the car affords a go-kart-like feel through turns. Version 2.0 adds a stiffer “dynamic sport suspension” along with 18-inch wheels and performance tires that further improve the car’s handling, but at the expense of both a rougher ride. The automaker’s Dynamic Stability Traction Control System is standard across the line, as are four-wheel antilock disc brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist functions.
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The Volvo C30’s four-passenger interior features front and rear bucket seats that provide good comfort and support. Rear-seat headroom is lacking, however, and even with slide-forward front seats, getting in and out of the back is a chore. Volvo’s research indicates most C30 owners will rarely carry rear passengers anyway, and instead use the back seat’s split-fold function to carry bicycles and other active-lifestyle gear.
• Volvo C30 Vehicle Summary
The Volvo C30’s interior is rather conservatively styled, especially considering its dramatically cast exterior. The insides are pretty much carried over from the S40, including the slim center stack that houses the radio and climate control. Version 2.0 dresses up the dashboard a bit with aluminum inlays. Standard equipment is sufficient for a car in its price range, and includes front-side and side-curtain airbags and a 160-watt CD/MP3/WMA audio system with an auxiliary jack for connecting iPods and other devices. Version 2.0 adds a 650-watt sound system with speakers from the Danish audiophile outfit Dynaudio, among other items.
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While several factory options and dealer accessories are offered, a unique Custom Build program allows buyers to equip a Volvo C30 with manifold features and accessories and have it finished in any color the company offers on any of its models, including some hues — like Gekko Green — that are not otherwise offered in the U.S. A one-time build charge of $300 applies on top of the cost of the added items. Volvo estimates at least 25 percent of C30 buyers will custom order a car and wait anywhere from four to seven weeks for delivery.
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