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In ways that are both favorable and unfavorable, the Volvo C30 hatchback is no Volkswagen GTI. Favorable? Well, it wears a more striking design, certainly when gazing at the P1800ES-inspired rear end and its oversized taillamps and glass hatch. Come up behind a C30 at a stoplight and it's reactive to say, "Wow, what a cool-looking car." Tail a GTI and the response is more lukewarm -- "Oh, it's that VW hatchback." Further, when a C30 dons the $2825 R-Design package (as did our tester), which adds 18-inch alloys, roof spoiler, body kit, and sportier front grille, it's arguably the sexiest hatch on the market. Even inside, the little Volvo, with its unique floating center stack and R-Design sport pedals and steering wheel, two-tone leather/Flextech seats, and decorative metallic inlays, is an aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing place to conduct the business of driving -- kind of like rolling along in an IKEA showroom.
And unfavorable? For starters, the C30, which is built at Volvo's Ghent, Belgium, factory, is more expensive than the GTI -- about $700 with a manual (in $24,625 T5 trim) and around $850 with an automatic. For an R-Design, add almost three grand more - and it delivers inferior fuel economy (19-20/28 mpg city/highway versus 21-22/29-31). More important, it's not the driver's car the GTI is. Whereas the VW is engaging from the moment you turn a wheel, the Volvo is more numbing, as if it runs on Aquavit rather than premium unleaded. As a result, the responses through the steering wheel and the pedals are more dulled than in the GTI, making it less tactilely gratifying.
t's also less gratifying at the dragstrip, but by no means a dud. Our 3243-pound test car, which came with the optional $1250 Geartronic five-speed automatic, accelerates from 0 to 60 in 6.6 seconds and through the quarter mile in 15.1 at 93.1 mph. Respectable times, for sure, but noticeably slower than those of the automatic-equipped GTI, which accomplishes them in 6.0 flat and 14.6 at 94.9. Granted, the VW's automatic is of the smooth, ultrafast dual-clutch sort while the Volvo's is a garden-variety torque-converter unit (sans shift paddles, too, unlike the VW), but that's not the GTI's problem. The Vee-Dub's DSG is simply sportier and, well, better than the Volvo's Geartronic. Ditto for the C30's 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-5 versus the VW's 2.0-liter turbo four -- the Volvo's is robust (227 horsepower, 236 pound-feet), but seems coarse and unrefined compared with the GTI's silkier and racier mill, which puts out 200 horses and 207 pound-feet.
If it were our dough and we were at the Volvo dealer, we'd opt for a C30 with the standard six-speed manual, partly because it would save us a lot of money but mostly because it's the only C30 gearbox really able to induce enthusiasm from an enthusiast. In our book, that's the point of this atypical Volvo -- to impart a sense of danger from a brand offering otherwise safe products. Further, the C30 with the manual is noticeably quicker than the auto car, nabbing 60 in 6.3 and the quarter mile in 14.8 at 95.0.
s we mentioned before, from behind the wheel, the C30 lacks the fingertip finesse of the GTI. Nevertheless, the Volvo puts up handling and braking numbers that generally outshine those of the VW. Around the skidpad, for instance, the C30, wearing meaty 215/45R18 Pirelli PZero Rosso tires, hangs on for 0.89 g of maximum lateral grip (compared with 0.87 g for the GTI) and halts from 60 to 0 in just 112 feet (113 for the VW). Figure-eight times are essentially a wash -- 26.7 seconds at 0.66 g for the Volvo, 26.6 at 0.66 for the GTI -- but are proof that the C30 wouldn't have much trouble hanging with a GTI along a curvy mountain pass. It's just that the C30 driver wouldn't be sporting as big a smile at the end of the road.
That said, the GTI pilot wouldn't be grinning from ear to ear every time he gazed at the VW's generic sheetmetal. So with the C30, the question is: Do you value style over substance? If yes, then the Belgium-built beauty will turn your garage into a showcase. If no, however, your garage will yearn for that winner from Wolfsburg.
<table class="insettxt" border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr class="hdr"><td colspan="2" align="center">2009 Volvo C30 R-Design </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> Base price </td><td> $26,775 </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> Price as tested </td><td> $30,295 </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> Vehicle layout </td><td> Front-engine, FWD, 4-pass, 2-door hatchback </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> Engine </td><td> 2.5L/227-hp/236-lb-ft turbocharged DOHC 20-valve I-5 </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> Transmission </td><td> 5-speed automatic </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> Curb weight (f/r dist) </td><td> 3243 lb (62/38%) </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> Wheelbase </td><td> 103.9 in </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> Length x width x height </td><td> 167.4 x 70.2 x 57.0 in </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> 0-60 mph </td><td> 6.6 sec </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> Quarter mile </td><td> 15.1 sec @ 93.1 mph </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> Braking, 60-0 mph </td><td> 112 ft </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> Lateral acceleration </td><td> 0.89 g (avg) </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> MT Figure Eight </td><td> 26.7 sec @ 0.66 g (avg) </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> EPA city/hwy fuel econ </td><td> 19 / 28 mpg </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> CO2 emissions </td><td> 0.87 lb/mile </td></tr></tbody></table>
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In ways that are both favorable and unfavorable, the Volvo C30 hatchback is no Volkswagen GTI. Favorable? Well, it wears a more striking design, certainly when gazing at the P1800ES-inspired rear end and its oversized taillamps and glass hatch. Come up behind a C30 at a stoplight and it's reactive to say, "Wow, what a cool-looking car." Tail a GTI and the response is more lukewarm -- "Oh, it's that VW hatchback." Further, when a C30 dons the $2825 R-Design package (as did our tester), which adds 18-inch alloys, roof spoiler, body kit, and sportier front grille, it's arguably the sexiest hatch on the market. Even inside, the little Volvo, with its unique floating center stack and R-Design sport pedals and steering wheel, two-tone leather/Flextech seats, and decorative metallic inlays, is an aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing place to conduct the business of driving -- kind of like rolling along in an IKEA showroom.
