Mr. M
Tire Trailblazer
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Last night, my dad and I were privileged to be given the opportunity to try out the new C30 and C70 from Volvo.
C30
Looks
The C30 is a really good car and gives the GTI a run for its money, to sum it all up. My first impressions from the inspection in the showroom already gave very positive indications. Firstly, the exterior is very sleek, very low and very coupé-like. I like how it looks more so than the GTI. Maybe it was the sports package that was included that made it looked better, but I saw the stock version (test drive car) and it was really attractive as well. However, if I were to buy this car, I’ll want the sports kit. The rims are very well done. The interior is also spice up a little with some flower embroidery in the centre console trim.
The rear may draw a lot of controversy but I think it looks great. Especially with the taillights on, you’ll see nothing like it on the roads. The rear glass tailgate is intriguing, and for practicality sake, offers great visibility.
The two-tone exterior choice also makes a for an interesting alternative to the staid one-colour scheme of most cars.
Interior
Before getting into the car, opening the chunky doors gave a very nice tactile experience. It’s very much what you may feel in a 3-door GTI, because those huge doors sure are heavy and massive. The seats really impressed me. They were snug and yet very comfortable. They didn’t feel as supportive as those in the GTI though. Touching and feeling the interior, I felt the quality was much better than the GTIs. Instead of the hard plastic the GTI uses for its door panels, the Volvo’s one is softer and more pleasant to the touch. However, the C30’s interior isn’t luxurious by any means. But it does offer a really good experience. The gauges glow greenish-blue and the control panel green. It looks very nice at night.
The rear seats are spacious enough, but nowhere as spacious as the 4-door GTI. Plus the hassle of needing to move the seats forward really made me think twice of 2-door 4 seaters. However, they are individual seats and not a bench, so support was good as well. For some reason the seat belts at the back seem to be stucked, so we didn’t use them for the test drive.
Comfort and Ride
The car was immediately apparent to me that it’s very comfort-oriented. Moving off, you don’t get the drone you hear in the GTI. Engine noise is muted and noise is well-insulated away from the cabin. At speeds above 100km/h, I started to realize that the car bounced a lot. Although this meant that the ride is very forgiving, I can imagine passengers getting queasy over a long period of time from all the bobbing. I was rather surprised that the suspension was so soft.
My dad pushed the car and the car redlined a few times above 6krpm, and the car pulled very well, as good as the GTI as far as I can feel. However, it was all done without much drama and the car was very good at putting down all of that power.
Verdict
The C30’s for the comfort-oriented buyer who wants a little of fun. GTI purists who swear by DSG and sheer sports car performance need not look here. That said, I can say with certainty that a lot more people will go for comfort over sport, especially in Singapore.
C70
Looks
The C70 looks a little ungainly with its top down but with the top up, it looks rather elegant. The long body is accentuated by the long roofline traced by a retractable hardtop.
Interior
The interior is very much like the C30’s, except now the rear space is further compromised.
Comfort and Ride
It was my first time in a convertible so I was really excited and thrilled to try it. I sat at the back and it was tight, but manageable. I can’t imagine one to be sitting at the back for long-haul trips up to Malaysia though.
The wind in your face was a very different experience. Immediately you feel very much in touch with the car, not inside it. You can hear everything and feel the car better. The exhaust note was a little disappointment though; I really couldn’t hear anything at all throughout the test drive.
Cruising the roads at 60km/h was a good feeling. However, as we approached 100km/h the back passengers started to experience a lot of wind hitting their faces. The front passengers however are well-taken care of and the experience isn’t much different from a normal car (my dad said).
My dad also said the car felt more sluggish than the C30 due to its weight.
Again, the car bounced a lot at high speeds and it was a little nerve-wrecking.
What was interesting is that one could feel the aircon blowing to their faces with the roof off – and my companion at the back and I tried to find the aircon holes, but we couldn’t find it. Anyway, I think that would be very useful for afternoon drives and it was smart.
Halfway through the test drive we closed the roof. And the engine actually sounded louder – possibly through resonance in the cabin.
