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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  Suspension and tire woes - 2006 Volvo C70
  By "Tired" Out - February 17 - 11:53 pm

  Wonderful to look at, and fun to drive, but a disaster on tire wear. Dealer states that suspension is designed for high speed driving, so tire wear will be an issue. Originals wore out at 14000, and this set will be about the same. Dealer suggests going with H rated tires for better wear, but they arent authorized to put them on. Im thinking a trade is in the near future. Hate to do it, because I love the car, but $1000 + for tires every 14000 miles is no good. Local tire dealer says the suspension system (camber) is not adjustable, so Im stuck. Beware and watch for tire cupping.

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  So Close... - 2006 Volvo V50
  By David J Hayden - February 15 - 7:53 am

  So close on design execution. Beautiful lines on the outside, and for the most part elegant design inside. Power is surprisingly good, and the handling not bad, though not as tight as my VW; it doesnt feel quite as "glued" to the road, at faster speeds gives the impression that it might leap off the payment. Some minor build quality issues though nothing major. Falls down a little on ergonomics -- the center console is all digital and impossible to operate (radio, climate control) with your eyes on the road -- no tactile feedback. The bigger issue is the spacing of the pedals -- my size 11 feet get jammed between the accelerator and the brake! Overall though a great car.

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  Nothing but expensive problems - 1999 Volvo S80
  By Mariaelena - February 12 - 3:53 pm

  I loved the looks and comfort of this car and felt confident in spending the extra money because it was a Volvo. Much to my expense, I wasnt informed that this model is Volvos nightmare ( ask any Volvo service person). It had multiple problems with the window mechanisms, a faulty steering rack, an extremely costly throttle problem, an ABS computer sensor defect and the list goes on. Now Ive finally had it and am steering clear of all Volvos made by Ford!

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  Expensive junk! - 2001 Volvo S60
  By scott - February 9 - 10:06 am

  Do not be seduced by the wonderful design and comfort of the 01 S60- it is a complete piece of junk! Transmission has failed, the interior is falling apart, front suspension is garbage (I have spent almost $4000 in front suspension repairs alone). This car is a money pit. And I only have 82,000 miles on it! I am done with it, and cant even sell it, so there it sits in my backyard collecting spiders. Do yourself a favor, buy the BMW 5 series instead, I should have!

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  Tire Problems - 2005 Volvo S60
  By Schulmani - February 2 - 1:53 pm

  I purchased my 05 R certified with 25k miles and loved it until I had to replace all four high performance summer tires (it was covered by certification) then again 2k miles later (not covered by certification). Ugh! So buyer beware the sensitivity of the front suspension and tire wear. Other than that this is a great car - under the radar and superfast. Great performance with volvo safety - if only it was more reliable.

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  Good car but a little disappointed - 2006 Volvo S80
  By JEdl - January 31 - 5:23 pm

  The car is fun to drive and nice to look at but the quality of the interior is a bit poor especially the leather seats which tend to wear quicker than most other vehicles with leather trim. Volvo could pay better attention to maintaining their reputation of producing a quality vehicle. Reliability rate low for this model due to transmission noise when shifting from park to reverse

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  Great Ride, Poor Interior Quality - 1999 Volvo V70
  By BigDave - January 28 - 1:16 am

  I bought this with 40,000 miles. With the exception of the AWD axle blowing ($2200) I have had no serious mechanical problems. Burns oil and the brakes are very expensive ($900 for all 4) to replace. The interior has fallen apart from day one. 3 interior panels keep breaking clips and the back hatch panel has never stayed attached even after replacing the clips. Volvo is a good car mechanically and ergonomically, but it feels like Fords traditionally poor quality interior. Leather is extremely cracked and many electronic annoyances.

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  First Luxury SUV - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By pdamski - January 20 - 10:00 am

  This is my wife and my first entry into the luxury SUV market. We have really enjoyed the ride, luxury, and utility of the XC 90. I have taken the Volvo "Drive For Life" class and now feel like we have one of the safest vehicles on the road today. With gas prices climbing, the average mpg is a concern. I also own a Toyota Prius, which is my commuter car. We will always choose the XC 90 for longer trips, gas prices be damned.

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  First car - 2002 Volvo S60
  By mostar94 - January 18 - 4:00 pm

  This was my first car, and sadly had to be ruined by a rear ender :( Overall great car, great safety features, good performance. The only downside I can see is being somewhat pricey when I first bought it (2007), as well as a boring and somewhat small interior. Overall great car, you will be missed bud!

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  Overnight Test Drive & Still thinking - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By Bob B - January 16 - 11:25 pm

  Ill put it this way, the wife loved this car. we currently have a GL450 and its aging and getting to be time to change. Our dealer was nice enough to give us a Inscription for an over night test drive. We found the performance better then what I have read in many reviews, though the comfort in the seats was ok. Im sure there are plenty of settings that we could play with to adjust the seats. While driving, the wife found operating the radio and climate was a little cumbersome due to the ipad like technology. Again, something to get used to and we were new to the car. Ride quality and steering was very nice, but the funny thing is my wife picked up on the tiny steering wheel as compared to her GL. Over all though, the car seemed fantastic and its still in consideration. Our only, and its probably minor to so many out there, is the climate package on the Inscription. This gives you the heated windshield which would take some getting used to. For me it was like looking out a screen door with all the vertical wires running through the glass. Again, not a deal breaker, just something to get used to.