Fun fact! These were sold as the Ford Focus RS and ST in Europe. Lots of people think we didn’t get that RS but we did secretly 😉 there are a few changes but they’re very similar.
@@batelmo2779 If by “heavily modified” you mean they swapped out the K24 turbo for a smaller K04 turbo, then yes. The internals, engine layout, and pretty much everything else is exactly the same, so much so that there are K24 kits sold for the C30 T5’s that put it around Focus RS500 power levels.
@@jennydonne8946not based on the mk2 focus, it’s built on fords c1 chassis same as the Mazda 3 and V40 and all other P1 Volvos. All exterior and interior is volvo the suspension geometry is the only thing the share in design
I’ve got to correct you on the little guy for the climate controls since I’ve seen it pop up in a few different reviews. That was actually something started by Volvo in the late 90s with the P2 generation cars (starting with the S80)! Ford took that from the P2’s and used it across its own platforms after buying Volvo out. You’ll find a lot of Volvo engineering across Ford products at the time as Volvo’s technology/engineering was a large part of the reason Ford bought them in the first place!
Awesome review Zack! Thanks for stepping out of the box and giving this car some love! I’ve owned one of these for 5 years with a 6 Speed, R-Design package, and almost 200k Miles and I love it! I’ve got some videos of it on my channel if anyone is interested to learn more!
I've been driving a C30 for about a year now, and I'd like to add a couple of key points: 1) When Ford had a controlling stake in Volvo, they noticed that all Volvos were luxury cars, and set out to make an entry level Volvo. The idea being, that this would be your first new car, after you graduated from college, and got your first, 'real' job. Hence it's styled to look like it's going 200 miles an hour, even when it's standing still, to appeal to people who are young, smart, and upwardly mobile. Two doors, because it's mostly just you, hot-hatching on the daily commute, and occasionally taking a road trip with your significant other. And back seats so you can give your friends a ride home from the bar now and then. And once yur relationship and career progressed a little, and you needed a bigger car, well you already know the friendly folks at the Volvo dealership, so maybe you'' make your next car a Volvo too. A real Volvo this time. See, Ford wanted it to compete with the Volkswagen GTI, be another option if you're considering a hot hatch, and to that end they tried everything to keep the cost down, including sharing platform with the Focus, and that plastic-y interior. (they didn't manage it BTW -- the GTI outsold it by far). Shoot, I'm writing the script for my own video here. 2) the 5-cylinder engine isn't just 20% more power; five, four-stroke cylinders means there's overlap in the power strokes, so the power is magic-carpet-ride smooth. That's the first thing I noticed about the C30. Whoosh! It's like being whisked away to your destination. You're right, it's a quirky, exceptional car, with a tasty array of luxury features, like the heated seats. Volvo and Ford must have debated at length what to include and not include, and they came up with a pretty reasonable set. But sadly still too costly for the target market they were hoping to reach. Oh and 3) the +/- on the 5-speed automatic transmission is the best implementation I've tried. Use it all the time. If you're still reading...you own a C30. :P
These things boogie. Lots of low end power, and they getup and go. My only ONLY complaint is that they are a touch on the stiff side in handling, which is great and sporty, but on the potholes of NYC can be a bit of a headache. These are sport-tuned hatchbacks and they totally act like it. Absolutely slept-on by those who are seeking a quick, brisk, mid-performance hatch.
I was driving a modded FRS before getting a C30 daily and I wish it was stiffer and more direct lol. It's comfy, but feels a bit lumbering. Still like it a lot, though
These are underrated cars, though Volvos aren't known for long-term reliability. I'm impressed that this car has so few miles. I always thought it funny how European cars put a full phone keypad in the radio controls. The glass hatch was a callback to the P1800 shooting brake.
If I had to pick any atrribute that describes a Volvo between 1990 and 2010, it would be long term reliability. You rarely find any used V70s unter 200000 kilometers for example
My 07 Volvo s60 went to 227k miles... it was a fantastic first car and I had it for 5 years. Only had to do basic maintenance. Super reliable in my experience.
