Fun fact: This is the first time a TH-camr I watch is actually sponsored by something I use, I've had a Groove Life ring as a wedding ring for almost 2 years now!
I impulsively bought a 2012 C30 T5 for an absolute steal a couple weeks ago. These cars are criminally underrated for how good they are - I'm genuinely surprised they're not worth more
IMO its one of the best looking hatches from the late 00s. it has the broad shoulders of its larger brethren but then theres that sharp chop at the rear hatch. i daily a golf, so im already a hatch guy, but damn if i dont snap my neck whenever one of these goes by
+1, bought a 2006 with the launch Cosmic White / Java Pearl color scheme 8 weeks ago. I've visited several Volvo shops since then, fixing different niggles. Currently having it's cylinder head rebuilt 🥲. But y'know what, I don't care. It's that brilliant and I want to keep it on the road.
@@PriitKaru Probably to be expected a fair amount of the time, but not much else would really fill the slot the same way, I think. (I think I'd like a brown one if I could find one with a stick and a decent spec, but hard to be picky that way. It's kind of on a short list of 'What would I scoop up if I came into a chunk of cash and a nice one was there. (While I farmed out some work on my dear 940 wagon, for one. That ol gal needs some off-the-road attentions I need to at least hire some stonger arms with the skill for these days. )
I love that no matter how much the channel may progress, every Volvo review still carries that aura of Volvo Weirdness we loved so much in the S60 review
I love my 2011 C30. It is amazingly comfortable for my six foot two frame. The designers didn't even try to pretend three people can fit in the back, instead giving two people very comfortable, full-size seats. On both long road trips and short city runs, this car handles and feels rock solid. Its looks continue to get positive comments over a decade later. Its engine is still fuel efficient and quiet. Volvo deciding not to continue making this car is one of those head-scratching moments in automotive history.
This is probably one of the greatest episodes of RCR. The humor is better than ever, all while diving into the details of this incredible machine. Thanks, Mr. Regular!
People who own them or have owned them love these cars, I was in a Wegmans parking lot and a guy pulled up to my c30 to tell me about how much he loved his! There is a great sense of community brought about by these.
Don’t forget if you really wanna go off the rails you can swap it to AWD with a nice liberal swapping of parts with an S40 or V50. Got my parts from a salvage auction in Davenport lol
The 5 cylinder comes with a forged crank and decent rods . The front suspension falls apart ( next time you drive at 5 mph just stab the brakes a little...that clunk is you control arms trying to exit the subframe) , the a/c compressor fails all the time, the evap core and heater core explode, the CEM is the first thing to get wet when the sunroof leaks, the wheel bears fail, the front springs break and stab the front tires, the engine mounts fail and then ground out and make a horrible noise.....yeah great cars, love em. It's awesome when my customers get a quote for 7,000 dollars on their 5,000 dollar car. The same thing happened with the focus but since that was a cheap version of the c30 chassis the parts were also cheap....the chassis parts are made in the same place and fit both cars but the Volvo parts are more expensive? Other than those few things they are fun to a point. I know that more than 300 HP and 300 lbft in this chassis makes it pretty useless but if you like axle wrap and one wheel peels this is your tuner car.
@@incremental_failure What? Fords are renowned for their "lotus-like" handling. I think most people in europe don't even give enough shits about cars to even know the difference between a C30 and a Focus.
@@theothertonydutch I suppose he was talking about the broader spectrum. People that are not that much into cars (me), really don't think anything special about Fords. Volvo, on the other hand, really has that sort of special reputation in general population. You don't see middle class driving Fords. You see polished Volvos instead. At least that's my perception.
I bought a 2011 rdesing manual and couldn't believe how smooth and quiet this car is. It's comfortable like a luxury car, but quick and fun to drive like a hatchback.
I love C30s for being such an underrated little hot hatch, I have one myself but not a T5 (2011 2.0D) unfortunately however still an incredibly fun car to drive. The C30 to me is one of the best Volvos they ever made in the 2010s
I literally saw one of these on the road in front of me just the other day, and I had NO idea what I was looking at. I knew it was a Volvo (cuz I can read) but I've never seen one before. I just thought it really looked cool and unique, especially the way the hatch is designed.
@@robsorgdrager8477I do, they're fine. People are scared of them... But while they are more tightly packed and annoying than a Toyota or Honda, they are far from bad to work on.
@@ALittleBitOfGay oh God no, I can have one stripped into a pile of parts in a day. I rag on them because they never get serviced and the people that own them drive miss Daisy around. They are oblivious to horrible state of the safety equipment and when I give them a 8k estimate from simply shaking the thing down and the " my head lamp is foggy " main concern they start crying and accuse me of being a thief , until I bring them out to their " pride and joy " and point out the decades of neglect.
@@RyoHazuki224 I personally love the design. I would try to drop in a more built 5cyl and as much as I love the 6 speed id opt for a newer p3 t6 paddle shift trans. To be honest the 3.0 inline 6 cylinder turbo with the added polestar tune in the 12-13 s60's is the way to go. That car is deceptively fast and will catch a lot of people including the one driving , asleep.
