Overview & Reviews

Swedish-born Volvo has long been a forerunner in safety research, and its vehicles have the crash test scores to prove it. These days, the brand has improved its offerings by crafting vehicles that also offer generous amounts of style and performance.

In Latin, the word "Volvo" means "I roll." Volvo cars have been rolling ever since 1927, when the first vehicle (nicknamed "Jakob") was produced in the city of Gothenburg. The company's founders, Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larsson, put an emphasis on safety, and that dictum still holds true today. The Jakob was joined by the six-cylinder PV651 in 1929, and by 1931, more than 10,000 Volvos had been produced.

Postwar, Volvo unveiled one of its biggest successes, the PV444. By the 1950s, Volvo had begun exporting cars to the U.S., and the PV444 — with its compact size and stylish looks — helped the manufacturer quickly make a name for itself in its new territory. The decade also saw Volvo building on its reputation for being a vanguard in the area of safety; it was the first manufacturer to make vehicles with a three-point safety belt.

The 1960s saw the launch of a new Volvo sports car, the P1800. The car's sculpted good looks helped earn it celebrity status when it was featured on the long-running TV series The Saint, with Roger Moore behind the wheel. Safety features grew more advanced during this decade and Volvo was again at the forefront of the action, offering features such as padded dashboards and energy-resistant crumple zones in front and rear.

Volvo distinguished itself as the exclusive home to a number of valuable new technologies during the 1970s. If you were looking for safety features such as childproof locks, collapsible steering columns and rear-facing child seats during this decade, you'd only find them in a Volvo.

Like BMWs and Saabs, Volvos became an American "yuppie" favorite during the 1980s. The company proved its technological know-how wasn't just limited to safety when it rolled out its first turbocharged car. By the end of the decade, Volvo had unveiled new models like the front-wheel-drive 480 hatchback (for Europe) and the Italian-designed 780 coupe.

In the early '90s, Volvo launched the 850. The car was Volvo's first front-wheel-drive executive car, and teamed performance with the company's trademark attention to safety. The decade also saw Volvo rolling out new models like the S40 and C70 — cars that updated the automaker's boxy image with a more rounded, sculpted aesthetic. The company became part of the Ford family when it was acquired by the automaker in 1998. Ford helped Volvo financially, while Volvo provided Ford with new safety technologies and car platforms. Due to Ford's financial troubles during the American recession, however, Ford sold Volvo to the Chinese automaker Geely in 2010.

It's unknown how Volvo's new owner will guide the brand long term, but chances are Volvo will continue to offer sedans, coupes and SUVs known for their combination of safety and driving excitement.

User Reviews:

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  Sad - 2000 Volvo C70
  By Marc - August 11 - 1:13 am

  I love this car, I grew up driving a Mercedes and BMW I fell in love with my v70 wagon as an adult but sadly its been nothing but one problem after another.its zippy fast with the turbo but just doesnt hold up.repairs ate very expensive.volvo has lost a good customer

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  Very disappointed - 2004 Volvo S80
  By Ken - December 29 - 11:03 am

  After extensive research, we picked the 2004 Volvo S80 cause it seemed reliable and comfortable for my height - 66". Only the 2004-2006 models could I fit in. Since we bought the car from dealership, weve had it in for service 5 times and after the last service where they couldnt fix the acclerating problem when braking, weve decided to cut our losses and find another vehicle. Other problems included seat belt squeaking, windshield wiper timer, headlight adjustment, brakes, and more. Disappointed the car turned out to be lemon.

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  well.... - 2004 Volvo C70
  By Nano - December 24 - 10:00 am

  2 problems within 6 months after purchase of a new car. speed meter stuck at 60miles/hr and never moved. head light was burn out. ruttles at hundle when driving slow

• 

  be careful - 1999 Volvo S70
  By neilk - December 22 - 10:00 am

  Had it for 3.5 yrs.Problems initially- generally not taken care of to satisfaction first time.Note somesort of a silent recall for ignition sensor problem-2weeks in shopfor parts- suspension problem had to get worse before experts figured it out ,never mind the mis alignment wear("mntnc") item-bulbs burn out far too quickly ("not engnr problem-bright lights for safety is the cause")-steerig wheeel "paint runs under hot" midwest" sun replaced once now again but no warranty.

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  Must read - S40 - 2001 Volvo S40
  By 2001 S40 - November 24 - 2:03 am

  I purchased this car in 2001 - my first new car! Since that time, I have replaced brake pads front and back each year since ownership. My check engine light continues to come on and no one can figure out why. Other repairs include fuel pump, rotors, every light bulb in car, thermostat, fuses and other minor things. I purchased this car for safety and my concern now is that with all of the repairs that I have made (most of them on-road surprises), that this car actually compromises the safety of the driver - not protects it.

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  Didnt know how bad - 2000 Volvo S80
  By murfslaw - November 16 - 11:40 am

  This car has been a maintanence nightmare. A lot of warranty repairs to suspension and drive train. 12K mile interval between brake jobs. My cost of maintainence has been $187/month since I bought the car...not including gas.

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  If you buy an S40 get the Turbo! - 2009 Volvo S40
  By engrgrad - October 13 - 1:23 pm

  This is my first Volvo after owning a V6 Honda Accord. I find the non-turbo very underpowered and an overall disappointment. Passing vehicles almost always requires the use of the auto-stick. Seats become uncomfortable after long drives and climate control is very difficult to regulate. I would recommend that you thoroughly investigate performance prior to purchasing

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  This car is a nightmare - 1997 Volvo 960
  By fredism - October 4 - 2:00 am

  I have repaired this car like I was made out of money. The sunroof repaired 4 times. Brakes every 20000 miles, This car cost me 2500 a year to repair. The engine and tranny worked fine. It was millions of little things like oil leaks. air conditioner. I would never buy another Volvo in my life.

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  Volvo safe because its in the shop - 2000 Volvo S40
  By Myvolvosucks - September 27 - 10:00 am

  My Volvo S 40 has been in the shop 5 times since I purchased it. First the right light bulb blew out due to a short then the left bulb same reason. Then the rear molding fell off the trunk which caused the trunk to get stuck. One leak in the engines seal, fixed it then another leak in the turbos seal. Plus things keep popping off on the dash. Im also not impress with the ride my pickup rides more comfortable. Some times when the sunroof is opened the wind deflector begins to flutter and makes a terrible noise.

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  Buyer Beware!!! - 2002 Volvo V70
  By Tim - September 26 - 10:16 pm

  We bought this car with 32k miles on it in 2004. We bought a certified pre- owned Volvo which extended the warranty to 100,000 miles. It cost $1,500 extra (at least thats what the dealer said). Im glad that we got the extended warranty because we needed it approximately 12-15 times in 3 years of ownership for major repairs. Ive never had so many problems with any car that Ive ever owned. Most of the problems were related to vaious sensors on the car and the car went into sort of a limp mode on 2 or 3 occasions which reallty caused a lot of worry about getting stranded on the side of the road. We got rid of it and bought a new Toyota Sienna. Volvo is by far the worst car Ive ever owned.