IIHS Crash Test
Good
MPG (up to)
21 City / 29 -30 HWY
Horsepower
227
Seats
4
Front passenger 3/4 w/ wheels turned.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Cmorton
Sporty and reliable
Absolutely, sporty and reliable. Bought it used C 30 R design. With chip upgrade. Has 250 hp .
accountCircle James W
Really like the distinctive look of the car. Shooting brake design is lovely.
Almost no problems... Does eat tires because of the negative camber. Wish the manual transmission was a bit more responsive. It's a fairly fast vehicle, which I appreciate. Not very roomie but that is to be expected in a coupe. Leather seats tend to wear out quickly.
accountCircle Nadir R
The swivel headlights really help at night.
My 2011 Volvo c30 really fits my needs to far! It is a fun and sporty little hatchback that you do not see many of today. Performance is more than enough for what I need, it is so far mechanically been very reliable apart from a few things. Comfort is nice but the r design suspension is a little stiff over some bumps. The features I have are very nice, especially the swivel headlights. Those really help out at night.
accountCircle Ashley H
The Volvo c30 is strikingly beautiful without sacrificing reliability.
My Volvo c30 has been very reliable over the years. The car is a 3 door: two doors and a hatchback. In the 7 years that I have owned it, I have not had a problem other than a dead battery once, which has little to do with the reliability of the vehicle itself. It has needed no repairs or part replacements. The performance is great. It has a 2. 5 liter, 5 cylinder transversely mounted turbo charged front (straight 5) engine that makes about 230 horsepower. The average mpg is 25 between the city and highways. While there is a little turbo lag, it has plenty of get up and go for a car weighing 2900 pounds. The unique design of the car grabs attention and I am always getting compliments on it. Mine is a rusty orange color, which I love and also makes it stand out. My particular model, the t5 r-design, is the highest trim level and has many nice features. It is very comfortable. The leather seats are plush and supportive. It has cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity for streaming music and handsfree calls while driving, electronically adjustable seats and mirrors, flashing brake lights, adjustable steering wheel, high quality sound system, keyless entry, and much more. My favorite feature of the car is the rather large moonroof that makes the small car feel very spacious. The car carries 4 people comfortably with enough space in the hatch to carry a weeks worth of groceries or gardening supplies home.
accountCircle Laura Williams-May
Great visibility if you are short
It is a very good choice if you are a small woman who wants a safe car. The visibility is better than any other car I have ever owned. ALso it is very quiet on the road an as everyone knows, the styling can't be beat. I haul huge objects in it without a problem as long as they are not too wide. You can fit a 10 foot ladder.
accountCircle Rachel R
Classy & sporty. Comfort and reliable.
I have never had a problem with the car, you need to pay attention on the highway as the get up and do is there and before you know it you are flying. The comfort of the car is excellent the seat just hug you and are very comfortable. Love the heated seats in the winter I use them and very seldom turn on the heat. Care gets excellent gas mileage and I love the fact that it tells me how many miles I have left on a tank of gas. Very pleased with the car and it looks sharp.
accountCircle Rachel P
2011 Volvo c30 t5 - manual transmission.
When I take it into get serviced, it is often expensive as the parts required are imported (such as windshield wipers, tail light housing, brake pads) due to the car company being based in Sweden. I have had the car since it was made in 2011, and I have replaced the battery twice since. It is completely reliable and very comfortable; it feels more luxurious since there are only two doors. The gas mileage could be better, and that is my only complaint. It gets roughly 32 mpg on highway, and closer to 25 mpg in the city. I like the sunroof, the ability to push the back row seats down, and of course that it is stick shift.
accountCircle Stephanie T
The car is sporty, but it's still practical for someone without a family.
Good car for 2 people, but not comfortable for more. Hatchback design fits a lot of stuff. Car handles great and is a comfortable ride.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Megan W
The vehicle is a Volvo from 2016 it is on the small side.
The car drives really smoothed it has proper safety measures. It is a little outdated being made almost 8 years ago and it has very little leg room. But it is a solid car. The seats are stiff but comfortable it is easy to put the seats down and the beeping to know when cars are near is very helpful. There haven't been many problems.
accountCircle Nathaniel R
A nice car to use everyday
Overall, the car is quite nice. Does what it needs to do and is very safe to use with its good quality materials
accountCircle Louis J
Issues with the cars make and lack of dealer support.
Brakes, starting issues car will sometimes not start, it appears to have a star switch issue been fixed three times. Called the dealer they will not fix it not under warranty. I will never buy another Volvo. The brakes on the car had to be replaced within 1 year. The shop stated the car had the wrong pads installed.
accountCircle Michelle L
Hatchback Volvo c30 great gas mileage.
It is a 2 door vehicle. Great for a single person or someone who has no children or bIg dogs. Gets great gas mileage and as long as you leave the back seats down has lots of space in the trunk. The back seats however do not leave a lot of room between the seats and front seats.

