Published on 09/9/2008

It’s been nearly a decade since Ford Motor Company made the decision to branch out and purchase Volvo, the conservative Swedish automaker. While the brand has basically remained true to its roots, Volvo has certainly evolved since the Ford takeover in 1999. It’s been noted many times Volvo has softened its former dull styling practices and gradually added more appealing vehicles. Boring station wagons are not the only thing car shoppers see now when stepping on a Volvo lot

2008 Volvo C30: Weidel on Wheels

In keeping with the trend, Volvo unveiled the C30 this year, its smallest car to date. It measures 8.5 inches shorter and 320 pounds lighter than the S40. And speaking of the S40, it has now been spun off three times. Previous spinoffs included the C70 convertible and the V50 wagon.

The latest addition to the Volvo lineup is a premium compact car with both curb appeal and solid performance. Although not for everyone, the C30 gets mostly favorable appearance reviews. The C30 is a sporty hatchback that might even rank as “cool."

It’s the first hatchback Volvo has offered dating to the 1800ES coupe of the 1970s.

The “cool” factor is the desire to reach the young professionals who may never consider shopping for a Volvo via its stodgy past. A similar plan has worked well for Mercedes with the C230 coupe.

While the front end resembles previous traditional Volvos, the C30 possesses a sleek roofline, large tires and a distinctive all-glass hatchback. Besides the style departure, the Volvo hatchback allows for tremendous rear visibility, rare in compact vehicles.

In automotive times when “smaller is better,” the C30 is a solid option for car buyers conscious of budget and gas mileage but seeking an upscale, performance-oriented vehicle. The base 1.0 version of the C30 is priced at $22,950; the 2.0 model is $25,700. Gas mileage runs between 19-27 mpg, and Volvo recommends premium fuel.

The C30's performance is impressive, offering a 2.5-liter, turbocharged 5-cylinder with 227 horsepower in either trimlines. The six-speed manual transmission is standard, but a 5-speed automatic comes as one of many Volvo options which tend to hike up the price quite rapidly. Acceleration is quite peppy, going 0-60 mph in around 6.5 seconds.

This quick-accelerating car also provides good handling. The C30 grips the road through fast turns and the brakes are firm and responsive.

Although options accelerate the price, they're appealing. There are 17 exterior and 12 interior color options. There’s even an ashtray ($25) option.

The C30 makes no token attempt at squeezing in a fifth passenger — it seats only four with bucket seats in front and back. The rear captain’s chairs provide comfort, but the legroom is lacking. The cargo area receives slightly higher marks, yet gets dinged due to the high visibility of stored items. When the rear seat is folded down, the cargo room increases appreciably.

As with any Volvo, the C30 comes with an abundance of safety features, including antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, and whiplash protection system.

FAST FACTS

Performance — 2.5-liter, turbocharged 5-cylinder, 227 horsepower.

Mileage Estimates — 19 mpg (city) 27 mpg (hwy).

Standard Features — antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, whiplash protection system, daytime running lights, tilt/telescopic leather-wrapped steering wheel, center console, upgraded CD/MP3 player, digital-media player connection, fog lights.

Warranty — Bumper-to-bumper, 4 years/50,000 miles; Corrosion, 12 years/unlimited mles; Free roadside assistance, 4 years/unlimited miles; Free scheduled maintenance, 7,500 miles.

Edited and posted by www.theweeklydriver.com.