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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  Volvo 850R Wagon - 1996 Volvo 850
  By fezzik - May 4 - 2:00 am

  We bought our R Wagon used with 49K miles. After looking for Volvo turbo and non wagons, the R was a find. I figured if we were going to drive a wagon, it would be a bad ass one. Only complaint are amount of rattles which cannot completely be blamed on wheel and tire package as other Volvos in our family were known to rattle. Its blast to drive around and a great highway cruiser. Passes at the blip of the throttle, brakes are strong and handles like its smaller and lighter than it is.

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  Nice car - Wish I got the Turbo - 1998 Volvo S70
  By The Rocket - May 2 - 10:00 am

  One word..Slow. My daughters Beetle Turbo and wifes Honda Pilot will eat this car for lunch on performance. The headlight problem was fixed on recall years ago. Front door panels replaced at no charge, should have had the backs done too. Other than that this car has been flawless. Ren 35lbs. in the tires and your treadlife will double.

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  S40 Makes a middle-aged dad happy! - 2003 Volvo S40
  By jefwfunk - April 30 - 2:00 am

  The turbo as standard equipment on this car really makes it an attractive sporty option for someone who doesnt want a Taurus or Camry. With two young kids I need a 4 door and the airbag cagte really encourages me that safety will be paramount. Combine that with the zippy way she handles and the smoothness of the ride at speed and I couldnt have done better for $10k more. Best of all, both girls are always asking me to "Open the roof, Daddy!"

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  I love wagons - 2008 Volvo V50
  By volleygasm - April 23 - 10:53 am

  I am a wagon lover and living in the US severely limits your choices. I purchased this V50 as a certified preowned from a local dealer. The dealership is not my favorite but the price was pretty good and the certified warranty added extra safety. The ride in dry conditions is good, the cabin is very quite, the sound system is very good although my car lacks the bluetooth and ipod controls which would have been a nice add-on. I guess thats the price you pay for buying used. The one thing I do not like about this car is the winter handling. I did not purchase the AWD and coming from Subaru this is a HUGE disappointment.

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  Beautiful but Unreliable - 1999 Volvo S80
  By Byron Elliott - April 18 - 10:00 am

  I must preface my comments by saying that this is a beautiful, fun car to drive. It has been a maintenance nightmare, however. Multiple systems have required repair; Leaking radiator, broken motor mounts (2), power steering cylinder failure, leaking turbo oil lines, faulty battery, computer problems, exterior lights falling out - to list a few. Low profile tires should be avoided on this heavy car. -Potholes will bubble the sidewalls even at low speeds. We will certainly avoid Volvos in the future after this experience.

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  Great car with a few faults. - 2000 Volvo V40
  By JOrange - April 16 - 3:36 am

  Our v40 now has 65,000 miles on it. The headlights do burn out about once a year as they are always running. Small price to pay for the increased saftey. The car is fun to drive, quite fast, TONS of room and built like a tank. If safety is a concern this is a good car.

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  Not your fathers Volvo - 2001 Volvo S60
  By Will - April 16 - 1:03 am

  I must say that this car is total junk. At 60,000 miles the transmission needed to be rebuilt, cost: $2,700. Strut mounts, control arm bushings, alternator, 3 engine mounts, 2 door locks went bad. Bulbs go out at least once ever 2 weeks. Has an annoying idle issue that is recurring and is attributed to dirt on the throttle body. Strange rattles and noises. DANGEROUSLY wide turning radius. I am VERY, VERY, disappointed with the build quality of Volvo.

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  Love it when it works! - 2000 Volvo V70
  By jeffnallyg - April 13 - 6:06 pm

  I bought this car two years ago, and have spent in excess of $3000 on repairs!! I love the car, the way it looks, and the safety features. However, I never know what is going to fail next. We purchased a Volvo because of their excellent reputation, or so we thought. The transmission, ABS module, just to name a few major failures. If your ABS module fails search Victor Rocha volvo on google. Highly recommended, and saved us over $1000!

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  From Texas - 2001 Volvo V40
  By used v40 - April 11 - 2:00 am

  USED 2001 V40 with 41580 miles to start. The looks are showroom quality. It has a loud deep bass hum the VOLVO tech said "thats how it sounds." I drove from TEXAS to NYC. 1800 miles in 2 days thats 30 hours not incld stops for food, the toilet and gas. No problem for me, but the car? The V40 great. Smooth ride on the freeway, sport like on the city interchanges and streets. Stopped 7 times, 55 gallons of gas and actually drove 1900.2 miles. I avg 70 mph and 34.6 mpg, not bad for any car. I am not the "a button for eveything" type. The interior is plain, many of the "buttons" are muti-functional. The trunk is spacious for a compact wagon.

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  Great cruiser, but starti/stopping? - 1999 Volvo S80
  By Coats - April 11 - 2:00 am

  Beautiful inside and out and great highway power but has PLENTY of quirks. Worst of which is the front wheel drive/traction control. When you try to accelerate on anything but perfect pavement and in a straight line, it kicks in VERY abruptly. Transmission gets confused, clunks on some downshifts. AC controls are more confusing than ever. How hard is it to design this? Ditto for the Windows. Bought "certified" from the dealer. Paid a premium for this but feel I need it with the complexities of the turbo/transmission. Hope it is as reliable as my old 740 Turbo which I had for 10 years trouble free.