One of the coolest cars Volvo currently offers is the C30. It’s what I would consider a “hot hatch.” With a 227 hp turbo charged I-5 and the option of a 6 speed manual transmission, this is one fun car to drive. But what sets it apart from the other hatchbacks is it’s comfortable seats and ride. A customer recently took one for a test drive and couldn’t get over the quality of the ride. In her words, she was “pleasantly surprised.”
After taking a 2009 C30 home for a few days, I came away with a new respect for the performance of the vehicle but also recognized a critical design flaw … the front end. All the cool pictures of the C30 are taken from the back. The frameless glass hatch and body kit both make a statement that the car is really cool. But the front end left me with a puzzled look after taking several digital photos of the car. It just wasn’t as appealing as it could be.
Volvo must have read my mind.
The UK branch of volvocars.com is currently showing a redesigned front end for both the C30 and C70. And it looks good! See how the hood slopes down more in the front and how the headlamps are more slanted. It gives the car a more aggressive look. And the more I look at it, the more I want to drive it through some twisty roads. This is what the car was missing all along—not performance or comfort. They needed to slightly adjust the look of the car to match everything else that is right already. I’m liking it and am hoping that we’ll get the new look sooner than later.