Oh man this makes me miss my 09 pre-facelift with the m66. Unfortunately the owner before me had put the ecu on a tune (Elevate I believe) along with exhaust and headers that put 360+hp to the wheels without taking ANY of the necessary precautions to keep the T5 healthy. I reflashed the ecu to a mild tune soon as I got it, put in a whole new cooling system and babied that thing.. still ended up with a cracked block within a year of ownership. When running, it was the smoothest and sweetest vehicle I ever had the pleasure of owning, and sounded like a mini-Viper with the custom exhaust. Rip Effy you deserved better
@@Eidrian111 No. I sold the car to someone who had the time, resources and funds to replace the engine; as I, (a 23 y/o student at the time w no garage) unfortunately, did not 🤷
@@fastboy177 I have heard questionable things about their reliability too though I'm not sure if that's just over blown. Some people think the new Volvos have "Chinese reliability"
I have the 2.0l petrol C30 R-design. I had a smile on my face this entire review as clearly you "get it". The C30 (in the UK) is a car that was given 3/5 reviews almost across the board by reviewers at the time, and sure, its not the best at anything in particular, but as a package its actually rather nice. It does stuff well and I find myself appreciating it a lot, both to drive, but perhaps more importantly to live with.
The headlight reattachment b roll was so relatable. I always struggle to get it back in and seated and then proceed to attempt to reinstall the pin backwards
next time slide it in along the plane of the car, its feels weird but thats the best way ive found just inserting it straight from the front to the back
I remember thinking the C30 was the coolest car and wanted one so badly. But finding one in manual, let alone an R-design was near impossible without traveling across the country.
It took me 8 months and four states away in the middle of a pandemic, and I’m glad I did it when I did b/c every one I see (in the emails I get) the price has gone up around $7000.
Mr. Regular, as someone who owns an S40 and who also tends to feel like an orbiter, I’m beyond impressed at your ability to liken this forgiving, joyful car to someone who may not be given the time of day for reasons which might seem arbitrary ❤
This is my dream car. This exact car, but in Volcano Orange, is my dream car. I remember playing real racing 2, and having that as a starter car. It fit in to the hot hatch craze, but remained unique to the point where it was a hot hatch for everyone. Absolutely timeless.
I bought a 2011 V50 t5 because of the way the C30 performs. I wanted the extra space and although I could have lived without the turbo I’m super-happy with the thing!
I remember the C30 very well as the starter car in iRacing 2 in the early days of iOS game apps... (before they went F2P and laden with ads or paywalls to stay afloat). I still adore the weird hatchback shape Volvo went with this!
I have a 2013 regular, and it's just such a wonderful car. Easy to work on, parts are available, and when I've needed to take it into the dealer, it hasn't cost me a year's worth of earnings. On road trips I get like 34 miles a gallon and usually stop every 500 miles to fill up. If you're thinking about one of these, do it.
I have one with the Polestar ECU tune. What a difference it makes to give this car 250hp. It really is quicker than you'd expect. Which is typical of many understated Volvos with the T5 engine.
I own a t5 c30 08’, Modded with 18psi and making 400 CHP. When you mod them, they are devastating monsters and handle like an EG hatch with nearly 800lbs less weight. Plus, the community is unusually helpful and polite. MNIWT is a figurehead of the community with his AWD track spec custom.
@@Isaki138 Okay,by admittance, mine’s modified with polyurethane bushings all around, lowered, 1” rear sway bar, quaife LSD, and snabb strut tower bar. With just the 1” bar, it’s back end wants to come around when cornering, it’s almost uncanny.
Having pop out headlights are soooo underrated. Imagine my frustration after changing her bulbs in her 2012 Focus in 5 minutes to having to disassemble part if my front end in my 2013 Fusion.
I love the look of this car , also when volvo went from square and rectangle boxes to curvy s40 s60 s80 they became absolutely gorgeous , and this odd ball hot hatch just brought that look to a whole new level , plus a manual transmission available in all models even there suvs are dope !!!
I have a 15 r design v60 in the same colour and always wanted one of these to match for around town. The v60's power is substantial and unexpected and I would imagine this much smaller car Could have the same said about it. Hard to imagine another car that can still maintain its stealth characteristics in such a bright colour but thats the Volvo way. Lovely little car. Looks amazing.
Hit the nail on the head with this one. I was a S60R owner who didn't want to keep up with the ever growing cost of ownership and strongly considered a C30. Ended up with a VW R32(MKV) after some test drives and don't regret my decision. The C30 is still a cool car in my eyes and gave US buyers a different option for a hot hatch. Great review!
For anybody owning a Volvo from the early 2010's I would highly recomend installing a GROM audio unit, for me it's been a literal lifesaver due to the integrated audio/aircon unit (plus it allows you to also take bluetooth calls next to streaming). They are however proper expensive, around the price of a really expensive headunit
I loved my manual t5 s40. Peppy enough to be fun but not fast enough to get you in trouble. Good mileage although 93 only was a bummer. It was a good car.
You know what... this is actually a brilliant little car. Probably the best daily driver I've ever had. The only drawback was that I had quite a bit of maintenance that needed to be done, though that could just be because the previous owner didn't take care of it very well.
Same. Ultimately I had to get rid of it, previous owners crashed it and didn't report, suspension was way too fubar to be worth fixing. It did well on gas especially if you could keep it at 65, stayed planted and maneuvers great. The I5 engine is awesome. If still available and needed a little car, I would be looking at a new one very closely. Sucks I had such a bad example.
I have had my 2011 C30 R-design for almost a year, and i love it. Got it for 15k with 68k miles on it. Ive taken it on a bunch of trips, and it's so comfortable and nice. The 5cyl sounds great with an exhaust too
My best argument for the C30: I bought an 08 new, been (mainly) DD since. Last week the turbo finally gave out. The rock auto box will be here ~Friday.
