Volvo C30 (2007 - 2012) 2.0 D3 (150bhp) R DESIGN 3d (2012/12) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

It's a combination of fun and good sense, but most importantly you don't look like a sales rep. Sorry to BMW, Mini, Audi, Merc and some VW drivers, but you have become a bit pigeon holed.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

They love it! It drives well, looks fab and is something a bit different. Four of my friends are seriously considering buying one themselves!

Would you buy this car again and why?

Definitely - there is nothing else on the market which offers the same combination of coupe looks, decent performance, build quality, reliability, comfort, economy and fun for under £16k. Even the insurance is good!

What are you likely to buy next?

The Volvo V40 is a nice car, with more doors and better luggage space - with baby on the way, this may be my car of the future! My wife is looking at a Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo - practical, smart, fun and good value for money.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£14,600

When did you buy the car?

May 2013

Did you get a good deal and why?

A reasonable deal for a franchise dealership. Cash is king, so I was stung on the finance deal more than I would have liked.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

I wanted a premium car which was practical, efficient and reliable with good performance and comfort without a silly price tag on the badge.

What was the dealer like?

The sales team were great - no pressure and very patient and helpful. The sales manager was less pleasant to work with, constantly trying to push the price and finance up without me noticing - who would want to pay their road tax over 3 years?

What's it like to drive?

Just lovely. The performance is just on the sporty side, with decent acceleration and handling, without the usual crashing over bumps associated with sports suspension. It won't worry M3 drivers, but it is a very pleasant compromise for a real world car with a bit of fun injected into it.

What's it like to park?

Watch those alloys! They are prone to kerbing, so be careful. The rear visibility is great for a coupe so no challenges in this area. The front is longer than you might initially think, so some care is required here.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Nothing so far - it's really well built and feels as solid as a rock. No flimsy plastics here!

What's most practical about your car?

It's probably not your first choice in terms of practicality, if you expect decent load space. Five adults plus luggage is never going to happen. The rear seats are designed to fit two, not three - there is no middle seat belt. They do split and fold down, so reasonable load space is available if you have no passengers.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The seats, the cruise control, the high performance stereo and even the little parking ticket holder on the windscreen are all lovely. The R-Design spec gives you the basics, done beautifully plus a bit of luxury and some stunning external design features. Lack of sat-nav and parking sensors is a pest, but this is addressed in the R-Design Lux variant if they matter to you.