Volvo C30 Review (2006-2013)
Volvo C30 cars for sale
2.0
Expert review
Pros
Quirky styling stands out from the crowd
Decent to drive
T5 model is a wolf in sheep's clothing
Cons
Hopelessly impractical interior
Small boot
High running costs with performance models
The CarGurus verdict
There are many positives to owning a C30. A posh interior, generous levels of equipment and safety kit, an excellent range of engines and a fun-to-drive character are all included, but you really need a specific lifestyle for a C30 to work.
Space and practicality are up there with a motorbike and sidecar, so much so that the rear seats are best reserved for additional luggage, while the combination of that glass lid and super shallow boot means long holidays are a no-no.
These obvious shortcomings can be viewed as positives however, as they limit the appeal and suppress residual values, which is the major reason why C30’s are such outstanding value for money.
Consequently, if you spend more time on dating sites than you do figuring out what to do with the kids this half term, a C30 could turn out to be a bit of a dream date.
What is the Volvo C30?
Nowadays Volvo is seen as a pretty cool brand, so it is difficult to comprehend just how much of a kerfuffle the C30 caused when it twerked its way into the Paris Motor Show back in 2006.
Better known for its pipe-and-slippers driving dynamics and brick-shaped estate cars, Volvo was the last company anyone expected to show up with a rakish three-door coupe hatchback in tow.
From its mascara'd headlights and aggressive frontal styling to the tip of its frameless glass tailgate and pert derrière, the C30 was a radical-looking concept at the time, and it still looks pretty funky today. It was replaced by the Volvo V40.
How practical is it?
The Volvo C30 is not very practical. In fact, it's almost as if Volvo forgot about getting passengers in and out of the rear. Although the front seats tip and slide, the gap created to get someone into the back is very narrow. Once in, headroom and legroom are both on the snug side but because there are only two seats, elbow room isn’t so bad.
The small, 251-litre boot is also very shallow thanks to a high bumper sill, while the opening created by that frameless glass hatch is quite narrow. Consequently, you shouldn’t even think about loading a set of golf clubs or a baby buggy without dropping one of the rear seats first. A classic case of style over substance if ever we saw one.
What's it like to drive?
Underpinned by Ford Focus mechanicals, (albeit with some typically woolly Swedish steering), the C30 still drives with the kind of verve that will give many a modern sporting hatchback a run for its money.
Granted, the ride can feel a wee bit on the jostling side, especially in the firmer R-Design cars, and things are a wee bit noisy on the motorway, but many will consider this a price worth paying for the overall fun factor.
Power comes from an extensive range of four-cylinder and five-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. While the 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre diesel are particular favourites – unsurprisingly so, as they're frugal, flexible and reasonably refined – the 2.5-litre petrol and 2.4-litre five-cylinder turbo diesel engines provide the fireworks.
Technology, equipment & infotainment
Inside, there’s a high-quality feel to most surfaces and you also get a pair of Volvo’s renowned comfy and exceptionally supportive front seats. In addition to a large diameter three-spoke steering wheel – which may be a bit bus-like but provides an excellent view of the main instrumentation – an elegant floating centre console sits centre stage.
This super-slim serpentine panel features a tiny, peek-a-boo display screen, a quartet of large rotary dials to control the radio and cabin temperature, plus a cute set of buttons in the shape of a human figurine, divided into sections and used to determine the direction of airflow. Running down the middle of all this are row-upon-row of tiny oblong buttons, most for radio pre-sets, and a four-way selector nodule, which lets you scroll between the various menus displayed on the slotted screen.
Cars with satnav top the whole shebang off with a neat, dash-top mounted screen and it all looks very cool. Sadly, because everything is so itsy-bitsy, it's a nightmare to operate while driving.
Volvo C30 running costs
The problem with the C30 is that it falls between several stools. Despite the sharp looks and some forceful powerplants, that Volvo badge doesn’t exactly scream ‘sporty.’ Consequently, the C30 is not particularly sought after by the hot hatch brigade, while its laughable practicality rules it out to anyone remotely concerned with family commitments.
The good news is, if you’re an empty-nester and can see beyond the lack of sporting pedigree then these cars are incredible bargains as used buys. Less than £5,000 will buy you a great example with mid-40,000 miles on the clock and a service book full of official Volvo stamps.
As well as being cheap to buy C30s can also cost buttons to run. The 1.6-litre D2 diesel engines boast the best fuel economy and can give you up 65.7mpg (officially) and if you can find an emissions-reducing Drive E version, it promises a staggering 78.5mpg. Of course, these figures were compiled under the old NEDC lab-based test, so they need to be treated with a degree of scepticism. In the real world, you’re more likely to average mid-50s, which is still not too shabby.
The 1.6-, 1.8- and 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engines should return high-30s MPG and, according to the official fuel consumption figures, even the bonkers T5 is capable of 32.5mpg. Use it in the manner of a hot hatch, however, and you'll get through fuel by the bucketload, and destroy front tyres faster than marathon runner gets through Jelly Babies.
At the time of writing, insurance groupings ranged from a very moderate group 16 for the 1.6-litre petrol models to an eyebrow-raising group 33 for the more powerful T5 versions.
Recommended service intervals for C30 stand at every 12,500 miles or every 12 months, whichever comes first. If you take your C30 to a main dealer to have it serviced then prices will be a bit on the punchy side, especially as, in essence, the C30 is no more complicated to fettle than a Ford Focus. Expect to pay around £350 for an interim service and another £50 quid or so for a more comprehensive major service at a Volvo main dealer. There are plenty of independents who will carry out this work just as efficiently and could save you as much as £150 on each visit.
