- Doors and Seats
3 doors, 4 seats
- Engine
2.4i, 5 cyl.
- Engine Power
125kW, 230Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 9L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2007)
2007-2010 Volvo C30 used car review
For those who had grown a bit tired of the Japanese and usual-suspect Euro prestige-hatchback options, the arrival of the Volvo C30 in 2007 was a bit of a cool change.
And cool was the word, because with its vaguely retro styling and Scandinavian sensibilities, the C30 was immediately seen as something a bit sharper than the mainstream fudge.
Part of the Volvo’s attraction was its styling which, if you believed the press releases of the time, drew on the Volvo P1800ES of the 1960s, particularly that vaguely oval, frameless hatchback glass. Beyond that, however, the C30 was all Noughties Volvo, right down to the distinct shoulders in the rear quarters and the slightly bluff front treatment.
Inside was more of the same with that trademark Swedish boardroom look and feel and quality materials put together well. But there were also some really nice touches like the luggage nets at the leading edge of each front seat and the floating centre console with its storage space behind.
The first C30 arrived with both a turbo-diesel and a turbocharged five-cylinder option. The first delivered great fuel economy, and the latter brilliant performance, but as time has passed, the C30 to emerge as the one you’d want to own now was neither of those variants. In fact, the whole diesel thing has kind of passed small hatchbacks by to an extent, while the turbocharged T5 model had its own engine issues with cracked cylinders, among other problems.
Which leaves the 2.4-litre, normally-aspirated C30 as the one to grab now.
This model retained the five-cylinder layout which gave it a real character of its own (and a tuneful soundtrack) but by being less stressed, it seems to be a real trooper with no major problems provided it’s been serviced appropriately.
This engine could be had in either the entry-level S model or the higher-specification LE version which got leather seats, a better stereo, powered driver’s seat and automatically folding mirrors.
These cars were available from the launch in 2007 right up until 2010 when Volvo joined the space-race and fitted every C30 model with a turbocharged engine of some type or other. Even then, it’s not that simple, because electronic stability control didn’t make it to the normally-aspirated C30 until November 2008, so an MY 2009 or later is the shot if you value this life-saving technology.
Don’t take the seller’s word for it, either; plenty of C30s were first registered after the start of 2009, but were actually built pre-November 2008, meaning they won’t have stability control. To check for yourself, turn the ignition key to the on position, at which point, a small, DSTC ON message should appear at the top of the readout. For the definitive check, run the car’s VIN past a Volvo dealer who will be able to identify its true build date.
One important check to make during any inspection is that the central locking works properly. Some C30s have required new central locking units, and we’ve seen the odd one where the central locking doesn’t work first time every time, but comes good on the second press of the remote button. That’s probably down to a bit of friction in the actual mechanism, but if the system doesn’t work at all, it’s replacement time.
Speaking of lubrication, a C30 with power windows that are slow to move or do so with a creak or shudder, probably require some lubrication on the rubbers.
Listen for knocks and clunks from the front end that indicate wear in the bushings, and make sure that the brakes don’t send a shudder through the car. If they do, you’re looking at warped rotors and a new set will be in your not too distant future.
The good news is that this version of the C30 tended to be bought by conservative, private owners, so many of them out there have full service histories and only one or two previous owners. There are also plenty out there that have covered very short distances, and it’s not uncommon to see C30s advertised with a lot fewer than 100,000km showing, which is pretty good for a car of this age.
They’re not an amazingly fast car even though they have 2.4-litres under the bonnet, but they do make their power in the bright place and work well with the five-speed automatic fitted to the vast majority of them. The steering can feel a bit light, but the suspension should be quiet and the journey utterly unflustered.
The two major downsides are a lack of interior space, particularly in the luggage area where the pulled-in styling creates a pinch point, starting with the small opening afforded by the rear window.
Beyond that, the C30 can be a bit thirsty when driven at all enterprisingly. But if ULP is to be your biggest running cost with a five-cylinder C30, then you’re still on a winner, we reckon.
The most serious recall for these cars was for a batch of MY08 examples which were recalled to check the rear wheel studs which may have been of the incorrect specification and could have come loose over time.
The normally-aspirated C30 will never be as glamourous as the turbocharged T5 nor as frugal as the diesel version, but as a second-hand buy, its all-round reliability and charm make it the one to find in 2018.
Our rating: 3.5/5
Nuts and bolts
Engine/s: 2.4-litre five-cylinder
Transmissions: five-speed auto/five-speed manual
Fuel economy (combined): 9.0 litres per 100km
Safety rating (courtesy of www.howsafeisyourcar.com.au): 5 stars
Likes:
Looks different…in a good way.
Interior is crisp and clean.
Actually very good to drive.
Good reliability record.
Dislikes:
Styling compromises interior space.
Hardly a performance hatch.
Fuel consumption might surprise you a little.
Only MY09 and later models got ESP.
Competitors:
Volkswagen Passat CC – Swoopy lines hid the fact that this was a four-door. All-wheel-drive V6 was the glamour model, but the turbo-diesel front-drive version looked the same and cost a lot less. 3 /5
Peugeot 407 Coupe – More expensive when new but depreciation took care of that. Not as pretty as the previous, 406 model. Again, petrol or diesel choices. Build quality the biggest potential hurdle. 2.5/5
Alfa Romeo Brera JTS – Four-cylinder version of the stunning Brera was all about style over performance. But, man, what style. You’ll be taking a bit of a punt reliability-wise, but charm is in huge supply. 2.5/5
What to pay (courtesy of Glass’s Guide):
Model Year New Now
C30 S 2007 $35,950 $6200
C30 LE 2007 $39,950 $7000
C30 S 2008 $35,950 $7200
C30 LE 2008 $39,950 $8100
C30 S 2009 $36,450 $8200
C30 LE 2009 $41,450 $9600
C30 S 2010 $36,450 $11,700
C30 LE 2010 $41,450 $12,500