Volvo has refreshed the C30 3-door and gave it the company’s new face. A new front end as well as rear end give the car a new lease on life in times when a recession has dug deep into consumer pockets and left them helpless. Volvo need a star performer in its midst and the C30 is poised to be it.
A redesigned front grille kicks off the facework, followed by new upward-slanting headlights and front wings. A bigger air intake looks like it’s straight from the XC60.
“The fact that the C30 has enhanced its visual volume and self-confidence is entirely in line with Volvo Cars' design strategy. At the same time, the C30 has a one of a kind expression. The new honeycomb grille, for instance, means it takes just a quick glance in the rear-view mirror to see that the car filling your view is the new Volvo C30,” says Fedde Talsma, Exterior Chief Designer at Volvo Cars.
The rear has also gone under the scalpel, gaining a new lights cluster and bumper. High end models receive a visible tailpipe as well. Volvo is offering white wheels as an option and they look quite hot with the R Design option. At the launch in Cape Town there was a car adorned with these special wheels and it really stood out, although I do admit that this is not everybody’s cup of tea. The C30 is of course aimed at the young at heart, or those who have the inclination to drive a compact Volvo. It was the car that continued the new Volvo funk started by the current S60. Therefore making it as funky as possible is part of its appeal, hence the white rims and catchy colours. In fact, a total of 12 paint colours are available to choose from.
As far as the interior, nothing has changed expect a few more options to pick from. The interior is now available in an all-new Espresso/Blond combo, consisting of a dark brown upper section and a blond, fresh shade on the lower door sides. The Volvo centre stack is also offered in something called Oyster Burst Déco which changes the texture of the stack and makes it feel quite funky.
Engines remain the same with the 1.6-litre making 74kW and 150Nm, the 2.0-litre worth 107kW and 185Nm as well as the 169kW, 320Nm T5 with a 2.5 turbo engine. Average fuel consumption is quoted at 7 litres per 100km, 7.4l/100km and 8.7l/100km for all three respectively. Matching C02 emissions are 167g/km, 177g/km and 203g/km. While I understand the 1.6 and even 2.0 form the bread and butter for C30, these two motors are underpowered compared to some German and French competitors with smaller, turbo power.
Changes have been made to the suspension system in line with the idea of improving handling performance. The sport chassis is optional on the lower models but standard on the T5 R Design and makes handling a little crisper. I felt it during the short stint in the car and it really was an improvement over the pre-facelift model. Steering is also sharper.
Speaking of R Design, the new models are simply smarter than the old ones and really accentuate the C30’s wild child personality to the fullest. Outside R Design features the related badge on the front grille, new body kit, 17-inch five-spoke aluminium wheels and a tailgate spoiler among others.
The R Design interior includes an embossed R-Design emblem in the front seats, sports steering wheel trimmed in leather with an R-Design emblem, a blue speedometer and rev counter gauges, as well as an R-Design centre stack and panel inserts.
“With the new sport chassis, the new R-Design builds further on the success of the sport chassis introduced in the Volvo S80 earlier in 2009. Although the actual properties differ between these two car categories, we've had plenty of good experience on which to build further in the Volvo C30,” says Stefan Sällqvist, manager Vehicle Dynamics.
It may be easy to dismiss the new Volvo C30 facelift as a mere facelift but it will go a long way towards infusing a new life force into the youthful, funky car.
2010 Volvo C30 Pricing
Volvo C30 1.6 manual (R227 400)
Volvo C30 2.0 manual (R255 700)
Volvo C30 2.0 Powershift (R271 200)
Volvo C30 T5 R-Design manual (R328 500)
Volvo C30 T5 R-Design Geartronic (R341 000)
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