Volvo C30 DRIVe SE Lux Start/Stop 3dr Car Review - March 2012

REVIEW
List Price: £21,495
Tax Band: A
Insurance Group: N/A
MPG: 74.3
CO2: 99
0-62 Mph: 11.3 secs
BHP: 113 BHP
Range: 850 miles
CarSite Verdict:  4/5
The C30 is useless as a family car but if you don't have kids it's a great choice. Good looking, extraordinarily economical and well-made, there isn't much to dislike about the C30.

PROS:  The C30 DRIVe SE Lux looks great, has a stylish interior and is very safe. It also boasts very low running costs and is road tax and congestion charge exempt.

CONS:  It's not very practical and there are some notable omissions from the list of standard equipment.

Behind the Wheel

The C30 DRIVe SE Lux comes with a 1.6-litre diesel engine which develops 113bhp and 199lb-ft of torque. It's not the fastest model in the C30 range: 0-62mph takes a pedestrian 11.3 seconds and flat out you'll be going doing 121mph.

The ride can get a little jittery, especially at low speeds over rougher surfaces, but the C30 is very good through the corners with plenty of grip and minimal body roll. The steering is well-weighted and direct. Wind and road noise become intrusive at motorway cruising speeds.

Looks & Equipment

The C30 looks great from any angle and is easily the most stylish car in its class. It's the same story on the inside too. The C30 is beautifully trimmed and everything has a quality feel. It actually feels like a much bigger and much more expensive car.

You get a decent amount of kit included as standard including alloys, climate control, electric windows, cruise control, leather seats and CD player with MP3 connectivity. Optional extras include Bluetooth (£275), Sat-Nav (£525), rear parking sensors (£385) and metallic paint (£540).

Practicality, Safety & Reliability

The boot is very small. When the rear seats are upright the car provides 251 litres of space, and when the rear seats are folded there is 894 litres of space.

The C30 was awarded the full five stars in the Euro NCAP safety tests and should be a very safe car to drive.

The C30 should be very reliable - Volvos always are - and is supplied with a 3 year/60,000 mile warranty. It also rated very highly in the 2011 J D Power Survey.

Value for Money

The Volvo C30 DRIVe SE Lux Start/Stop 3dr is priced at £21,495 which is very reasonable given the quality of the car and the amount of equipment included as standard.

Running costs should be very low indeed thanks to the C30's astonishing efficiency. 74.3mpg (combined) is achievable and CO2 emissions of 99g/km mean that you'll pay no road tax or congestion charge whatsoever. Very impressive.

Volvo C30 DRIVe SE Lux Start/Stop 3dr Car Review - by 
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