Get it in Polestar blue, or that two-tone silver and bronze, and then we're cooking. Pretty amazing that the headlight comes out like that *with* cornering light.
You get around the audio with a grom and lc6i . Also the only volvos that leak are the ones with sunroofs. Not to worry because volvo refused to use weather pack connectors. Its ok because non of the can network goes along the main harness on the floor on either side. Dont worry because if the can network goes down then you wont start the car😏. The drain tubes dont rott as much as they get plugged with crud and then when you stop a few gallons of rain water dumps over the cassette channels and drains down the A pillar trim and filling the floor with nasty water that brews in the carpet making a very awesome tea of old spilt latte and ice melt and that dog vomit you stepped in two years ago.
whenever i see this car, i always think back to the designer of the rear tail lights who did a 'just engaged'-style photoshoot with the tail lights after manufacture had begun.
I got a 2010 C30 T5 that replaced my 2007 Ford Focus SE and it's funny how many parts it shares with the Focus. The suspension, some of the engine mounts, the coolent tank and I'm sure some more, but boy is it a night and day difference compared to the Focus I had especially in terms of cabin noise and how well put together it is. I love driving it, it's fast enough to be fun and very comfortable for road trips and daily driving.
I have the sedan version of this, a Scosche mount and the bluetooth dongle from Tunai completely solves the radio/hvac inconvenience. That 5 cylinder turbo is the love of my life!
A 2012 C30 was my first car, it's a focus mk.2 underneath so it's cheap to keep on the road too. I sold mine for a Peugeot that's more powerful and almost 200kg lighter (the C30 is much heavier than it looks), but I do miss it regularly.
Hey @RegularCars it's not the RS, it's the ST. The RS has a very different suspension setup, whereas the ST and the T5 are identical. I heard you mention "can the RS hold it" at the start when talking at the start. Yes it can. It really can. You can easily mod these T5s to get RS numbers. But you can't put the power down in the same way as it doesn't have the suspension geometry - aka the "RevoKnuckle".
I had a friend with one of these when they were new and I loved it back then. Today I ordered the updated Polestar 2 and I can see its design roots here.
I own a 2009 c30 t5 manual and it is definitely the coolest thing I've ever owned. First time I ever saw one of these I wanted one and I drove 2 hours away just to get one myself. I am so glad that I bought this car as I hope to have it for a long time.
Will car journalists just stop complaining about the lack of Bluetooth and/or satellite radio in older cars? They always seem SO surprised when the feature is absent.
I had a first gen S40, that was just kinda an unassuming silver sedan. An Audi A4 made in Sweden. I got it in high school, ran it to the ground, and it would not die. Then I got a second gen S40 T5 manual, and fell in love with that 5 cylinder note. When a few costly repairs were creeping up, at 200k miles mind you, I traded it in for an 8 year newer cousin - the Mazdaspeed 3. It's cup holder's also get in the way of my shifting, even more so than the Volvo's, and it's been a maintenance nightmare. They may be related, but they are on complete different levels of craftsmanship. Now I'm eyeing a C30, non-upgradeable stereo be damned.
I've owned two Polestar Optimized 6MT C30 T5's and while they looked great, sounded great (with a decent muffler), and were decently quick; the main letdown for me was the open diff. It just never made sense to me to have nearly 300lb/ft with the P* tune to only one of the front wheels at any point. Likewise, the steering was real soft with little to no feel to it. That's not too much of an issue compared to modern cars having more or less the same issue in varying degrees, but in a small and quick package like the C30, it kills a lot of the driver engagement for me. Other than that, it was really great, but after driving modern GTI's and an R53 Mini, the C30 feel's to me like you're using a beautifully crafted butter knife to cut through a steak while everyone else has Japanese steel knives. Sure, you're looks nice and all, but they're all just doing it better.
I think I'm about 1 year older than Mr. Regular and I thought this car was cool as hell when it came out. I had a Mazda 3 at the the time that I loved, but this Volvo was like a more classy GTI. It's like the 318ti or C230 Kompressor.... a hot FANCY hatch.
I'm convinced that the off-the-rails erotic stuff is just Mr Regular recalling the zesty stuff he's done and I love hearing about it cause it means he's having fun out there.
They are indeed torque limited in first gear. I believe all P2 and P1 models are. I like the styling, no mention of the P1800es rear end styling? I digress, I like my P2 V70R and would love to own one of these one day when I tire of practicality. Great video!
Now that you mention it, RCR should review a base mazda 3 from the mid 00s. They've only done performance models, although the US didn't get the true base model with the 1.4l engine
@@ileutur6863 I submitted my 2004 mazda 3 a while ago and didn't hear back because I thought it'd be neat to compare to my 2023 mazda 3 as well. Same car almost 20 years apart
it's literally a euro mkii Focus ST right down to the turbo inline 5 under the hood. They look remarkably similar from the front and esp side profile. But of course the Mazda 3 shares the same chassis I'd just argue this looks way more like the ST than any Mazda.
I've wanted one of these in bright screw your eyes yellow ever since I first discovered them in 2010 via Gran Turismo 5. A hatchback with one of Volvo's rare turbocharged inline fives and design heritage descended from the P1800 Estate is so wonderful. It's just a shame we never got an AWD version of these like the S40 had. I have no delusions about this being an Impreza WRX hatch fighter, just something that would be fun in the rain on mountain roads. It's a shame this is the facelifted model, though. It always looked to me like someone used a cage warp tool on the front end when compared to the original front.
I had one from new (2008) for 11 years. I put 165000 miles on it and loved it. Still miss it. It was a super comfy car. It never grew old on me. Still miss it.
