Test drive Volvo C30 2006 - 2009 hatchback

Excellence in combat training

C30 T5 The most driver's Volvo of all that I had to deal with. S40 T5, S60 2.5T AWD, S80 V8 and even S60R, with all their advantages, lost in the balance of running qualities to the new Swedish hatchback.

 
C30 stands on my table an exact copy of the car, a few hours ago given to the owners. T5, gray metallic, white leather interior, wheels, a lever of mechanical manual transmission, everything is like C30, with which I communicated for several days. I take a copy in my hand, I squeeze it, I consider it, recalling the bright moments of the meeting with the original.
 

I was lucky from the very beginning a car with a 6-speed manual transmission. You yourself know, no matter how good the machine is, the mechanic will still transform the car on the go.
 

Departure from the gates of the dealership, and immediately the delight of the dense acceleration, communicated to the car, well-known by a 2.5-liter turbo engine, which more willingly reveals its potential in a compact car. In C30, the S60 and S40 models are soundproofing the motor compartment, and the in -line five sings here more expressively. And the turbine whistling, finally, is already pleasing not only to Saab drivers, if we are talking about Swedish turbocations.
 



 
Driver mood is born immediately. Corrected by a low -pressure supercharger, the engine is confidently pulling the car. The six -speed manual transmission (Ford Focus ST is the same), however, was not pleased with the exceptional clarity of work and selectivity, but in general it acted well. The tandem of the engine and boxes (and the experience of the Volvo factory testers) made it possible to disperse T5 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds and develop the maximum speed of 240 km/h excellent indicators even for charged hatchback. But sports modification T5 can only be called a stretch. In fact, this is a top version of the line, but with driver accents. The main powerful motor, a mechanical gearbox and a 20 mm suspension lowered.
 

Perhaps the C30 will lose to one of the direct competitors in running qualities, but as for the interior, then perhaps no one can compare with him in a golf class. At my disposal there was a car with an amazing white leather salon, which was revived by elegant metal inserts. And what kind of steering wheel is ordinary skin, and perforated and comfortable tides in the places of the grip, and the inside of the rim is trimmed with a real, cold hand, aluminum. The interior is light, air. Especially when the protective curtain through the rear window-boat is not installed in the luggage compartment. At the back, full -fledged places for two, the front seats for the convenience of planting and landing are shifted using electric drives. Like the S80, C30 has a warning system about dangerous rapprochement with BLIS objects. Its cameras are built into the hull of the rearview mirrors and track dead areas around the car. If someone gets into them, Blis informs the driver with a blinking bulbs built into the doorbell in the mirror area.
 

At some point, I ended up on Leninsky Prospekt, in the direction from the center. After Gagarin's Square there is a congress to the right, then to the tunnel, then again to the right in the direction of the trade union street. Lovers of fast turnover probably know this denouement well. In a protracted turn at the speed of an unprepared passenger, a head may dizzy. But not with me with Volvo C30! Having turned off in advance (as it turned out later, partially) the stabilization system, I fly into the turn, imposed a second gear. It is a pity that the gone gas pedal did not allow the switching to be flavored! The car slides the front axle outward, but I am ready for this. I control the sliding gently add rods ... We go to the limit, and I check the reaction to the discharge of gas and the ruler's margin. In response, I get a monolithic confidence C30 does not even think to throw the food. I add fuel to the cylinders and, passing the first half of the turn, at the exit from the tunnel I turn on the third. The second part of the turn, if you pass it with an eye on the 60th anniversary of October, turns out to be more speedy, and C30 under the intelligent, but confident engine baritone flies out of the turn. Having come to my senses after a short emotional performance, I write down very moderate rolls and good feedback on the steering wheel in the asset.
 

The next day, I went to a free asphalt platform, where I tried to establish an even more frank dialogue with the car. Again, the hand reaches for the left steering wheel switch, which lulls the vigilance of the stabilization system. First a snake. It turns out that the steering is slightly lacking sharpness at the small corners of the turn of the steering wheel. It is ahead of the work of it that the high tires are still ahead of the car, albeit insignificant. Now an attempt to provoke a skid. It does not show tendencies to excess turning C30, but any car can be exposed with a counterzanos. Once, two went sideways. I begin to work with gas, adjusting the angle, and then ESP suddenly shows vigilance. Electronics beats with brake pulses on the wheels, and I lose all hope for a conversation heart to heart C30 does not want to go to close contact. Some kind of connection has improved, but there is no development of relations, and it remains absolutely safe.
 

The transport problem of megacities has a positive side. A huge number of machines forces to build wide and straight lines, which are still empty. On one of these I ended up in the early morning, when most of the cars inspected the last dreams in night parking. The purpose of my visit to the Kiev highway to find out how C30 will behave in motion along the highway at a speed close to maximum.
 
 
 
 

On a flat surface, exchange rate stability is magnificent. But if the track comes across, the car scribes a little. It becomes heavier on a straight wheel, and quick restraints are confidently performed. The level of aerodynamic noise is minimal (in general, noise and vibration isolation C30, one of the best in the class).
 


 

 

The next exercise was emergency braking with high speed. The assessment is excellent. Information comes to the brake pedal enough, the straight line of the course is maintained thanks to the system of distribution of brake efforts. Some embarrassment caused the work of the brake pedal in orderly mode brakes seemed to not get grabbing, it had to be pressed on the elastic pedal more, which sometimes prevented the right to calculate the braking distance.
  

I take a miniature C30 in my hand again. The metal model is pleasantly heavy, but solid. Like the original. The golf class was replenished with another excellent machine that will surely squeeze its current leaders. Accordingly, the replenishment is waiting for the army of adherents of the Swedish brand, because C30 will be the first Volvo for many, after which it will already be difficult for them to go under the banners of another manufacturer.
 
 
Leonty Tyutelev
 

 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 

 
 
 

A source: Motor magazine [May 2007]