2011 Volvo C30 Reviews

Volvo C30 is a small coupe from the renowned Swedish car marque, Designed as part of its plan to get away from its 'sensible but boring' image.

We turn the spotlight on automotive's newest and brightest stars. But ultimately, would we buy it with our own hard earned?What is it?This is Volvo's mainstream ultra economy car, not hybrid, not electric, not fuel cell or anything whacky - just smart engineering and technology designed to cut fuel use without compromising feel and performance. It's based on the cute three-door C30.How much?Priced at $36,990, DRIVe was upgraded recently with an extra cog in the gearbox - now six manual, park assist, quality audio and Bluetooth audio and phone among other goodies.What are the competitors? Lexus CT200h, Golf Bluemotion though it's larger, Honda Insight, Ford Fiesta ECOnetic perhapsWhat's under the bonnet?Runs a 1.6-litre, twin cam, turbodiesel delivering a useful 84kW/270Nm output. Has six-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels complete with auto stop/start for city driving fuel savings.How does it go?Really well, much better than expected though off the line seems torque restricted. Slip it into second and away she goes. That 270Nm is good to surf out on the freeway where the DRIVe can show a clean pair of rear tyres to plenty of other vehicles. Ride and handling have a sporty edge.Is it economical?Incredible. We saw better than the claimed 3.9-litres/100km on a steady highway run. Our average turned out to be 4.1-litres/100km which means a potential range of 1260km on one 52-litre tank.Is it `Green?'Yes, gets a 3.5 star ratingIs it safe?Yes gets a five star rating.Is it comfortable?Very, offers well shaped seats and relatively quiet interior with plenty of kit for the money though there are numerous options. What you get standard is all you really need as it includes a decent audio, climate control, remote lock, auto dim rear view mirror, good trip computer and steering wheel controls.What's it like to drive?Enjoyed the experience because we weren't expecting it to be as competent, even the stop/start is easy to use once you get used to it. That little engine has plenty of kick despite being optimised for economy which usually dulls an engine right down.Is it value for money?Shapes up pretty well against a wide range of cars built around a similar philosophy if not engineering. The Ford Fiesta Ecoetic is a clear winner on price but the C30 is a better drive and has more prestige value. Would you really want a Prius or Insight...Would we buy one?Absolutely. We hate going to the servo and the DRIVe offers more than just fuel efficiency even if it does have naff alloys.Volvo C30 DRIVeEngine: Diesel, 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged, dohc; with stop-startPower: 80kW @ 4000rpm.Torque: 250Nm @ 1750rpm.Transmission: Five-speed manual; front-wheel-drive.Fuel consumption: 3.8 litres/100km.CO2 emissions: 99g/km.Dimensions: 4266mm long, 1782mm wide.

We've just had a dose of PCP, and we're hooked. No, not the drug known as angel dust, but an equally addictive and street-lethal prospect: the Volvo C30 Polestar Concept Prototype (PCP).You don't often get to fling a one-off motor show concept around a track. And of you're going to do it, who better to do it with than a World Touring Car Championship driver.So we've just done a few track laps with Robert Dahlgren around the Swedish brand's tight 2km test track in Gothenburg. And even by the time you read this, we'll still be grinning.It's a blue streak on steroids, with the hot turbocharged 2.5-litre engine used by the blistering Ford Focus RS - upped by Volvo's racing partner Polestar to deliver 300kW of power and 510Nm of torque to all wheels via a tweaked race-spec six-speed manual.Polestar was given free reign to draw on their experience in developing successful Volvo touring car championship vehicles - but in the PCP's case without being hampered by the restrictions of race regulation specs.In Dahlgren's hands, on a track he knows intimately, it's an expertly-guided missile - swift, deadly and unerringly on-target.And even under the control of our amateur mitts and boots, the car is good enough to get around the laps with a respectable amount of aggressive accuracy.That's helped by razor-response steering, the prodigious grip of a race-spec Haldex all-wheel drive system, Ohlins racing suspension that gives the car remarkable composure even at ridiculous cornering speeds -- and massive Brembo braking ability when you need to call on itIt's fast enough off the line, but slamming the pedal wakes up the turbo and the C30 almost instantly teleports forward. Polestar claims a 0-100km/h time of 4.6 seconds, and we believe it.Under acceleration, the visceral growl from the straight-though exhaust is beyond anything you'd ever expect from Volvo.  It would be stealthy fun to idle up beside any Aussie street hoon's side - and then leave them blistered in the aural afterburn.And the styling would get an aftermarket fan fluttering, with an aggressive bodykit, black 19-in alloys, plus an interior with Polestar blue dials and acres of dark sueded finish stretched over the Recaro seats and steering wheel. And dashboard. And centre console.The concept car is worth more than $200,000, but Volvo says it won't ever be put into production. So - just like the street drug - you're not allowed to have it.