Volvo C30 Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
Base
227 HP 24 MPG 4 Seats
car
R-Design
227 HP 24 MPG 4 Seats
Photos may not match model

2011 Volvo C30 Owner Reviews

4.21
14 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 50%
4 stars 21%
3 stars 29%
2 stars 0%
1 star 0%
accountCircle Carol G on March 1, 2021
By performing basic maintenance, at 8 yrs & 122000 miles I have no issues.
I love my car. I bought it used in 2015. It had a lot of miles but I felt it was a good value. I have had no manufacturing issues at all. I live in the southwest desert so my environment has caused battery and dry rot issues but that is normal here. The only thing I don't like is the high cost of parts and repairs for this car. I hit a post and the headlight replacement is exorbitant. Looking at the engine compartment, I dread any major repairs because just getting to parts will be an involved process. A simple battery replacement involves removing various surrounding pieces. As long as you take care and maintain a Volvo, it is a safe, reliable vehicle.
accountCircle Rachel R on January 21, 2021
Classy & sporty. Comfort and reliable.
I have never had a problem with the car, you need to pay attention on the highway as the get up and do is there and before you know it you are flying. The comfort of the car is excellent the seat just hug you and are very comfortable. Love the heated seats in the winter I use them and very seldom turn on the heat. Care gets excellent gas mileage and I love the fact that it tells me how many miles I have left on a tank of gas. Very pleased with the car and it looks sharp.

Ranks #14 Luxury Small Cars by Owners

The 2011 Volvo C30 has an average owner rating of 4.25 out of 5 which ranks it #14 of 18 other Luxury Small Cars.

1
car
4.78
2
car
4.64
14
car
4.21

Ranks #4 Luxury Small Cars by Fuel Economy

The 2011 Volvo C30 has a combined MPG of 30 which ranks it #4 of 18 other Luxury Small Cars.

1
car
42 MPG
2
car
36 MPG
4
Tie
car
29 MPG

Is The 2011 Volvo C30 A Good Car?

Yes it is reliable, comfortable and fun to drive. The car is simple but high end feeling. I love to drive it
Katie B.
Good overall, it is small and compact car, sport with eco friendly features. It is good because it is a 4 seat car so there is more space
Jackie P.
Yes, very reliable. With standard maintenance I have had no issues. The weather here means lots of dead batteries though.
Joy T.

How Reliable Is The 2011 Volvo C30?

I have had issues with the battery, and key FOBS they seem to dye early, also the rear shocks went bad at 50000 miles
Laurie D.
Only had one problem and it was the radiator, it is a reliable car for us. We use the eco friendly option so the engine stops in red lights
Amanda F.
Yes it is reliable. Living in the desert Southwest, batteries die and hoses dry rot regularly. Otherwise no issues.
Madison J.

Is The 2011 Volvo C30 A Good Value?

It cost 18000 used same high but it is a Volvo and I was buying it for safety. It got great safety rating
Christina H.
The car has an average trade in value of $2500-$5000. If the car has lower miles it would be a great value.
Isabella O.

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test
(Not Rated)
*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety