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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  Not as nice as the price - 2009 Volvo S80
  By dino k. - March 17 - 10:23 pm

  I compared this Volvo to a Buick Lucerne w/a Northstar V-8 & found its mileage substantially less & ride much harsher. Trim is very stately & exterior is very stylish. Good trunk room & overall quality very good but the vehicle is a step below the Buick in ride & performance, especially the lower mileage was a surprise.

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  Pleased, but need excitement - 2001 Volvo S80
  By Jan - March 17 - 2:00 am

  Dont let the title fool you, I have had a very good experience with this car. It is a bit sluggish of the mark. Handles very well, a good sport tire is critical. Its styling is "old" for me. I also see many older women driving these cars. Not that there is anything wrong with older women, I prefer a more stylish car that is more aggressive. Improve the cup holders in the front seats.

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  Drives likes a truck - 2001 Volvo S40
  By juanag - March 17 - 2:00 am

  Handling: choppy, bumpy ride. Have to hang onto the wheel in curves to keep it tracking. Reliability: one check engine incident. Rear brakes needed relining after 8,000 miles. Stopping distance is not that great, either. Dealer took 2 years to fix malfunctioning drivers window!

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  Could be better - 2002 Volvo S60
  By pjw - March 15 - 3:26 am

  I bought Volvo primarily for the safety features. However, Ive had several disappointing occurrences with performance. The transmission slips from time to time. The door locks are constantly out of sync. I made 4 trips to the dealer for warning lights about the engine without resolution until a recall solved the problem. I expected a more luxurious interior/panel for the price. The buttons, knobs on the panel look cheap - my compromise for safety. Im in the market for a new car and wont be a repeat Volvo customer.

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  C70...Thumbs up! - 2002 Volvo C70
  By C70...I like! - March 12 - 10:00 am

  Overall the best car for the money. I thought Volvos were boring until I drove this car. The seats and driving comfort are so nice especially compared to the BMW 3-Series...firm yet soft. I find the controls on the BMW small but the C70 is very straight forward. The only down side to this car is the lack of shifting ability for the automatic compared to others but do yourself a favor leave it 3- gear on some back roads and let the turbo rev like it should! I must mention that the torque-pull is strong if you have a heavy foot...thats ok Ill take the power.

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  first and last volvo - 2001 Volvo S80
  By first and last volvo - March 12 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I loved the bang for the buck on this vehicle. While not as luxurious as Mercedes C-Class it is larger and less expensive. A better value then the BWM 5 series and Audi A6 as well. I love driving the car when it is not in the shop! Fifty days and counting in the first 27 months of ownership!!! Lets see ... the seat & mirror memory goes crazy (6 visits and counting), the sunroof wont stay sealed (3 visits), the FM and AM reception is poor (2 visits), several headlamps have burned out, strut mounts, a few misc. items, and by the way engine pinging under a load is appairently "normal" even when using the recommended high octane fuel.

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  Volvo: solid with exceptions - 1999 Volvo S70
  By bilbyjg - March 12 - 12:40 am

  Adequate power. Pleasing engine sound. 30 mpg highway, 24 city. Very comfortable. Chintzy cupholders. Bottom of dash beginning to tear off; did a DIY with some tape and glue. Otherwise fairly solid interior. Leather seats remain in beautiful shape. Good storage space with seats forward. Beautiful styling, reminds me of the better VWs. Outstanding handling, good in emergencies. Multiple sensor malfunctions - ABS, TRACs, BRAKE light, Check Engine, Transmission, ETS (accompanied with revving engine @ idle). Have learned to ignore the less dangerous (e.g. the amber ones), as it is an older car. Very happy if youre willing to see past some of the quirks.

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  truely a volvo! - 1998 Volvo V70
  By XC lover - March 6 - 10:56 am

  I love my XC. Has there been some issues not that Couldnt have been prevented. people Complain about the tires. honestly its AWD you MUST ROTATE THEM EVERY 5K other wise they wear uneven and cause strain on the AWD system! Breaks. its a volvo thing they tend to go through break pads. but if you Change the oil every 5k have tune ups done with OEM parts these cars will keep going! I have 122k now and have no issues, I also have another one that has 236k that i use for camping trips cus it has dents and dings oh and the whole going trough head light bulbs is easy fix just turn the daytime running lights off!

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  Comments - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By RM - March 6 - 8:13 am

  Love this car.

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  Watch out after warranty. - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Mixed Feelings - March 1 - 8:33 pm

  I bought a demo with 6000 miles. Just after the warranty ran out I had to replace the oil filter assembly. Then I had to replace the sensor that controls the valve timing. Total cost: over $1000. Software is buggy after many "upgrades" under warranty. Clock resets itself. Stereo will refuse to play, but will come back on its own the next day. Bad idea to mix the entertaiment system with the car computer. No way to add aftermarket gear - such as an iPod (use FM they say - doesnt really work well at all). Advice? Buy a Honda.