01 May 08
As a huge fan of all things Sweden, my wait was long and drawn out and far longer than the couple of months it took from order to delivery. When I finally got my hands on my 'own' Volvo C30 back in October I could barely contain my excitement although, early on, there were a few things that frustrated.
First off, the C30 has a huge steering wheel that is at odds with the compactness of the car. Luckily, to accommodate this bus-like helm there is a light and airy cabin with plentiful amounts of space.
Behind the aforementioned dinner-table-sized wheel our T5 C30 lived up to its sporting roots, offering a driver plenty of involvement and surefooted handling when you throw it into corners.
With a few thousand miles on the clock, the engine loosened up nicely: the 227bhp turbocharged 2.5-litre unit offering effortless overtaking pace despite its porky 1,437kg kerbweight.
Of course there is a price to pay for all this exuberance. In my case paid in full at my many visits to petrol forecourts. We'd be amazed if anyone out there actually matches or exceeds the 32.5mpg average Volvo quotes. We had to make do with mid-twenties.
