Designed in Cologne, Germany, by a team of Ford, Mazda, and Volvo engineers, the C30's C1 global platform is shared with such fine cars as Mazda's 3 and 5, the European Ford Focus (which we don't get here), and Volvo's own S40, V50, and C70.
Although it feels more overtly sporting in Mazda and Ford iterations, the C30 version of C1's independent suspension is the best of Volvo's bunch and a reminder of how vital Ford's decision to take a pricey gamble on this platform was. The extra civility and sophistication was worth every penny.
Road test editor Marc Noordeloos complained of the car's tendency to "buck and crash" over bumps, but overall the C30 was a far more cosseting machine than a Mini Cooper. On the highway, it is a markedly silent device, with astonishingly little wind, road, or engine noise, unless the wild Swedish ponies have really been unleashed, in which case the engine makes itself known. Injudicious use of the loud pedal may summon wheel spin at low speeds, too.
The C30's character seems to suggest that it might do better with a lighter, smaller displacement engine running a high-pressure turbo. The C30 also seems like a logical place for a modern diesel, but Volvo hasn't committed to selling enough C30s in the United States to make other engine options worth its while.
Still, the C30 conveys the impression most of the time that you are gliding down the highway on a firm foam cushion. It is the Tempur-Pedic of small cars.
Visibility is exceptional to the rear thanks to the panoramic liftgate window, which adds to one's slightly euphoric feeling of floating down the road as light streams into the cabin, softening the potentially oppressive effect of gray plastic. On the downside, it's permanent showtime for your luggage.
Up front, the seats are comfortable and the C30 shares its elders' slender console, which condenses audio and climate controls into a freestanding panel with airspace behind it, leading to the perception of roominess in a cabin already notable for its width. To the rear, two passengers travel with accommodations decidedly better than steerage class, despite the C30's sweeping roofline and aggressive rear haunches.
At 7592 miles, our Volvo went in for its first scheduled service, a gratis 7500-mile checkup at Kundert Volvo in Englewood, New Jersey. In November, we treated the C30 to a set of Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme winter tires, sized 205/50VR-17 and mounted on the standard seventeen-inch aluminum wheels. As we have previously observed, these Dutch snow boots ($171 apiece from Euro-Tire in Fairfield, New Jersey) perform admirably in small front-wheel-drive applications, and they helped us safely outpace cumbersome four-by-fours and blunderbuss SUVs, even on snow-covered lanes. ...next page >>