I have had many requests from followers and clients over the years to put my opinions of new model Volvo cars in writing.
Bearing in mind that I am not a journalist but a fan of quality European cars, any reports I may put on this website won’t include such comments as “Volvo drivers wear hats” and “the 740 model would be a good looking car if they took it out of the box”. And many more which were not funny originally and are even less funny now. They were also very boring, so having got that off my chest, I will start my road tests with a report on one of Volvo’s newest models.
A few weeks ago I collected a C30 from my friendly Volvo dealer, Annlyn Motors of Penrith – http://www.annlynmotors.com.au/showroom.jsp – and with the promise of fine weather this weekend I decided to head for the historic township of Morpeth in the Hunter Valley for a road test. I filled the tank with United E10-95 Octane fuel, which I noted was some 8 cents a Litre cheaper than the Shell 95 across the road, my wife and I and our Jack Russell settled in for what proved to be a most enjoyable drive.
The C30 model chosen for this test was the ‘LE’ version which is powered by the 2.4 litre, 5 Cylinder Engine which puts out 125kw of power at 6,000 RPM, although I must say you would seldom need to use these sorts of revs even for ‘spirited’ driving. The 5-speed Adaptive Geartronic Transmission is amazingly smooth and the gear changes virtually imperceptible.
Once we were on the F3 at Wahroonga I set the cruise control on 110 kph, zeroed the trip computer and we commenced our C30 adventure.
The seats in the Volvo are superbly comfortable with enough adjustments available to fit any body shape, arm and leg length. This model is equipped with an electric driver’s seat which has three memory settings for seat positions. This helps considerably if you are 6’ 2’’ and your wife is 5’ 4” and makes for easy change of driver with quick automatic adjustment. The superb leather upholstery adds the finishing touch. To add to the individual’s comfort the steering column is adjustable for height. For extra safety the ‘Whips’ (Whiplash Protection System) is standard on all models.
The ride was pleasantly firm and gives a great feeling of stability and sure-footedness on all surfaces. This fills the driver with confidence and makes the drive more enjoyable. The brakes are firm and reliable in wet and dry conditions (we experienced both on our trip) and are standard with ABS and EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution).
On arrival at Morpeth I checked the trip computer which indicated we had averaged 101 kph and used 7.1 litres per 100 kilometres for the trip so far. I believe a major contribution to this miserly result is the sleek aerodynamic shape of this very stylish car.
Morpeth is a great stop for browsing the many nick-knack shops and enjoying a lunch at one of the many cafes or at the local pub. It is an historic river port (1832 to 1890) being the major port for the Hunter and the surrounding districts. It is an easy day’s drive from Sydney (1 1/2 hours) that provides a touch of history and a taste of Morpeth Sourdough bread, which is scrumptious.
On our return trip we left the F3 near Gosford and took the Old Pacific Highway route which was used for three special time stages in the East Coast Targa Tarmac Rally run in 2004 and 2005. This gave me the opportunity to use the manual half of the Geartronic Transmission and give the car a bit of stick around the many tight and twisty sections near the Hawkesbury River Bridge. This was enormously enjoyable as the C30 stuck to the road like glue. My wife Margarita wasn’t too pleased at my attempts to put in a good time and my Jack Russel was seriously unimpressed, but I was quite at home.
This little run of about 25 k/ms took the overall fuel consumption up to 7.5 litres per 100 k/ms which probably represents about 10 per 100 for that short burst, which is still very impressive. However over the next few days whilst trying to navigate Sydney’s disastrous road system, I only managed to keep just on 10 per 100 k/ms which was still good considering the number of trips into the city, and that I rarely travelled fast enough to get into top gear.
At the end of our day trip the Speedo read 301 kilometres and the trip computer indicated I still had enough fuel for another 540 k. Not bad for a 62 litre tank. All in all it was a great day, although Margarita brought a few too many of her Jazz CD’s and I forgot my Rod Stewart and Beatles CD’s.
In summing up I should mention the standard features like Climate Control, Cup Holders, Folding Door Mirrors (with automatic unfold), 16” Alloy Wheels and of course Volvo’s legendary safety features – 2 Front Airbags, 2 Side Airbags and the Inflatable Curtain along with the Side Impact Protection System. All this makes the car probably the best value for money on the market today and at $39,950 plus On Road Costs, is very affordable and worth taking a good look at.
The Rear Body Styling of the C30 with its one piece glass hatch is a clever modern adaption of the tailgate used on the beautiful 1800ES Coupe of the early 70’s, adding a little nostalgia for us ageing Volvo Drivers. Refer to photos on C30 page.
Footnote: We were so impressed with every feature of this car we ordered one for ourselves and have taken delivery of our Ice White C30 LE. LOVE IT!
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