Category: Small Family 
Price Range: £14,995 to £21,785
Stylish hatchback with good ride/handling and a fine new dual-clutch gearbox.
Small glovebox, sliding electric front seats for rear access are slow and have no memory, expensive when optioned up.
Volvo's latest automatic 'box is a good fit in the C30 and can hold its head high among competitor dual-clutch transmissions.
The Volvo C30 has been a good addition to the Swedish company's model range. It's the company's first two-door compact car since production of the 480ES stopped in 1995 and the car's design cues are also intended to evoke the estate version of the iconic P1800, the 1800ES, from the early 70s.
Aimed by Volvo at younger car buyers, the C30 is a premium hatchback to take the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series head on, bringing a sense of Scandinavian flair to the Teutonic-dominated market.
All in all, it's a good stab at establishing Volvo in a new segment and with a younger demographic. And now there's a dual-clutch automatic version to shore up the range.
The Powershift is mated to just one engine in the C30 range, the 2.0-litre diesel unit that produces 134bhp and 236lb-ft of torque. But can it meet the standards of the likes of the VW Group's DSG 'box and allow Volvo to take on the German giants?
Latest Readers' Drives About the Volvo C30
wrote on 23 07 2007