I have a 2012 C30 T5 - great review! However I did want to point out that the "tiniest little cubby in the world" (4:17) is actually a placeholder for cars not optioned with BLIS as that's normally where the button goes. Additionally, the interior materials hold up pretty well over regular use and hardly creak despite being plastic-y. However, my headliner failed recently, and I would honestly make that out to be the only exception.
being European it was funny when you called the saturn astra "weird" because they were sold as the Opel astra here and were quite popular (Vauxhall if you're British)
fun fact: the C30 was the "car designed for women" from volvo, they wanted to make a car to appeal to women, easy to park, great visibility , easy to drive and cheap to fix, so they went and used the P1 platform(C30,S40,V50,C70), they shared most parts, the front ends being basically identical, also this platform is also the MK 2 ford focus (well, volvo did some magic to make it their own, mostly safer)
I have a 2009 r-design 6speed with black leather and it's in galactic white/Java mix in color. I need to submit it for review more that they're becoming popular.....the 6 speed makes this car transform into a whole other level; also being PRE-facelift, it looks so much more "hot hatch" ❤ ❤ I'm at 95 thousand with an immaculate interior. I'd also like to report it does a ridiculous top-speed of 132+ mph I'm not sure how much more it had in it, maybe another 8-10 mph as it was still pulling. The Porsche rs owner I was behind found it hilarious as I have the prancing moose fender decals mocking the super great companies as did his. This is an iconic little car more people are warming up to
If someone wanted a Volvo hatchback with four doors from the era, there was the V60 (previously the V50). However, that looked more like a wagon than a hatchback.
the V50 is the wagon version of the S40, and the C30 is the hatch of this platform, there is also the C70, a coupe/ convertible , they all share the P1 platform, they are basically the same car
I used to own 2008 with a 6 speed. A fun car I eventually traded and picked up a 2013 Mazda Mazdaspeed3. Each very different but fun in their own rights.
I brought the pre-facelift model from 2009 as a brand new car then. It´s great to look at, nice sound, nice powerful engine and so on. But it was and still is very very very very very often in the garage because of some minor or major problems from the beginning until now unfortunately... great car, but i wouldn´t recommend it any more :-(
Volvo designs their cars themselves, I believe. Ford just gave them platforms and funding for the cars. For example, this platform was used by the MK2 Ford Focus in Europe, and the RS even got this 5 cylinder engine.
It has 5 spark plugs and 5 pistons on a crankshaft that has 5 connecting rods that align in 5 cylinders in a row…. Pretty sure the Volvo 2.5 5 cylinder is in fact, still a 5 cylinder.
@@doodleboodle4233 no shit sherlock. When referring to an engine as inline means that it is mounted in the engine bay from front to back. This engine is mounted transverse as i previously stated. By saying that it is an i line 5 is misleading to ppl who don’t know anything about cars like yourself. But thank you for your input.
Fun fact! These were sold as the Ford Focus RS and ST in Europe. Lots of people think we didn’t get that RS but we did secretly 😉 there are a few changes but they’re very similar.
The engine in the RS was heavily modified. This is equivalent of the ST
@@batelmo2779 yup
@@batelmo2779 If by “heavily modified” you mean they swapped out the K24 turbo for a smaller K04 turbo, then yes. The internals, engine layout, and pretty much everything else is exactly the same, so much so that there are K24 kits sold for the C30 T5’s that put it around Focus RS500 power levels.
The Volvo c30 is based on the European Ford Focus mk2
@@jennydonne8946not based on the mk2 focus, it’s built on fords c1 chassis same as the Mazda 3 and V40 and all other P1 Volvos. All exterior and interior is volvo the suspension geometry is the only thing the share in design
I’ve got to correct you on the little guy for the climate controls since I’ve seen it pop up in a few different reviews. That was actually something started by Volvo in the late 90s with the P2 generation cars (starting with the S80)! Ford took that from the P2’s and used it across its own platforms after buying Volvo out. You’ll find a lot of Volvo engineering across Ford products at the time as Volvo’s technology/engineering was a large part of the reason Ford bought them in the first place!
Don’t forget Hyundai, in their late 2010’s cars.
The C30 is so much like a 2010 S40, it is insane! I love the styling!
It's the same chassis as an s40 and also c70 convertible
Awesome review Zack! Thanks for stepping out of the box and giving this car some love!
