Skip advert
Advertisement
Long term tests

Volvo C30 T5

Good and bad experiences this month with our Volvo C30

I’ve had a real love/hate relationship with the Volvo this month. First the love. It’s done the nursery run most mornings recently and my two-year-old son reckons ‘It looks like a sweetie, daddy’. (I think that’s a good thing.) My 60-mile commute each day has been enjoyable too, the odd back-road excursion seeing me arrive at work with a boyish grin on my face.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Now the hate. I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation, but I really can’t figure out why there is a hook at the bottom of each front seat that catches the seat belt, dragging it in the path of anyone trying to get into or out of the back seat. It is so annoying!

Also, I thought Volvos were supposed to be solid, but while cleaning the rear window recently the wiper blade snapped away from its arm, even though I was being very careful with it.

A replacement part (£11.75) soon fixed it, though, and in truth these little niggles have done nothing to stop me enjoying the C30 more and more the longer I live with it.

Running Costs

Date acquiredDecember 2007
Total mileage11,307
Costs this month£11.75 (wiper)
Mileage this month964
MPG this month28.7
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The GMA S1 is today’s McLaren F1 – sorry, T.50 owners
GMA S1
News

The GMA S1 is today’s McLaren F1 – sorry, T.50 owners

Gordon Murray Automotive has revived the McLaren F1 with the road-biased GMA S1, a 12,100rpm V12 special based upon the ultra-exclusive S1 LM
14 Aug 2026
McLaren McL 6GT is a new manual supercar and a complete reset
McLaren McL 6GT
News

McLaren McL 6GT is a new manual supercar and a complete reset

Unbelievably, the design of this new McLaren is more surprising than the reintroduction of a manual transmission…
14 Aug 2026
My Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce proved you needn't spend £100k for a fun saloon
evo Fast Fleet Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce
Long term tests

My Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce proved you needn't spend £100k for a fun saloon

How desirable can a four-cylinder Giulia really be? ‘Very’ is our long-term verdict
13 Aug 2026