Overview & Reviews

The 2009 Volvo C30 drops the software-inspired 1.0 and 2.0 trim level names in favor of the new T5 and T5 R-Design monikers. New features include a long list of exterior and interior styling tweaks, changes to options packages and enhanced navigation operation.

• Funky-cool Swedish styling, comfortable ride and front seats, excellent driving position, customizable options list.

• Lacks the sporty fun of other hot hatches
• Those customizable options can get expensive.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 18.00

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  Fun Car - 2009 Volvo C30
  By wm - July 19 - 6:36 pm

  Caveat this review with the fact Ive only owned the car for a week, and Im still on a buzz from buying it. The manual is incredibly fun to drive, and very smooth. I highly recommend the R-design; its well worth the money. Cosmic Wht w/ Brwn body kit looks phenoml, but hard to find at a dealer. It is not a utilitarian vehicle, as the rear bumper is too high and big, and other cars offer more interior space, but its a great little sports car. More hp/less weight/better mpg than a V6 Mustang. Comfort inside is top notch. Driver views are very good. I did a 1300+ mile trip right after purchase and it holds 80mph easily at 2700rpm. It accelerates the same at 40mph as it does at 70. Fun.

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  2009 C30 great car - 2009 Volvo C30
  By scott fortune - June 21 - 4:26 pm

  My 2009 c30 is a very cool car and I have had it for almost one year. I get about 23 mph and have taken it from Jacksonville, Florida to ft. Lauderdale 2 times, for fun. The trip goes quickly and is very pleasant. My wife and I also own a 2008 Porsche Cayman s. We both often prefer the c30 because it is so much easier to drive... Easy and fun with room for groceries. I had 2 Volvo xc90s, dating back to 2004 or 2003. The c30 is much cooler and more fun. The dynaudio is an excellent option. I have automatic, leather, sunroof, Cruise, bluetooth, ipod compatible. I recommend it and would buy another one.

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  One rockin hatch - 2009 Volvo C30
  By Colin - September 30 - 9:50 pm

  Great all-around car, exceptionally well-executed and excels at what it was designed to do -- turn heads! Love the power even with the auto trans, especially the down-low torque, and all the electronic goodies (Dynamic audio, sat radio, iPod). And oh, those Volvo seats! Incredibly comfortable on my 1-hr commute. My wife and I both get lots of compliments on the cars appearance, especially the all-glass hatch. I hate driving cars that everyone else has, and to date Ive only seen two other C30s on the road. Huge cache factor. Respectable gas mileage (23 mpg avg on a mix of city/hwy driving). And no need for premium! Get the R-design package, it really makes the cars appearance pop.

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  Just Right - 2009 Volvo C30
  By Terri - May 12 - 12:50 pm

  I literally test drove 12 vehicles and kept coming back to the C30. I love the size after driving a station wagon for so many years. Its easy to fit in spaces and maneuver city streets. Cant understand why they arent more popular because there are so many great features. I was looking for a car with good pick up and boy does this have it. I love my new little car.

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  after a year some issues - 2009 Volvo C30
  By jasper - November 12 - 12:56 am

  Just over a year with low mileage, ~12000. R-Design has great styling. The dash is a bit bland and more color could be added in the dash console lighting. Gas mileage is not quite what I expected, (6 speed manual) ranges from 31 to 21 (depends on time of year and how I drive). The front end on the RDesign is also poorly engineered. There is nothing you can do to prevent scraping when going up small upgrades (my driveway for example). This causes the rubber on the underside to hang down, quite an eyesore.

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  Love this car! - 2009 Volvo C30
  By New C30 Owner - November 16 - 8:40 am

  Not the fastest thing out there, but no slouch. Nice balance between comfort and performance. Will do the daily commute in style while still offering some great spirited driving when the whim strikes. Can work as a family care for small families. My kids love riding in it. Cargo is small, but 3 Staples copy paper boxes fit in a single layer with the seats up. Not huge space, but very usable. Width will allow a McLaren folding stroller to just fit. Great storage around the spare tire for all those things you should have like jumper cables and ice scrapers but dont need just floating around the car. Basically a well thought out little luxury car.

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  Best in Class, Value and Otherwise - 2009 Volvo C30
  By Paul - June 14 - 7:26 am

  Strangely, this exquisite, sophisticated car is being overlooked in rankings because its drive isnt quite as "fun" as other cars. Meanwhile, it has twice the warranty of the far less dependable VWs, and has a solid reputation for reliability and has best in class safety. Being a grown up, I value those two aspects far more than the fun factor, which to me is represented well enough by the zippy engine, which, btw, is the same engine you get on most of the more expensive Volvos, so its a deal at this price. The C30s cost of ownership due is extremely low due to the expanded warranty package that makes it much more like buying a BMW, but for much less money. Best value anywhere.

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  C30 T5 R-Design WOW - 2009 Volvo C30
  By SAAB 9-2X owner - February 23 - 11:03 pm

  I currently own and drive an 05 SAAB 9-2X Aero loaded with everything sport & winter packages etc. etc. I test drove a fully loaded C30 T5 R-Design last Friday. It was similar to my SAAB-aru in handling and quickness but has a quieter ride and with more safety features. I was very impressed with everything about this car. I especially liked the six speed manual trans.

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  A Beauty - 2009 Volvo C30
  By old guy - June 12 - 8:20 pm

  Turbo w/ 6sp manual is terrific getting shade over 26mpg. Solid ride, nimble handling, low road noise, comfortable and ergonomic for driver, and styling is a standout from the rest of the crowd. Interior, dash, & instrumentation is clean and utilitarian.

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  This is what I was looking for - 2009 Volvo C30
  By FormerTruckOwner - April 16 - 11:13 am

  Ive only had this car a few weeks, but was looking for almost 2 years. Drove a truck. Was perfect when I got it, but now I have wife, kids, dog, and commute. I needed a practical car, but needed to carry the family on occasion, carry the dog, make dump runs, tow, and be comfortable day to day. Id also like something fun that had a little power, but not a huge engine. I knew I wanted a small luxury type car, but they are almost absent in the USA. Especially in a hatchback (for the dog). But in looking at the Mazda 3, I found out about the Ford C1 platform and the fact that the Mazda, Volvo, and European Ford Focus are built on it. This is the car I was looking for. Nothing else fit