Review of the new Volvo C30 2.0D

Make no mistake, the C30 is a huge gamble for Volvo. Yes, other premium manufacturers have broken the trail, cars like the BMW 1 Series and the Audi A3 having proved very profitable to date, but this is a long way from Volvo's traditional heartland. With the 2.0-litre diesel models, Volvo is attempting to inject a little modest predictability into this boldly-styled hatch. Surprisingly, it's a combination that works very well.

Think about it. Exactly how daring are Volvo owners? When the Swedish company marketed a fire breathing turbo 850 back in the nineties, it hedged its bets by selling it as an estate car. In another smart move, Volvo let other manufacturers pour their development budgets into impractical coupe cabriolet models before launching a better looking more versatile model with the most safety equipment of the lot. Therefore, it's perhaps not surprising that demand might well exist for a Volvo that's bold looking but which underneath the sassy styling, is ostensibly wearing sensible shoes.

The C30 is a clever piece of engineering insofar as it is basically an S40 chassis with 22cm lopped out of the middle, reducing the wheelbase. The stylists have smartly kept the front and rear overhangs very tight to give it a foursquare, planted look unlike that which has befallen the rather lugubrious looking Alfa Brera. Despite this piece of chopwork, the C30 shares not one panel with its saloon car progenitor, instead offering a very different look and feel.

The engine in this variant is a 134bhp four-cylinder turbodiesel that's shared with Ford and very impressive it is too. Quick and with a decent slug of torque, if not the most refined powerplant in its class, it is definitely one of the best to drive. The unit serves up a combination of economy and punch that deserves serious respect. Get a bit sporty with the right boot and you'll see 60mph come and go in a mere 9.3 seconds, although you'll need to be very slick at crashing through the manual gearbox to get anywhere near this time. Most of us will have a little more respect than the professional road testers.

"The C30 2.0D represents a compromise, albeit a very well-judged one"

That's not to say the six-speed manual transmission is in any way obstructive - quite the opposite in fact. The gear ratios are well chosen and the action is positive and precise. As with any turbodiesel car, the really impressive performance comes in the midrange, in the case of this Volvo when the torque really starts to swell at around 1,800rpm through to 3,000rpm. With a peak figure of 236lb/ft being asked to shift just 1,411kg down the road, you just know that you're not going to have to work this motor hard to get the best from it. If you're a little more restrained when it comes to flexing that right ankle, you might even approach Volvo's claimed 49.6mpg figure but for most of us, an average of anything over 40mpg will be very good going. For what it's worth, we averaged just a nick over 39mpg on a mixture of roads but then we do have some renowned lead-foots in our team. Prices start at £17,995 for the entry-level S or the R-Design Sport models and reach £19,495 for the SE Lux or £19,245 for the R-Design SE Sport. An advanced, automatic twin clutch transmission Powershift transmission is also available.

The C30 is the fourth car spawned from the S40 platform, the others being the V50 estate and the C70 convertible. Volvo had long earmarked this fourth model but weren't quite sure what it was going to be. Taking a wait and see approach, the company consulted its customers, looked at the way the industry was moving, gazed into its magic 8-ball and came up with the C30 'SportsCoupe', a model that drives down the average age of Volvo buyers by a good few years.

The company is keen to stress its similarity to the old P1800ES, although they are a little more reticent about comparing it to a model a little fresher in most customers minds, the 480 series, built between 1985 and 1995. The design brief was formed from various customer clinics and when it took shape, it was loose and relatively easy to fulfil - customers wanted something desirable, low and wide with big wheels and four seats. They also fancied lots of standard equipment and a punchy stereo. Given that latter day small Volvos have had a rich design element to their interiors, translating that to the exterior wasn't a tough job for Volvo's stylists.

Some things are reassuringly Swedish. Safety hasn't been skimped on and as well as the usual airbags and seat belt tensioners, the C30 serves up WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System), SIPS (Side Impact Protection System) and even the option of BLIS (Blind Spot Information System). This acts much like an extra set of eyes and utilises digital camera technology mounted in the door mirrors to monitor the areas 3m to each side and up to 9.5m behind the driver. If a vehicle enters this area, a symbol appears on the windscreen pillar near the rear view mirror to indicate that something's there when you take a quick look towards the mirror. Active at speeds above 10km/h, this system isn't the only safety benefit buyers of the C30 enjoy. Special water repellent glass is fitted to the mirrors and side windows. Water beads up on the glass and the airstream quickly clears it, leaving unimpeded visibility.

The C30 2.0D is an exercise in managing compromise and Volvo has thought long and hard about it. Even if you can't run to the 180bhp D5 model, this is no poor relation.

TOP 5 C30 DEALS

The results below show the top C30 deals on buyacar

Volvo C30 2.0 ES 3dr Sports Coupe
Price £12,871 Read C30 Reviews	Save £2,109
Volvo C30 2.0 R DESIGN 3dr Sports Coupe
Price £14,644 Read C30 Reviews	Save £2,351
Volvo C30 2.0 SE 3dr Sports Coupe
Price £14,424 Read C30 Reviews	Save £2,321
Volvo C30 DRIVe [115] SE Lux 3dr Diesel Sports Coupe
Price £18,568 Read C30 Reviews	Save £2,927
Volvo C30 D2 [115] R DESIGN 3dr Diesel Sports Coupe
Price £17,943 Read C30 Reviews	Save £2,842
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