If this is the future of electric cars, we'd have one. And it is. But we can't. Or at least, not in the exact form of the Volvo C30 Electric we've just tested.This is part of a fleet of 50 prototypes that will increase to 250 by the end of next year for evaluation around the world. Only two will come to Australia, and neither of them is likely to end up at Chez Carsguide, with the Swedish company targeting business and government fleet leases.But the car won't ever go into full-scale production, which is a pity because it seems to offer everything you could want as a green drive. The good news is that the evaluation program will feel into an electric version of the new V40 model - based on an extended C30 platform -- that is going to replace the aging S40 and V50.And by what we can judge from the camouflaged spy shots of that car, it could be just as good a plug-in prospect as the C30.VALUEIt's almost impossible to talk about value with a car that's not for sale. But it's worth considering where the V40 Electric might be positioned. The initial prices for new technology are high, but manufacturers know early adopters will often wear the extra slug.Prices will come down by the time the Volvo hits the market, but you could still expect to pay at least $50,000 in today's terms. The Mitsubishi i-Miev plug-in is $10,000 more, smaller and not pretty. The Nissan LeafTECHNOLOGYCharge is stored in a 24kW bank of lithium-ion batteries that power a 82kW/220Nm electric motor. With the 200Nm of torque being fully-delivered right from the start, Volvo says the C30E does a 0-100km/h time of 10.5 seconds.It gets to a top speed of 130km/h, with range limited to 120-150km, and a full recharge taking 7.5 hours from a household socket. Zero fuel means zero emissions, except perhaps a whiff of non-harmful exhaust from the bioethanol system that looks after the heating system - reserving the battery power for driving unless manually switched over.SAFETYThe cars will have all the Volvo safety features, with active and passive safety systems, crash avoidance technology, pre-crash warnings and post-crash protection. But there's long been concern about what happens in a crash if you've got a massive lump - or two - of battery loose in the car. So Volvo has also been working to make sure it stays where it's supposed to.Body structures are being strengthened, the pack is positioned so it won't collide with the fuel tank, and a venting system released battery gases outside the car, not into the cabin.DESIGNThe C30 end of the Volvo line-up is the logical place to start for electrification, because it's the lightest car they have. The bonus is that the fast rear line of the hatchback looks up-to-date and stylish, and that will fit better with those who want a plug-in that looks modern without resembling a space pod or attention-seeking supercar.Apart from the socket for the charging cable, from the outside it looks just like any other C30 -- until you lift the bonnet and see an electric motor instead of an engine. The two battery packs are mounted down the centre and in the (former) fuel tank area under the rear, keeping the 280kg battery weight centred, low and trailing - which avoids a weighty nose that would undermine handling.A simple, clear graphic in the instrument cluster shows the battery state and drain rate - without the need for complicated animations and little growing trees favoured in other green cars. There is a teeth-grittingly cutesy touch with a turtle icon that lights up when engine power is reduced, but apart from that it's all admirably sensible.The test car was accented with gunmetal green exterior touches to signify its role in the electric team. The signature livery was echoed in the cabin with bezels and the translucent tone of the shifter - itself a tiny streamlined sculpture that (like the Volvo floating centre console) looks like it might have been swiped from Bang and Olufsen.DRIVINGWith all the torque on tap right from the start, the C30E is snappy off the line, and keeps it coming constantly for most of the acceleration, tailing off only as you get into highway speeds. Lifting off the accelerator gives a noticeable effect of 'engine braking' but in this case it's the system harvesting energy to recharge the battery pack. The shifter lets you select a 'sailing' mode that disconnects the motor and allows the car to coast, but you can really only bring this into play at highway speeds.The positioning of the battery packs keeps the weight low, central and towards the rear, and that comes into play in the cornering. The car feels balanced and reasonably agile. You can hear the electric motor, and while it probably won't appeal to fans of the big-displacement soundtracks, there's a certain exhilaration in the rising sci-fi whine. It's definitely futuristic and prospectively fun. Beam us up, Scotty.VERDICTIt's practical, doesn't look boring - or dorky - and isn't a boring drive. If all that applies when the V40 version comes onto the market, with the right price this will be a winner.Volvo C30 ElectricPrice: NADrivetrain:  82kW/220Nm electric motor, 24kW lithium-ion battery packTransmission:  CVT, FWDBody: 4-door, seats 5Safety: five-star (est): 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, BA and moreThirst: 0L/100km; 0g/km CO2Range: 120-150kmRecharge: 7.5 hours (!0 amp)"We'd like it. We can't have it"