I’ve owned one of these for 5 years with a 6 Speed, R-Design package, and almost 200k Miles and I love it!
I’ve got some videos of it on my channel if anyone is interested to learn more!
Drove one of these a few years ago, one of my favorite Volvos
I've been driving a C30 for about a year now, and I'd like to add a couple of key points: 1) When Ford had a controlling stake in Volvo, they noticed that all Volvos were luxury cars, and set out to make an entry level Volvo. The idea being, that this would be your first new car, after you graduated from college, and got your first, 'real' job. Hence it's styled to look like it's going 200 miles an hour, even when it's standing still, to appeal to people who are young, smart, and upwardly mobile. Two doors, because it's mostly just you, hot-hatching on the daily commute, and occasionally taking a road trip with your significant other. And back seats so you can give your friends a ride home from the bar now and then. And once yur relationship and career progressed a little, and you needed a bigger car, well you already know the friendly folks at the Volvo dealership, so maybe you'' make your next car a Volvo too. A real Volvo this time. See, Ford wanted it to compete with the Volkswagen GTI, be another option if you're considering a hot hatch, and to that end they tried everything to keep the cost down, including sharing platform with the Focus, and that plastic-y interior. (they didn't manage it BTW -- the GTI outsold it by far). Shoot, I'm writing the script for my own video here. 2) the 5-cylinder engine isn't just 20% more power; five, four-stroke cylinders means there's overlap in the power strokes, so the power is magic-carpet-ride smooth. That's the first thing I noticed about the C30. Whoosh! It's like being whisked away to your destination. You're right, it's a quirky, exceptional car, with a tasty array of luxury features, like the heated seats. Volvo and Ford must have debated at length what to include and not include, and they came up with a pretty reasonable set. But sadly still too costly for the target market they were hoping to reach. Oh and 3) the +/- on the 5-speed automatic transmission is the best implementation I've tried. Use it all the time. If you're still reading...you own a C30. :P
These things boogie. Lots of low end power, and they getup and go. My only ONLY complaint is that they are a touch on the stiff side in handling, which is great and sporty, but on the potholes of NYC can be a bit of a headache. These are sport-tuned hatchbacks and they totally act like it. Absolutely slept-on by those who are seeking a quick, brisk, mid-performance hatch.
I was driving a modded FRS before getting a C30 daily and I wish it was stiffer and more direct lol. It's comfy, but feels a bit lumbering. Still like it a lot, though
These are underrated cars, though Volvos aren't known for long-term reliability. I'm impressed that this car has so few miles. I always thought it funny how European cars put a full phone keypad in the radio controls. The glass hatch was a callback to the P1800 shooting brake.
If I had to pick any atrribute that describes a Volvo between 1990 and 2010, it would be long term reliability.
You rarely find any used V70s unter 200000 kilometers for example
My 07 Volvo s60 went to 227k miles... it was a fantastic first car and I had it for 5 years. Only had to do basic maintenance. Super reliable in my experience.
I have a 2012 C30 T5 - great review! However I did want to point out that the "tiniest little cubby in the world" (4:17) is actually a placeholder for cars not optioned with BLIS as that's normally where the button goes.
Additionally, the interior materials hold up pretty well over regular use and hardly creak despite being plastic-y. However, my headliner failed recently, and I would honestly make that out to be the only exception.
I got lucky with mine, bought it in August and it had 87k miles and the interior is pristine with the leather seats
I have a 2011 silver base model with 85k miles i love it!
being European it was funny when you called the saturn astra "weird" because they were sold as the Opel astra here and were quite popular (Vauxhall if you're British)
fun fact: the C30 was the "car designed for women" from volvo, they wanted to make a car to appeal to women, easy to park, great visibility , easy to drive and cheap to fix, so they went and used the P1 platform(C30,S40,V50,C70), they shared most parts, the front ends being basically identical, also this platform is also the MK 2 ford focus (well, volvo did some magic to make it their own, mostly safer)
The little cubby by the bottle holder is for change!!! Just bought this car-6 speed manual transmission!
I love my 2012 C30. Mine's the base model automatic but it's really nice! I wish it was stick but they are far and few here in NY.