My dad had a '72 1800ES in the garage when i was a kid in the '80s. I always thought it was gorgeous. Gave me an early appreciation for goofy hatchbacks. The C30 was a cool little car.
I loved these cars until Edward drove one. That ruined it for me, just like how I used to enjoy visiting Forks. Still a neat car, especially an R-design manual, despite being the choice of sparkly vampires.
This was one of the choices when I was looking for manual hot hatches a few years back, I bought almost the opposite of it and my back forever aches. I miss Volvo seats, they are fantastic.
My dad has an S40 R of similar vintage. To me it is the perfect mix of clean styling, good performance, and comfort. And although they're hit or miss on this, as far as I know his has been incredibly reliable
One of volvos best kept secrets ,also yes all m66 transmission limit boost/ torque in first gear , wife's currently working on an non R c30 as her first build
Use my link to get 20% off your Groove Life order by clicking here: GrooveLife.com/REGULAR
Fun fact: This is the first time a TH-camr I watch is actually sponsored by something I use, I've had a Groove Life ring as a wedding ring for almost 2 years now!
Volvo T5 R-Design: The official car of the 30-something guy who still wears Vans hi-tops, but puts Dr. Scholls insoles in them.
In other words, it me.
I'm reporting this because I'm in this comment and I didn't consent... 😅 lol!
Ow dude why you gotta hurt me like that
Can confirm. Also 30 something. Also own a C30 T5. Also currently wearing Vans. This review is me being seen.
Probably my 50 year old uncle too
Me, as a 30-something, but instead of Vans its Chuck Taylors. The new ones with actual arch support
I impulsively bought a 2012 C30 T5 for an absolute steal a couple weeks ago. These cars are criminally underrated for how good they are - I'm genuinely surprised they're not worth more
They will be ……. Give it time. Ppl are starting to find out all the quirky cool cars and they are shooting up in value one by one
IMO its one of the best looking hatches from the late 00s. it has the broad shoulders of its larger brethren but then theres that sharp chop at the rear hatch. i daily a golf, so im already a hatch guy, but damn if i dont snap my neck whenever one of these goes by
Shh, I want one for a scootin around car. :)
+1, bought a 2006 with the launch Cosmic White / Java Pearl color scheme 8 weeks ago. I've visited several Volvo shops since then, fixing different niggles. Currently having it's cylinder head rebuilt 🥲. But y'know what, I don't care. It's that brilliant and I want to keep it on the road.
@@PriitKaru Probably to be expected a fair amount of the time, but not much else would really fill the slot the same way, I think. (I think I'd like a brown one if I could find one with a stick and a decent spec, but hard to be picky that way. It's kind of on a short list of 'What would I scoop up if I came into a chunk of cash and a nice one was there. (While I farmed out some work on my dear 940 wagon, for one. That ol gal needs some off-the-road attentions I need to at least hire some stonger arms with the skill for these days. )
I love that no matter how much the channel may progress, every Volvo review still carries that aura of Volvo Weirdness we loved so much in the S60 review
Like how the Ripple wave pattern on the infotainment pulses out from the audio power/tuning knob over on the top right.
S60 sucks-Former owner
That S60 review will forever live in my head rent-free.
That review is an absolute classic. The tangent about the lady at the Wendy's Supabar is permanently etched into my brain.
@@IVR02 Those poor garbanzo beans...
The ability to easily pull the headlamps and replace the bulbs is upsettingly brilliant.
THat goes back a ways with Volvos. :)
Subaru Tribeca rage activated.
@@OllamhDrab not on their other cars of the time , though 😆. The S60 is annoying to take the headlight out of, I imagine the other cars too.
@@zzoinks Hrm, I dunno, did a V40 once, but it wasn't that bad?
don't try and do a cabin filter though, have to remove the main fusebox and bracket on the RHD cars
I love my 2011 C30. It is amazingly comfortable for my six foot two frame. The designers didn't even try to pretend three people can fit in the back, instead giving two people very comfortable, full-size seats. On both long road trips and short city runs, this car handles and feels rock solid. Its looks continue to get positive comments over a decade later. Its engine is still fuel efficient and quiet. Volvo deciding not to continue making this car is one of those head-scratching moments in automotive history.
Volvo offered v40, but maybe it was not sold where you live.
@@Rytis36and now v40 is dead, leaving CUVs only 🤢
@@Isaki138 since they are mostly just lifter hatchbacks, just lower them and get yourself a pseudo c30
Volvo C30 - official car for guys that refer to their body as "frame"
Is yours an r design?
The sound, THE SOUND. This car makes me want to sound myself.
This is probably one of the greatest episodes of RCR. The humor is better than ever, all while diving into the details of this incredible machine. Thanks, Mr. Regular!
It doesnt happen as often anymore, but when Mr.Regular gets season 1 weird, you know its going to be fantastic
Finally!!! I have one of these, they are great! With a bit of a tune and some intake work they are faster than you’d expect.
People who own them or have owned them love these cars, I was in a Wegmans parking lot and a guy pulled up to my c30 to tell me about how much he loved his! There is a great sense of community brought about by these.
