We photographed the Volvo C30 in the old Antwerp port, with the cathedral and old city in the background...fitting, as Antwerp is also a Hanseatic city, like many ports in the North!    

We have always liked the beautiful Volvo 1800 (E)S, and are happy to see that in the present Volvo model range, there is a car which comes very close to it: the C30. We love the sweeping lines of the compact car, the typical Scandinavian curves, the firm and bold shoulder line. We know that Volvo’s are sturdy and long-lasting, but we wanted to find out for you whether they can be economical and yet remain true Volvos…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Ideal ergonomics

Sliding behind the wheel of the car, the outstanding ergonomics of the car is truly impressive. The seats are comfortable, support you very well, the steering wheel and the controls just fall in your hands.

The instruments are clearly laid out, the styling breathes Scandinavian purposefulness and timeless clarity. The simple central console, nothing more than a curved panel, embodies also this pure Nordic uncluttered elegance. Honest natural materials and wooden finishes are prevalent, and we liked it very much.

A drivers’ car

Volvo’s are meant to be driven, and the C30 is no exception to the rule. The C30 is utterly sure footed, feels positive, curves on rails. Intuitively one feels that even the most brutal Thor or Thundergods will not push this Volvo off its chosen path.

The front end is typically Volvo, with the diagonal chromed strip and of course the badge...

The suspension is firm but comfortable, and comes truly into its own when the car is driven with verve. The steering is positive, the brakes beyond reproach.

Diesel power

Turning the key, the engine bursts into life with a typical Diesel sound, which remains audible unless constant speeds are chosen in the highest gear.

The unit has very good torque at low revs, as a modern Diesel befits. The 1.6 liter unit has maximum torque of 240 Nm, and that is even higher than the 230 Nm of the 170 hp 2.4 liter 5 cylinder petrol engine, so the engine feels much more powerful than its nominal 109 HP would suggest. The C30 is a lively performer, able to sprint from 0 to 100 km in a mere 11,3 seconds, and reaching a top speed of 190 km/h. The take-up of the clutch is smooth, and so are also the gearchanges, and the lever of the 5-speed box lies ideally in your hand.

The car has an excellent driveability in dense city traffic, with the start/stop system functioning very well. This system shuts off the engine when the car is standing still and the driver releases the clutch and puts the gear lever into the neutral position. As soon as the driver presses the clutch again the engine is started. Of course there are situations where the lane is slowly moving, and traffic is stopping only very briefly, so you can always cancel this function by a simple pressure on the “DRIVe” button right next to him on the console. The engine wants to be kept at slightly higher revs through the gears than the latest Diesel generations, that’s if you want to avoid any vibrations, which indeed I dislike most in any car, new or old. When in DRIVe mode, a gearshift indicator lights up, and this too does not choose very low revs either.

The C30 has very fluid lines, photographed here at the berth of the Schelde...

The factory consumption figures are impressive, quoting a mere 3.8 liter per 100 km, which we did not achieve during our test, which invariably includes a good portion of dense Brussels city traffic. We measured 5.1 liter on average, which is very creditable indeed. One should not forget that this compact coupé weighs nevertheless some 1300 kg unladen, being a truly safe and solid Volvo!

The car emits  – still according to the factory - only 99 grams of CO2 per km, and this makes it eligible for a premium in Belgium and most European countries.

Buttons and knobs are ideally placed and laid out...

As the Start/Stop function is activated and the engine is turned off, some of the car's electronic systems are set into a standby level, for saving even more fuel. Thanks to a monitoring system (based on an additional, smaller battery supporting the larger battery), the systems can be reactivated if, for example, the temperature inside the car suddenly rises. In addition, the extra battery provides very quick and smooth start-up, among other things

A regenerative charge feature, using kinetic energy, comes also with the Start/Stop function. In short, this charging function makes it possible to charge the battery without using diesel and engine power. The charging begins when the driver releases the accelerator or the brake pedal (that is, if a gear is engaged). 

Solidity

Coming to this subject, the car is very well built and finished, and our test car featured even very nice leather seats. If my own Volvo 850 is anything to go by, I can assure you that the leather quality of Volvo is truly outstanding, after more than a decade of use the leather of the 850 is still looking pristine and “as new”, provided of course you maintain and clean it regularly. If you are wondering how this maintenance should be done, I suggest you to read the Volvo owners’ manual, which deals extensively on the subject, and it also advises you on how to eliminate any stains, and clean the cloth roof linings and other parts of the interior…

As winter approaches, I will soon tell you a bit more on the subject of cleaning and maintenance, citing the (Volvo) manual of course…

We also want to mention here the excellent sound system, and (almost) more its simplicity of use. Turning the tuning knob, the display shows a simple FM or AM grid, with the name of the radio station popping up when you tune into it. Of course the sound system has a USB port, so you can hook up your iPod or MP3 player…

When you turn the temperature control knob, the display immediately displays the chosen temperatures for driver and passenger. The simplicity of genius…

The luggage compartment has also an internal cover which opens partially, so you can tuck away that umbrella without having to show the whole luggage, very neat and practical!  

Conclusion: a good looking and timelessly elegant coupé, very well finished, with a powerful, frugal Diesel. A car one likes to live with, for many years to come…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The writing is clearly on the back: this is a frugal Volvo...

The controls are simple to use and set in timeless scandinavian styling
 Using cruise control, the C30 DRIVe achieves astonishing consumption figures...
The button for the start/stop function is close at hand...
 The wooden insets clearly emphasise the scandinavian character of the car...
  The Volvo badge sits proudly on the steering wheel...  Quality leather on this Volvo...