Roy Lewis Road tests the Volve C30 1.6D DRIVe SE (From Hereford Times)

Roy Lewis Road tests the Volve C30 1.6D DRIVe SE

8:00am Saturday 12th December 2009 in

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AT-A-GLANCE Volve C30 1.6D DRIVe SE stop/start 5-speed.

Price: £17,745.

Top speed: 118mph.

0-60mpg: 10.7 seconds.

Fuel: 72.4mpg average.

CO 2 emmissions (g/km): 104.

Verdict: Great design and build quality, eye-catching looks, superb economy, good to drive, comfortable, tops for safety and technology.

GERMAN car makers are not getting everything their own way with the sales of premium quality hatches.

Manufacturers like Volvo have proved they can build top-quality cars with superb driving manners which also offer – both inside and out – excellent value for money.

Volvo certainly knows a thing or two about design and this is shown with the C30 coupe, probably the most expressively designed of all Volvos. It is a sporty number with seating for four adults and boot space sufficient for small family needs.

Two of its main rivals are the VW Golf and Audi A3, both excellent cars, but in some ways not so distinctive and classy looking as the small Volvo. Obviously, price is important and while the C30 is not regarded as being cheap it stacks up well against the opposition when the generous equipment and rather unique styling are taken into consideration.

The C30 has a good range of engine options which include petrol 1.6, 1.8, 2.0 and five-cylinder 2.5 turbo with 1.6, 2.0 and five-cylinder 2.4 diesels.

In the present economic climate, the DRIVe 1.6-litre diesels are attracting a lot of attention with their cutting-edge engine technology and Volvo offer a number of different models.

Prices start at £15,995 for the 1.6 diesel DRIVe S to £19,245 for the top-spec 1.6 diesel DRIVe SE Lux with the start/stop technology.

This start/stop system switches off the engine while the car is at standstill in queues and instantly restarts it when you want to move away.

It works really well and is well worth the comparatively small extra outlay.

There is no special magic to the improvements made with the DRIVe cars – just hard work and high technology which Volvo refers to as a science of small adjustments and gains.

The start/stop system certainly helps with fuel economy as well as a number of efficiency-enhancing features which include the fitting of a transmission with longer gear ratios and much-improved aerodynamics.

The 107bhp 1.6 returns a superb average of 72.4mpg with CO2 emissions of only 104g/km to qualify for the £35 rate of annual road tax.

And it is no slouch on the road, boasting a top speed of 118mph and a 0-60mph sprint of 10.7 seconds.

Swift acceleration is readily available so that rapid, safe overtaking is easy.

The handling is well up to expectations.

On fast winding routes the body is kept in check with the ride remaining firm but not too harsh.

The steering is well weighted and comes into its own at speed so that the faster driver can soon gain an affinity with the car and appreciate the good driving manners.

Inside, the car is easy to live with.

The dash, essentially carried over from the S40/V50 and C70 models, is modern and impressive looking. The bucket-style seats are roomy and comfortable and there is plenty of room for odds and ends.

Behind the wheel it feels like a premium motor.

Outside, the C30 has a goodlooking frontal appearance and a radical rear. Its glass hatch dips down low for good visibility and is reminiscent of the shape of the famous P1800 Volvo that starred in the classic old television series The Saint.

However, the C30 is strictly a four-seater with fairly generous leg and headroom in the rear despite its coupe style and it offers a decent amount of boot space. The Volvo may not be as practial as some hatches but it is very comfortable to live with.

Safety is a word synonymous with Volvo and there are many features to help keep you safe, including dynamic stability and traction control, ABS with electronic brake force distribution, whiplash protection, and airbags with side impact protection.