Don’t forget if you really wanna go off the rails you can swap it to AWD with a nice liberal swapping of parts with an S40 or V50. Got my parts from a salvage auction in Davenport lol
@@danielfrancis7798 might as well do a k16 swap at that point lol drop another 8k on a 15 year old car
The 5 cylinder comes with a forged crank and decent rods . The front suspension falls apart ( next time you drive at 5 mph just stab the brakes a little...that clunk is you control arms trying to exit the subframe) , the a/c compressor fails all the time, the evap core and heater core explode, the CEM is the first thing to get wet when the sunroof leaks, the wheel bears fail, the front springs break and stab the front tires, the engine mounts fail and then ground out and make a horrible noise.....yeah great cars, love em. It's awesome when my customers get a quote for 7,000 dollars on their 5,000 dollar car. The same thing happened with the focus but since that was a cheap version of the c30 chassis the parts were also cheap....the chassis parts are made in the same place and fit both cars but the Volvo parts are more expensive? Other than those few things they are fun to a point. I know that more than 300 HP and 300 lbft in this chassis makes it pretty useless but if you like axle wrap and one wheel peels this is your tuner car.
@@robsorgdrager8477and like to understeer into every ditch. Weight distribution is awful. Thick rear sway bar is a must. Then it's ok with DSTC off.
The official car of "I want a Focus ST but I'm quirky ✨"
Ford in most of Europe has an image problem. It's like giving up when you buy a Ford. Volvo does not have this, it's still cool to an extent.
I want a Focus ST, but comfortable.
Kinky*
@@incremental_failure What? Fords are renowned for their "lotus-like" handling. I think most people in europe don't even give enough shits about cars to even know the difference between a C30 and a Focus.
@@theothertonydutch I suppose he was talking about the broader spectrum. People that are not that much into cars (me), really don't think anything special about Fords. Volvo, on the other hand, really has that sort of special reputation in general population. You don't see middle class driving Fords. You see polished Volvos instead. At least that's my perception.
I bought a 2011 rdesing manual and couldn't believe how smooth and quiet this car is. It's comfortable like a luxury car, but quick and fun to drive like a hatchback.
Dude, I've been watching your channel for what.. 9 years now? You are still cracking me up. Great video and review as always! Thanks.
I love that he showed you the "quick release" headlight, one of my favorite things to show my buddies
In an accident guess what's first to fly?...
Wait what I thought it was only for the facelift gen😭
My Buick century was two clips to take off the headlight!
Hey, so Im the owner of this car, and I just want to say: its SO GOOD
I love C30s for being such an underrated little hot hatch, I have one myself but not a T5 (2011 2.0D) unfortunately however still an incredibly fun car to drive.
The C30 to me is one of the best Volvos they ever made in the 2010s
You must not work on volvos .
I literally saw one of these on the road in front of me just the other day, and I had NO idea what I was looking at. I knew it was a Volvo (cuz I can read) but I've never seen one before. I just thought it really looked cool and unique, especially the way the hatch is designed.
@@robsorgdrager8477I do, they're fine. People are scared of them... But while they are more tightly packed and annoying than a Toyota or Honda, they are far from bad to work on.
@@ALittleBitOfGay oh God no, I can have one stripped into a pile of parts in a day. I rag on them because they never get serviced and the people that own them drive miss Daisy around. They are oblivious to horrible state of the safety equipment and when I give them a 8k estimate from simply shaking the thing down and the " my head lamp is foggy " main concern they start crying and accuse me of being a thief , until I bring them out to their " pride and joy " and point out the decades of neglect.
@@RyoHazuki224 I personally love the design. I would try to drop in a more built 5cyl and as much as I love the 6 speed id opt for a newer p3 t6 paddle shift trans. To be honest the 3.0 inline 6 cylinder turbo with the added polestar tune in the 12-13 s60's is the way to go. That car is deceptively fast and will catch a lot of people including the one driving , asleep.
Oh man this makes me miss my 09 pre-facelift with the m66. Unfortunately the owner before me had put the ecu on a tune (Elevate I believe) along with exhaust and headers that put 360+hp to the wheels without taking ANY of the necessary precautions to keep the T5 healthy. I reflashed the ecu to a mild tune soon as I got it, put in a whole new cooling system and babied that thing.. still ended up with a cracked block within a year of ownership. When running, it was the smoothest and sweetest vehicle I ever had the pleasure of owning, and sounded like a mini-Viper with the custom exhaust. Rip Effy you deserved better
The Elevate and ARD tunes are notoriously bad for these engines.
You threw away the car just because of q crack block? -.- Those blocks are next to nothing cheap in the junkyards
@@Eidrian111 No. I sold the car to someone who had the time, resources and funds to replace the engine; as I, (a 23 y/o student at the time w no garage) unfortunately, did not 🤷
@@TheChimbleySweep I wonder if it's still going around somewhere under the new owner!
“I want a focus ST but I don’t want everyone to assume I’m scum, or try to race me”
The c30 is the last truly interesting car Volvo made. Had one almost a decade ago and it was wonderful on the twisty country roads around here.
I like the same era manual C70 hardtop vert. And they can be had for as low as $5000
The pre doo-doo facelift SPA cars were fun
I think the new ones are gorgeous, and definitely still unique and swedish inside, but they've definitely lost that Volvo quirkiness.
I think Polestars (Pre-EV) are great too
@@fastboy177 I have heard questionable things about their reliability too though I'm not sure if that's just over blown. Some people think the new Volvos have "Chinese reliability"
Volvo T5. The sort of hot hatch you'd expect if you asked Volvo to design a hot hatch.
And that's not a bad thing.