And unfavorable? For starters, the C30, which is built at Volvo's Ghent, Belgium, factory, is more expensive than the GTI -- about $700 with a manual (in $24,625 T5 trim) and around $850 with an automatic. For an R-Design, add almost three grand more - and it delivers inferior fuel economy (19-20/28 mpg city/highway versus 21-22/29-31). More important, it's not the driver's car the GTI is. Whereas the VW is engaging from the moment you turn a wheel, the Volvo is more numbing, as if it runs on Aquavit rather than premium unleaded. As a result, the responses through the steering wheel and the pedals are more dulled than in the GTI, making it less tactilely gratifying.
t's also less gratifying at the dragstrip, but by no means a dud. Our 3243-pound test car, which came with the optional $1250 Geartronic five-speed automatic, accelerates from 0 to 60 in 6.6 seconds and through the quarter mile in 15.1 at 93.1 mph. Respectable times, for sure, but noticeably slower than those of the automatic-equipped GTI, which accomplishes them in 6.0 flat and 14.6 at 94.9. Granted, the VW's automatic is of the smooth, ultrafast dual-clutch sort while the Volvo's is a garden-variety torque-converter unit (sans shift paddles, too, unlike the VW), but that's not the GTI's problem. The Vee-Dub's DSG is simply sportier and, well, better than the Volvo's Geartronic. Ditto for the C30's 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-5 versus the VW's 2.0-liter turbo four -- the Volvo's is robust (227 horsepower, 236 pound-feet), but seems coarse and unrefined compared with the GTI's silkier and racier mill, which puts out 200 horses and 207 pound-feet.
If it were our dough and we were at the Volvo dealer, we'd opt for a C30 with the standard six-speed manual, partly because it would save us a lot of money but mostly because it's the only C30 gearbox really able to induce enthusiasm from an enthusiast. In our book, that's the point of this atypical Volvo -- to impart a sense of danger from a brand offering otherwise safe products. Further, the C30 with the manual is noticeably quicker than the auto car, nabbing 60 in 6.3 and the quarter mile in 14.8 at 95.0.
s we mentioned before, from behind the wheel, the C30 lacks the fingertip finesse of the GTI. Nevertheless, the Volvo puts up handling and braking numbers that generally outshine those of the VW. Around the skidpad, for instance, the C30, wearing meaty 215/45R18 Pirelli PZero Rosso tires, hangs on for 0.89 g of maximum lateral grip (compared with 0.87 g for the GTI) and halts from 60 to 0 in just 112 feet (113 for the VW). Figure-eight times are essentially a wash -- 26.7 seconds at 0.66 g for the Volvo, 26.6 at 0.66 for the GTI -- but are proof that the C30 wouldn't have much trouble hanging with a GTI along a curvy mountain pass. It's just that the C30 driver wouldn't be sporting as big a smile at the end of the road.
That said, the GTI pilot wouldn't be grinning from ear to ear every time he gazed at the VW's generic sheetmetal. So with the C30, the question is: Do you value style over substance? If yes, then the Belgium-built beauty will turn your garage into a showcase. If no, however, your garage will yearn for that winner from Wolfsburg.
<table class="insettxt" border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr class="hdr"><td colspan="2" align="center">2009 Volvo C30 R-Design </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> Base price </td><td> $26,775 </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> Price as tested </td><td> $30,295 </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> Vehicle layout </td><td> Front-engine, FWD, 4-pass, 2-door hatchback </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> Engine </td><td> 2.5L/227-hp/236-lb-ft turbocharged DOHC 20-valve I-5 </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> Transmission </td><td> 5-speed automatic </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> Curb weight (f/r dist) </td><td> 3243 lb (62/38%) </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> Wheelbase </td><td> 103.9 in </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> Length x width x height </td><td> 167.4 x 70.2 x 57.0 in </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> 0-60 mph </td><td> 6.6 sec </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> Quarter mile </td><td> 15.1 sec @ 93.1 mph </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> Braking, 60-0 mph </td><td> 112 ft </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> Lateral acceleration </td><td> 0.89 g (avg) </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> MT Figure Eight </td><td> 26.7 sec @ 0.66 g (avg) </td></tr><tr class="hdr3"><td> EPA city/hwy fuel econ </td><td> 19 / 28 mpg </td></tr><tr class="hdr2"><td> CO2 emissions </td><td> 0.87 lb/mile </td></tr></tbody></table>
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