Help! C30 visibility vs. V50 -- need to know before I buy

[shiloh51933]

Hi folks,

I have a V50 that I love, but it's dying. I've found a C30 out of state that I'd like to get. Here's the problem--I've never even sat in one and I truly hate turning my head to the left to look before I merge and not being able to see well out of the back-seat's left side window. My husband has an XC90 and I would call his "turn around" visibility (between the B and C pillars) poor. There's just too much metal and not enough glass, and even the back of his seat is obstructive. My current V50 is fine--plenty of glass to look back through in the back passenger's window. My question for you C30 owners (because there's not a single C30 within a 300 miles of me that I can just sit in) is how is your turn-around side visibility? If you can compare it to the V50, even better. My concern is that the way the back of the C30 slopes in, the B and C pillars are so close together that the view is obstructed or small. I know this may sound crazy but it's truly the thing I hate most about the XC90, and like about my V50. If the C30 weren't so rare, I wouldn't have to travel 300 miles to sit in one before I buy it. Thank you so much for any help you can give me!!! I really appreciate it.
Jill

This is a little old but I hope u bought the C30, its a hatchback so it's not too bad as fas the blind spot is concerned. You really need to drive it yourself though, I'm kind of on the big side (6' 235lbs), so my opinion of view might be different than yours. Other than that there awesome little cars and if you like Volvo's you'll fall in love with it.