They are the same as the 5 pot focus st over here in the UK. They are torque limited in 1st and 2nd to protect the gearbox
That’s only for the automatic transmission, it’s the same for the s60/v70
The gearbox is a unit m66 or m56 can easily take 1000hp+ I think the drive shafts on the p1 can break easily enough though
I have the 2.0l petrol C30 R-design. I had a smile on my face this entire review as clearly you "get it". The C30 (in the UK) is a car that was given 3/5 reviews almost across the board by reviewers at the time, and sure, its not the best at anything in particular, but as a package its actually rather nice. It does stuff well and I find myself appreciating it a lot, both to drive, but perhaps more importantly to live with.
The headlight reattachment b roll was so relatable. I always struggle to get it back in and seated and then proceed to attempt to reinstall the pin backwards
next time slide it in along the plane of the car, its feels weird but thats the best way ive found just inserting it straight from the front to the back
From a Volvo tech. Tilt it in, align a bit and slide it back into position. It works with every one of their pull out headlight assemblies.
Love the T5 engines. the sound they make is amazing. I own a 96 850 turbo and it sounds like a mini v10 with an exhaust system.
The C30 T5 was the first time I ever considered buying a Volvo. They're terrific cars.
Me too. Drove one new. Loved it. Wish I bought it...I think I was afraid of reliability.
I remember thinking the C30 was the coolest car and wanted one so badly. But finding one in manual, let alone an R-design was near impossible without traveling across the country.
It took me 8 months and four states away in the middle of a pandemic, and I’m glad I did it when I did b/c every one I see (in the emails I get) the price has gone up around $7000.
I dont have many things that help me get through the day , but, fortunately, this is one of them. Thank you for the content.
Mr. Regular, as someone who owns an S40 and who also tends to feel like an orbiter, I’m beyond impressed at your ability to liken this forgiving, joyful car to someone who may not be given the time of day for reasons which might seem arbitrary ❤
This is my dream car. This exact car, but in Volcano Orange, is my dream car. I remember playing real racing 2, and having that as a starter car. It fit in to the hot hatch craze, but remained unique to the point where it was a hot hatch for everyone. Absolutely timeless.
Volcano orange? I thought it was called orange flame metallic :)
I bought a 2011 V50 t5 because of the way the C30 performs. I wanted the extra space and although I could have lived without the turbo I’m super-happy with the thing!
I remember the C30 very well as the starter car in iRacing 2 in the early days of iOS game apps... (before they went F2P and laden with ads or paywalls to stay afloat). I still adore the weird hatchback shape Volvo went with this!
I have a 2013 regular, and it's just such a wonderful car. Easy to work on, parts are available, and when I've needed to take it into the dealer, it hasn't cost me a year's worth of earnings. On road trips I get like 34 miles a gallon and usually stop every 500 miles to fill up. If you're thinking about one of these, do it.
You forgot/missed this car as the winner of “cutest static taillights of all time”
I have one with the Polestar ECU tune. What a difference it makes to give this car 250hp. It really is quicker than you'd expect. Which is typical of many understated Volvos with the T5 engine.
Probably the nicest car ever made in it's most beautiful form
I’ve had my 2011 Volvo C30 T5 for 11 years now. It’s been insanely reliable. I need a bigger car but just can’t bring myself to sell it 😭😭
Oh Mr Regular.. Your humor always hits the spot :)💖
petition for him to start an only fans! ill be his manager
@@mikepalmieri4989 🤣💖
"the spot" huehuehuehuehue
@@NotTehJon 😜💖
I own a t5 c30 08’, Modded with 18psi and making 400 CHP.
When you mod them, they are devastating monsters and handle like an EG hatch with nearly 800lbs less weight. Plus, the community is unusually helpful and polite. MNIWT is a figurehead of the community with his AWD track spec custom.
I’m making about 300, what kind of mods did you end up doing?
This doesn't handle like a light Honda at all. 3000lbs front heavy af.
@@Isaki138 this is true, the doors alone are about 1000lbs each
@@Isaki138 Okay,by admittance, mine’s modified with polyurethane bushings all around, lowered, 1” rear sway bar, quaife LSD, and snabb strut tower bar.
With just the 1” bar, it’s back end wants to come around when cornering, it’s almost uncanny.
Having pop out headlights are soooo underrated. Imagine my frustration after changing her bulbs in her 2012 Focus in 5 minutes to having to disassemble part if my front end in my 2013 Fusion.
I love the look of this car , also when volvo went from square and rectangle boxes to curvy s40 s60 s80 they became absolutely gorgeous , and this odd ball hot hatch just brought that look to a whole new level , plus a manual transmission available in all models even there suvs are dope !!!
I have a 15 r design v60 in the same colour and always wanted one of these to match for around town. The v60's power is substantial and unexpected and I would imagine this much smaller car Could have the same said about it. Hard to imagine another car that can still maintain its stealth characteristics in such a bright colour but thats the Volvo way. Lovely little car. Looks amazing.
08 C30 T5 here. Pre facelift looked better. Sunroof reduces structural integrity. Mid model ranges had best wheel and tire options.
I agree my 08 got two tone color all the r design ground effects rear spoiler with no sunroof perfect spec....
Man I had a C30 (non-R) back when they were new. It was great. Will always remember that car fondly.
I’m so glad I got my c30 t5 6mt before this vid came out. It’s such a hidden gem
Hit the nail on the head with this one. I was a S60R owner who didn't want to keep up with the ever growing cost of ownership and strongly considered a C30. Ended up with a VW R32(MKV) after some test drives and don't regret my decision. The C30 is still a cool car in my eyes and gave US buyers a different option for a hot hatch. Great review!
"I got a Kyuss CD in here." Nice.