Volvo C30 reliability
Volvo C30 build quality is generally pretty solid and if you look after your C30 then it should provide you with relatively few problems. Most consumable replacement parts can be readily sourced for not a lot of money. It’s also pretty straightforward to service a C30 yourself.
An interim service should include engine oil and filter and air cleaner and cabin air filter changes and the rest is basic common sense. Check the air-con is blowing cold air; if not, your local garage will recharge it for less than £70. Check the hand brake adjustment, the tyre pressures and the brake pads and brake discs for wear, and while you’re at it, also check the brake/clutch and power steering fluid. This only involves unscrewing a couple of plastic tops, but bear in mind the brake fluid should replace every two years. A washer fluid top-up and adjustment of the antifreeze strength are also simple enough procedures.
Every three years or 37,500 miles, you should pay a mechanic to check the drive shafts for play and the rubber bellows for leakages and have the front suspension and steering system assessed for wear, play and leakages.
The brake lines, fuel lines and the fuel filter should also be checked for leakage and damage, and if you buy a diesel automatic it needs to have its transmission fluid changed every 52,000 miles. The cost of this is nothing compared to a DPF (diesel particulate filter) replacement, which Volvo recommended should happen after 72,000 miles. At well over £1,000, if you’re considering buying a high mileage diesel you need to factor this into your equations.
Volvo does reasonably well in the various reliability and customer satisfaction reports, such as the 2024 What Car? Reliability survey, which placed the Swedish manufacturer 12th out of 31 marques, and it was 16th out of 32 brands in the Driver Power survey of the same year.
One thing that placed C30 well ahead of the field when it was launched is the amount of safety kit it came with. Stability and Traction Control, ABS brakes with electronic brake assistance were fitted as standard, as was the SIPS side-impact protection system, including curtain airbags. The front seats also feature Volvo's WHIPS (whiplash protection system) while BLIS, blind spot information system, and parking sensors were also optional across the range.
- Back in the mid-2000s, Volvo's then-parent company Ford realised if it wanted a presence in the three-door coupe sector, the Blue Oval simply wasn’t going to cut it against the Volkswagen Scirroco, BMW 1 Series Coupe and Audi TTs of this world. At the time, the Volvo badge was about as sporty as a pair of brogues, but it was a premium brand and, given the C30 was essentially a stubbier, top-hatted Focus, Ford’s accountants agreed to sanction the project.
- When it came to finding an engine, everyday powertrains weren’t a problem as they were readily available from the Focus line-up. But something a bit fruitier was required to give the range some added sexiness. Volvo’s own five-cylinder lumps had been used primarily to haul around heavy estate cars, as they generated lots of low and mid-range torque, but the idea of shoehorning a 220bhp petrol version into a relatively lightweight chassis was too mischievous to resist. The rest is history, as the petrol engine, complete with its unmistakable five-pot burble, not only gave the C30 range serious punch, but also went on to power legendary versions of the Focus ST and RS.
- All C30s come with a tidy amount of kit. Entry-level S models and later ES versions have 16-inch alloy wheels, remote-locking with an alarm, automatic headlamp levelling, power windows, height-adjustable driver and front passenger seats, leather steering wheel and gear knob and climate control. SE adds cruise control, steering wheel remote audio controls, aluminium trimmings, bigger 17-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps and automatic rain-sensing windscreen wipers. SE Sport includes 18-inch alloy wheels, and a full sports body kit a fruitier exhaust system and a rear spoiler. Additionally, SE Lux models have heated front seats, leather upholstery, a power driver's seat, a headlamp cleaning system, power-folding door mirrors. C30 R-Design versions add a full body kit and firmer suspension.
- If you’re buying on a budget: If you’re looking for maximum flash but you’re not exactly flush with cash don’t worry. One of the earlier 1.6-litre petrol or diesel C30s can be had for less than the cost of a week’s staycation in the Lake District and you’ll be amazed at how many of these cars come with the higher SE Lux or R Design trim levels. There are plenty of higher mileage examples, but it is also possible to find cherished C30s if you look around. Asking prices and mileages can be surprisingly moderate.
- If you want an automatic: Although some of the four-cylinder cars are fitted with a Ford-donated twin-clutch Powershift automatic, they’re not particularly common and the same can be said of earlier cars fitted with Volvo’s Geartronic automatic. You’ll increase your chances of tracking down a two-pedal option if you search for a five-cylinder model, particularly the 2.4-litre D5 diesel, as these came with the Geartronic automatic as standard. That’s the good news; the bad news is the old five-speed Geartronic auto is a pretty blunt instrument and can be quite clunky in operation.
- If you want looks and performance: At the end of 2009 a facelift included a reprofiled grille and headlights and powertrain realignment, including a new pair of 2.0-litre five-cylinder diesels, badged D3 and D4. Additional interior enhancements and a body toning kit, including reprofiled bumpers and sill extensions, also arrived, so these are definitely worth looking out for. Find a racy 220bhp 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol T5 R-Design model of this vintage and you’ll tap into a world of pumping performance and a truly addictive soundtrack. Just be aware that at this price point, you’re entering a sector rife with no end of ballistic three-door hot hatches and more contemporary looking cars, such as the Peugeot RCZ and Renault Megane Coupe.