I'd love to see more Volvos on your channel! Especially S60's and S60R's! Great video always love your reviews :)
I have a 2009 r-design 6speed with black leather and it's in galactic white/Java mix in color. I need to submit it for review more that they're becoming popular.....the 6 speed makes this car transform into a whole other level; also being PRE-facelift, it looks so much more "hot hatch"
❤ ❤ I'm at 95 thousand with an immaculate interior.
I'd also like to report it does a ridiculous top-speed of 132+ mph I'm not sure how much more it had in it, maybe another 8-10 mph as it was still pulling.
The Porsche rs owner I was behind found it hilarious as I have the prancing moose fender decals mocking the super great companies as did his.
This is an iconic little car more people are warming up to
this and the previous generation v60 cross-country are my favourite volvos in terms of looks. i want one so bad.
Love the 6 speed. Really fun. Little tiger.
If someone wanted a Volvo hatchback with four doors from the era, there was the V60 (previously the V50). However, that looked more like a wagon than a hatchback.
the V50 is the wagon version of the S40, and the C30 is the hatch of this platform, there is also the C70, a coupe/ convertible , they all share the P1 platform, they are basically the same car
I think it like a shooting brake
I used to own 2008 with a 6 speed. A fun car I eventually traded and picked up a 2013 Mazda Mazdaspeed3. Each very different but fun in their own rights.
I appreciate the correct typing of the model name.
The perfect car for a sparkly vampire
Agreed. We like to stay unnoticed.
Love the unusual style of it!😍😍
A bit too heavy, isn't it?
I believe it shares the underpinnings with Ford Focus and Mazda 3.
I've always loved these cars. I almost bought one a couple of years ago.
I’ve been eyeballin an r version for a while
I have a 2008 C30 and I love it and same about the back seats hella comfy😂👌🏽
Starting to think Volvos are the best of the best.
Twilight Saga anyone?
How about the Veloster? It's pretty much a 2 door personal hatch from the driver's pov
drip drip goes the water ....
1:18 looks like its misfiring hard
Would you rather drive this or a Giulia? Own this or a Giulia?
Giulia because it's newer I personally love the C-30 r-desing
Came very close to buying one, was turned off after learning it was front wheel drive.
It’s not a bmw
Ford uses cheap plastics to reduce costs. GM and Chrysler also do this. As a result these plastics don't look very nice and can scratch easily
I guess you forgot about Mini 3 door..
No es una carcel,es un campo de exterminio,son cosas muy distintas.
Wonder if the owner drinks blood
i don't.. normally.
Swedish Meatballs...LMAO, Sweet, I love these cars...Got mine last year...It's fantastic. 😁😁
I brought the pre-facelift model from 2009 as a brand new car then. It´s great to look at, nice sound, nice powerful engine and so on. But it was and still is very very very very very often in the garage because of some minor or major problems from the beginning until now unfortunately... great car, but i wouldn´t recommend it any more :-(
Anything easily fixable?
wait these came with cloth seats :D
it's a cloth / neoprene kind of fabric and leather was the other option.
Vampire car
Sound dropped off
That’s all Ford design
Volvo designs their cars themselves, I believe. Ford just gave them platforms and funding for the cars. For example, this platform was used by the MK2 Ford Focus in Europe, and the RS even got this 5 cylinder engine.
Eh… not an inline 5. Transverse mounted engine, otherwise all FWD 4cyl engines would be referred to as inline 4. Other than that great video.
It has 5 spark plugs and 5 pistons on a crankshaft that has 5 connecting rods that align in 5 cylinders in a row…. Pretty sure the Volvo 2.5 5 cylinder is in fact, still a 5 cylinder.
@@doodleboodle4233 no shit sherlock. When referring to an engine as inline means that it is mounted in the engine bay from front to back. This engine is mounted transverse as i previously stated. By saying that it is an i line 5 is misleading to ppl who don’t know anything about cars like yourself. But thank you for your input.
too bad my market only gets this car w/ 2.0litre L4 naturly asprate ford engine +6DCT, this drivetrain is absolute trash.
Shooting this car with the auto tranny is a total waste of a video! 👎👎👎 M66 or nothing!