Verdict
Since it was my first time in a convertible, I can’t say much other than I enjoyed the experience.
C30
Looks
The C30 is a really good car and gives the GTI a run for its money, to sum it all up. My first impressions from the inspection in the showroom already gave very positive indications. Firstly, the exterior is very sleek, very low and very coupé-like. I like how it looks more so than the GTI. Maybe it was the sports package that was included that made it looked better, but I saw the stock version (test drive car) and it was really attractive as well. However, if I were to buy this car, I’ll want the sports kit. The rims are very well done. The interior is also spice up a little with some flower embroidery in the centre console trim.
The rear may draw a lot of controversy but I think it looks great. Especially with the taillights on, you’ll see nothing like it on the roads. The rear glass tailgate is intriguing, and for practicality sake, offers great visibility.
The two-tone exterior choice also makes a for an interesting alternative to the staid one-colour scheme of most cars.
Interior
Before getting into the car, opening the chunky doors gave a very nice tactile experience. It’s very much what you may feel in a 3-door GTI, because those huge doors sure are heavy and massive. The seats really impressed me. They were snug and yet very comfortable. They didn’t feel as supportive as those in the GTI though. Touching and feeling the interior, I felt the quality was much better than the GTIs. Instead of the hard plastic the GTI uses for its door panels, the Volvo’s one is softer and more pleasant to the touch. However, the C30’s interior isn’t luxurious by any means. But it does offer a really good experience. The gauges glow greenish-blue and the control panel green. It looks very nice at night.
The rear seats are spacious enough, but nowhere as spacious as the 4-door GTI. Plus the hassle of needing to move the seats forward really made me think twice of 2-door 4 seaters. However, they are individual seats and not a bench, so support was good as well. For some reason the seat belts at the back seem to be stucked, so we didn’t use them for the test drive.
Comfort and Ride
The car was immediately apparent to me that it’s very comfort-oriented. Moving off, you don’t get the drone you hear in the GTI. Engine noise is muted and noise is well-insulated away from the cabin. At speeds above 100km/h, I started to realize that the car bounced a lot. Although this meant that the ride is very forgiving, I can imagine passengers getting queasy over a long period of time from all the bobbing. I was rather surprised that the suspension was so soft.
My dad pushed the car and the car redlined a few times above 6krpm, and the car pulled very well, as good as the GTI as far as I can feel. However, it was all done without much drama and the car was very good at putting down all of that power.
Verdict
The C30’s for the comfort-oriented buyer who wants a little of fun. GTI purists who swear by DSG and sheer sports car performance need not look here. That said, I can say with certainty that a lot more people will go for comfort over sport, especially in Singapore.
C70
Looks
The C70 looks a little ungainly with its top down but with the top up, it looks rather elegant. The long body is accentuated by the long roofline traced by a retractable hardtop.
Interior
The interior is very much like the C30’s, except now the rear space is further compromised.
Comfort and Ride
It was my first time in a convertible so I was really excited and thrilled to try it. I sat at the back and it was tight, but manageable. I can’t imagine one to be sitting at the back for long-haul trips up to Malaysia though.
The wind in your face was a very different experience. Immediately you feel very much in touch with the car, not inside it. You can hear everything and feel the car better. The exhaust note was a little disappointment though; I really couldn’t hear anything at all throughout the test drive.
Cruising the roads at 60km/h was a good feeling. However, as we approached 100km/h the back passengers started to experience a lot of wind hitting their faces. The front passengers however are well-taken care of and the experience isn’t much different from a normal car (my dad said).
My dad also said the car felt more sluggish than the C30 due to its weight.
Again, the car bounced a lot at high speeds and it was a little nerve-wrecking.
What was interesting is that one could feel the aircon blowing to their faces with the roof off – and my companion at the back and I tried to find the aircon holes, but we couldn’t find it. Anyway, I think that would be very useful for afternoon drives and it was smart.
Halfway through the test drive we closed the roof. And the engine actually sounded louder – possibly through resonance in the cabin.
Verdict
Since it was my first time in a convertible, I can’t say much other than I enjoyed the experience.
