Skip advert
Advertisement
Long term tests

Volvo C30 T5

A change of custodian for the C30 meant it had to re-earn its badge

Volvo C30 T5

I couldn’t believe that I’d managed to land one of the best jobs in publishing, so when Harry said that, as evo’s new art director, I’d get to run a long-termer too, that was the icing on the cake. Then my new boss said, ‘I‘m giving you the Volvo.’

Now, I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but upon hearing that five-letter name I was momentarily disappointed – until, that is, I realised he meant evo’s C30 T5. I’m genuinely intrigued to find out what the safety-conscious Swedes’ take on a hot hatch is like, and I’ve already taken a shine to ours, having spent a good chunk of our first weekend together cleaning it. I’ll let you know what I think of the driving experience next month.

Running Costs

Date acquiredDecember 2007
Total mileage7943
Costs this month£0
Mileage this month1791
MPG this month27.6
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Forget the gloom, Car of the Year proved we're in a performance car golden era
eCoty
Opinion

Forget the gloom, Car of the Year proved we're in a performance car golden era

Fewer manuals and higher weights than ever. But 2025's best performance cars were still thrilling
3 Jan 2026
The BMW M2 CS should have been amazing, so why was it the biggest letdown?
BMW M2 CS
Opinion

The BMW M2 CS should have been amazing, so why was it the biggest letdown?

Meaden found his perfect two-car garage at this year's evo Car of the Year, but it doesn't feature Munich's latest
31 Dec 2025
Why the star of eCoty 2025 wasn't actually a car
Henry Catchpole
Opinion

Why the star of eCoty 2025 wasn't actually a car

Henry Catchpole sings the praises of the venue for this year's evo Car of the Year test
2 Jan 2026