My friends mom in high school had one and I was so jealous. I always loved how it looked
For anybody owning a Volvo from the early 2010's I would highly recomend installing a GROM audio unit, for me it's been a literal lifesaver due to the integrated audio/aircon unit (plus it allows you to also take bluetooth calls next to streaming). They are however proper expensive, around the price of a really expensive headunit
I loved my manual t5 s40. Peppy enough to be fun but not fast enough to get you in trouble. Good mileage although 93 only was a bummer. It was a good car.
You know what... this is actually a brilliant little car. Probably the best daily driver I've ever had. The only drawback was that I had quite a bit of maintenance that needed to be done, though that could just be because the previous owner didn't take care of it very well.
Same. Ultimately I had to get rid of it, previous owners crashed it and didn't report, suspension was way too fubar to be worth fixing. It did well on gas especially if you could keep it at 65, stayed planted and maneuvers great. The I5 engine is awesome. If still available and needed a little car, I would be looking at a new one very closely. Sucks I had such a bad example.
I have had my 2011 C30 R-design for almost a year, and i love it. Got it for 15k with 68k miles on it. Ive taken it on a bunch of trips, and it's so comfortable and nice. The 5cyl sounds great with an exhaust too
My best argument for the C30:
I bought an 08 new, been (mainly) DD since.
Last week the turbo finally gave out.
The rock auto box will be here ~Friday.
I picked a volvo xc70 t6 recently. 300hp with NO compromises. Volvo is such a kickass brand. Comfort and speed.
Get it in Polestar blue, or that two-tone silver and bronze, and then we're cooking.
Pretty amazing that the headlight comes out like that *with* cornering light.
Another fine video in the long tradition of reviews that under NO CIRCUMSTANCES can you send to your "normal" friends
This was THE hot hatch I was about to upgrade to in the late teens. Glad to see you got a really nice example to show off
My dad absolutely loves his C30. It's not the R Design and has an automatic, but it is surprisingly fun to drive and solid.
You get around the audio with a grom and lc6i . Also the only volvos that leak are the ones with sunroofs. Not to worry because volvo refused to use weather pack connectors. Its ok because non of the can network goes along the main harness on the floor on either side. Dont worry because if the can network goes down then you wont start the car😏. The drain tubes dont rott as much as they get plugged with crud and then when you stop a few gallons of rain water dumps over the cassette channels and drains down the A pillar trim and filling the floor with nasty water that brews in the carpet making a very awesome tea of old spilt latte and ice melt and that dog vomit you stepped in two years ago.
I bought a hooptie c30 t5 R-Design for 3 grand and i absolutely love it even with the repairs i have had to perofrm on it.
whenever i see this car, i always think back to the designer of the rear tail lights who did a 'just engaged'-style photoshoot with the tail lights after manufacture had begun.
I got a 2010 C30 T5 that replaced my 2007 Ford Focus SE and it's funny how many parts it shares with the Focus. The suspension, some of the engine mounts, the coolent tank and I'm sure some more, but boy is it a night and day difference compared to the Focus I had especially in terms of cabin noise and how well put together it is. I love driving it, it's fast enough to be fun and very comfortable for road trips and daily driving.
IIRC the gas tank has a huge Ford logo molded into it.
@@KXKKX That's hilarious, but it does make it easier and I guess cheaper to find parts for the car 10 years later
@KXKKX it does indeed.
first time i’ve been this early and i’ve been watching for years
5:30 Did I hear Kyuss? Dude got some good taste in music!
Was just about to make that comment.
I have the sedan version of this, a Scosche mount and the bluetooth dongle from Tunai completely solves the radio/hvac inconvenience. That 5 cylinder turbo is the love of my life!
VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO VOLVO
When I saw the thumbnail I realized I had completely forgotten about the C30.
Love the easy removal of the headlights. Like the SN95 easy
The pegs for it are forbidden tent stakes.
A 2012 C30 was my first car, it's a focus mk.2 underneath so it's cheap to keep on the road too. I sold mine for a Peugeot that's more powerful and almost 200kg lighter (the C30 is much heavier than it looks), but I do miss it regularly.
I’ve had a 2008 R Design Orinoco Blue for 9 years now. The design just doesn’t age.
The Volvo C30 is exactly how he described. It’s the mature luxury sports hatch that didn’t exist.
Hey @RegularCars it's not the RS, it's the ST. The RS has a very different suspension setup, whereas the ST and the T5 are identical. I heard you mention "can the RS hold it" at the start when talking at the start. Yes it can. It really can. You can easily mod these T5s to get RS numbers. But you can't put the power down in the same way as it doesn't have the suspension geometry - aka the "RevoKnuckle".
The only "new" Volvo I'd consider owning. Such a clean design! Small car energy, but with practical trunk space.
No V60 Polestar?!
@@navykeef Hmmm okay that one's neat too! But I don't like that Polestar blue. Red's better.
@@YouHaveReachedBob I had one in black, loved it, and regret selling it!
Finally! I had sent an email so you'd review mine but this one is so much better!
I had a friend with one of these when they were new and I loved it back then. Today I ordered the updated Polestar 2 and I can see its design roots here.
I own a 2009 c30 t5 manual and it is definitely the coolest thing I've ever owned. First time I ever saw one of these I wanted one and I drove 2 hours away just to get one myself. I am so glad that I bought this car as I hope to have it for a long time.
Will car journalists just stop complaining about the lack of Bluetooth and/or satellite radio in older cars? They always seem SO surprised when the feature is absent.
