2008 Motor Trend Car of the Year Contenders

Volvo C30: Style and Pizzazz; Misses Runway

Volvo's early 1970s 1800ES was one of the first and coolest sport wagons of that decade. It appealed to expressive, non-traditional customers. Looking to expand its current model range in the under-$30K category, those crafty Swedes went back to the same well, putting a decidedly modern design spin on an old favorite. The C30 shares most of its underthings with the current S40 and V50, splashed in sexy new duds.

The company has never claimed the C30 as a lethal hot hatch, and it isn't. While a dazzler, it's not nearly as fun to drive as a VW GTI, Mini Cooper S, or even the Mazdaspeed3, with which it also shares chassis architecture. The steering is numb, the shifter sloppy. The car rides well enough, but pays a penalty in terms of handling response. The 227-horse, turbocharged inline-five engine drones out an industrio-mechanical fizz, although it's smooth and offers reasonable power.

The cabin is Scandinavian clean, though our staff is split on its appeal. The remote-controlled-style center stack is shared with the C30's sedan/wagon sibling and is simple to get used to and operate. Rear-seat room is adequate for a relatively compact coupe, and Volvo was smart to set it up for two, instead of squeezing in a third passenger. The large hatch makes the cargo area practical and easy to access. There's a ton of room back there with the rear seat folded. Not everyone digs the C30s sawed-off tush, one staffer calls it "Volvo's AMC Gremlin."

This is a car we wanted to like a lot better. Being a pack of enthusiasts, we're disappointed in its style-over-driving-substance persona. But that may not matter. The C30 is a runaway sales smash in Europe, and it may catch on here as a design statement that also happens to be transportation. Young, less performance-oriented urbanites just may love it.

-Matt Stone

What they did right: With a cabin derived from Volvo's S40/V50, interior design and materials are first-rate.

Room for improvement: The C1 platform has produced some cars with a high degree of driver involvement; unfortunately, the C30 isn't one of them. The C30's road dynamics doesn't match its sporty looks.

Bet You Didn't Know: The C30 is Volvo's second take on the near-iconic 1800ES. The first, called the 480 (built from 1986 to 1995), was never sold in the United States.