2008 Volvo C30 Preview

Mini Contender

The all-new C30 promises to appeal to young urbanites and compete with the Mini Cooper.

This article was updated on 09/27/07.

Volvo is breaking into a new and growing vehicle segment with its small, sporty C30 hatchback. It closely follows the design of a concept vehicle by the same name that debuted at the 2006 Detroit auto show.

The C30 goes on sale in the U.S. in October, as a 2008 model. But its primary markets will be Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K., Volvo said. The car went on sale in Europe and other foreign markets over the summer. The company hopes to sell 65,000 C30s annually.

1971 Volvo P1800 ES + enlarge image 2001 Volvo Safety Concept Car + enlarge image 2008 Volvo C30 + enlarge image  |  view gallery >

The C30 is meant to compete with the Audi A3, Mini Cooper and Volkswagen GTI. With a base MSRP of $22,700, it will be the least expensive Volvo available.

It is aimed at young singles or couples with "intense city lifestyles," Volvo said. Its compact dimensions are suited to driving and parking on cramped city streets.

The C30 is most visually interesting from the rear, with a unique taillight design and rear window hatch. Note the resemblance to the 1971 Volvo P1800 ES and 2001 Saftey Concept Car pictured at right, both of which inspired the C30's design.

The front of the car resembles the S40 sedan — which is Volvo’s current smallest car — and the V50 wagon. The C30 also shares another similarity with those vehicles. It will be powered by the same 218-hp turbocharged five-cylinder engine that they use.

Despite being nine inches shorter and more than 300 pounds lighter than the S40, the C30 achieves identical fuel economy. The EPA rates both cars at 19 mpg city/28 mpg highway when equipped with a manual transmission and front-wheel drive; models equipped with the automatic transmissions get 27 mpg on the highway.

The C30 engine is more powerful but less fuel efficient than that of the Mini Cooper S, which averages 23 mpg to 25 mpg city/32 mpg highway.

The interior accommodates four occupants and the rear seat-backs fold forward to expand luggage capacity. The signature thin, "floating" center console from the S40/V50 has been incorporated into the C30's interior design. As expected, the C30 comes with a litany of standard safety features, including whiplash protection and side airbags.

Check back soon for a full review.

Did You Know ...

Volvo is Latin for “I roll” and the company logo is the Swedish symbol for iron.

In the 1960s and '70s Volvo helped pioneer such innovations as crumple zones, rear-facing child seats, collapsible steering columns, side-collision protection and three-way catalytic converters.

In Pictures: Volvo Through the Years