These cars are so cool. The R-Design versions do look particularly sharp.
I had a first gen S40, that was just kinda an unassuming silver sedan. An Audi A4 made in Sweden. I got it in high school, ran it to the ground, and it would not die. Then I got a second gen S40 T5 manual, and fell in love with that 5 cylinder note. When a few costly repairs were creeping up, at 200k miles mind you, I traded it in for an 8 year newer cousin - the Mazdaspeed 3. It's cup holder's also get in the way of my shifting, even more so than the Volvo's, and it's been a maintenance nightmare. They may be related, but they are on complete different levels of craftsmanship. Now I'm eyeing a C30, non-upgradeable stereo be damned.
I had one of these, sold it at 175,000 miles. Reliable little beast. It conquered hills in 6th. Torquey little beast.
I've hit this point too.
I still ride my motorcycle on weekends, but I look for comfort and ease of use in a car.
Also, Scott Adkins goddamned rules.
I've owned two Polestar Optimized 6MT C30 T5's and while they looked great, sounded great (with a decent muffler), and were decently quick; the main letdown for me was the open diff. It just never made sense to me to have nearly 300lb/ft with the P* tune to only one of the front wheels at any point. Likewise, the steering was real soft with little to no feel to it. That's not too much of an issue compared to modern cars having more or less the same issue in varying degrees, but in a small and quick package like the C30, it kills a lot of the driver engagement for me. Other than that, it was really great, but after driving modern GTI's and an R53 Mini, the C30 feel's to me like you're using a beautifully crafted butter knife to cut through a steak while everyone else has Japanese steel knives. Sure, you're looks nice and all, but they're all just doing it better.
"Uhh...I gotta Kyuss CD in here"
Hell yeah brother
I think I'm about 1 year older than Mr. Regular and I thought this car was cool as hell when it came out. I had a Mazda 3 at the the time that I loved, but this Volvo was like a more classy GTI. It's like the 318ti or C230 Kompressor.... a hot FANCY hatch.
Yes! I’ve been wanting one of these for the longest time. So happy to see it in this channel
Got it
I'm convinced that the off-the-rails erotic stuff is just Mr Regular recalling the zesty stuff he's done and I love hearing about it cause it means he's having fun out there.
I’ve owned one for 4 years now so I’m happy you guys are finally doing one
Nick doesn't need this.
I need this.
They are indeed torque limited in first gear. I believe all P2 and P1 models are. I like the styling, no mention of the P1800es rear end styling? I digress, I like my P2 V70R and would love to own one of these one day when I tire of practicality. Great video!
P2 turbo autos are torque limited, but the manuals are not. I assume P1s are the same? But I'm not sure.
P1800ES and the 480 :)
The headlights in my 2000
Olds intrigue we're like that also 2001 Buick century is the same.
Hood up little clip boom headlights out.
All those POPPERS got his hands shaking during the Groove Life sponsor spot.
I get more Mazda 3 vibes than Ford Focus vibes from this little rocket.
Now that you mention it, RCR should review a base mazda 3 from the mid 00s. They've only done performance models, although the US didn't get the true base model with the 1.4l engine
The mazda 3, focus and c30 of this time were basically the same car. Same platform and share many of thr under bits; suspension, etc
@@ileutur6863 I submitted my 2004 mazda 3 a while ago and didn't hear back because I thought it'd be neat to compare to my 2023 mazda 3 as well. Same car almost 20 years apart
it's literally a euro mkii Focus ST right down to the turbo inline 5 under the hood. They look remarkably similar from the front and esp side profile. But of course the Mazda 3 shares the same chassis I'd just argue this looks way more like the ST than any Mazda.
I've wanted one of these in bright screw your eyes yellow ever since I first discovered them in 2010 via Gran Turismo 5. A hatchback with one of Volvo's rare turbocharged inline fives and design heritage descended from the P1800 Estate is so wonderful. It's just a shame we never got an AWD version of these like the S40 had. I have no delusions about this being an Impreza WRX hatch fighter, just something that would be fun in the rain on mountain roads.
It's a shame this is the facelifted model, though. It always looked to me like someone used a cage warp tool on the front end when compared to the original front.
I had one from new (2008) for 11 years. I put 165000 miles on it and loved it. Still miss it. It was a super comfy car. It never grew old on me. Still miss it.
My dad had a '72 1800ES in the garage when i was a kid in the '80s. I always thought it was gorgeous. Gave me an early appreciation for goofy hatchbacks. The C30 was a cool little car.
I loved these cars until Edward drove one. That ruined it for me, just like how I used to enjoy visiting Forks. Still a neat car, especially an R-design manual, despite being the choice of sparkly vampires.
My wife had a T5 6MT AWD V50 wagon.
Love to know how many they made.
Bought it by accident when looking for a Subaru.
Didn’t regret it.
This was one of the choices when I was looking for manual hot hatches a few years back, I bought almost the opposite of it and my back forever aches. I miss Volvo seats, they are fantastic.
I've had to replace just about everything on my 08' c30 t5 R-Design, and my motor just said goodbye, but I absolutely love the car.
The bushings don't like the 3000lbs. Makes it so expensive to own now after over a decade .
My dad has an S40 R of similar vintage. To me it is the perfect mix of clean styling, good performance, and comfort. And although they're hit or miss on this, as far as I know his has been incredibly reliable
One of volvos best kept secrets ,also yes all m66 transmission limit boost/ torque in first gear , wife's currently working on an non R c30 as her first build
I bought one of these because of this review.
Thank you, Mr. Regular!