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 Verity - 2014 Volvo S80
  By marshall burlingame - May 22 - 3:36 am

  A terrific car; attractive exterior, elegant but not overstuffed interior; controls are logical and strategically placed; very good handling for a non-sports car, very stable; very good excelleration in passing mode (300 horsepower turbo with AWD); leather, wood and all other materials are high grade; and with all this, a reassuring and obvious focus on safety (backup camera, blind spot warning and many other safety features).

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  C30 T5 6M - 2011 Volvo C30
  By cafepost - May 21 - 11:40 am

  I love love love this car. I do not understand why there are not more of these on the road. Ive only seen three. Its fast and so much fun to drive. Cute. Stylish. Comfortable. Affordable. Ive done Japanese. Ive done American. I wanted to do European this time and I did good by choosing this one.

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  Love this truck - 2007 Volvo XC90
  By Xavier - May 21 - 6:30 am

  I bought this car in January and what a treat to drive. Rides smoothly, it is super comfortable and it is super quiet on the highway. Mileage on the highway is phenomenal (better than my 4cyl Nissan Altima - not as good in the City but as good as a 6 cylinder sedan. The interior is better than most SUVs - far better than the X5 and the Cayenne. Test drive and compare - you will not be disappointed. Great value for the money.

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  Loving our safe and thrifty hybrid T8! - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By Franck - May 20 - 10:19 pm

  We already have a 2008 Volvo , which has been reliable and comfortable. So we had no qualms about purchasing such an upscale Volvo. The car is a joy to drive - the interior is an oasis of quiet refinement. We read reviews before road testing, so were anxious to try this SUV with and without the air suspension. I must say, the ride quality and auto lowering for ingress and egress with the air suspension are fantastic. We watched Youtube crash videos of the new XC90 and its competitors and came away convinced of Volvos class-leading safety. The new XC90 is packed with technology to improve safety and creature comforts, thus it took several weeks to learn all of our cars features.

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  2002 S60 T5 - 2002 Volvo S60
  By Pau - May 19 - 3:26 pm

  Great all-round performer. Have owned since new. Only to shop for basic maintenance except for recent A/C issue. Have owned Mercedes E Class and 5 series BMW that spent much more time for repairs. Go for the T5 or R model, just watch the torque steer. I never thought a Volvo could perform this well. At nearly 60000 miles it still runs strong as new.

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  Great Volvo - 2002 Volvo S40
  By northland - May 19 - 2:00 am

  A practical size car thats easy to manuver for the kids as they have started to drive and peace of mind for mom and dad when the kids go for a drive. Fit and finish good quality though not that of our S80, XC70 or previous Volvos. The safety features, layout, and feel very similar to our other Volvos. No problems to report on.

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  T5 Test Drive - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By dkrill - May 19 - 2:00 am

  Beautiful car with great engine, much better than T6 (too squishy on accel). Safety is priority, XC90 is tops. Layout excellent, as well. Neat tailgate/hatch feature. Very comfortable seating, better passenger comfort than many minivans/SUVs. Nice dash layout. Step bar/running board useless, though. Too hard to step over and into car; gets clothing dirty, especially in winter. Better off with aftermarket step. European pick-up is steal of century. ~$275 FOR TWO FOR FIVE NIGHTS, INCLUDING AIRFARE, HOTEL AND SHIPPING OF CAR. Price is same as US delivery, from what Ive found out so far.

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  Volvo S60 Deserves Consideration - 2002 Volvo S60
  By Pat Lam - May 19 - 2:00 am

  This car does not have the hard edge performance of its European competitors but if you want a balanced performance and excellent safety features this car deserves a test drive.

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  New to Me - 2006 Volvo S60
  By Annapolis John - May 16 - 2:00 am

  I did a lot of searching before buying this car. Ive owned a BMW 5-Series and a MB E500. The S60 competes very well, without the snob factor and high price. I bought a Certified Pre-Owned and it looks brand new! Cant beat the price and the warranty. The dealership is great, so far. Ill add another post after Ive had more experience with the car and dealer.

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  Extremely pleased owner - 1998 Volvo V70
  By Super v70GLT - May 15 - 12:30 am

  Great car inside and out. Very reilable vehicle with only standard maintenance items(e.g. brakes, tires). Excellent power plant and fun to drive - my wife loves it; she takes it on weekends and I get the minivan! Comfort, fuel economy, reliability, classic styling make this my favorite car so far . . . . though I still miss my 1986 760 Turbo wagon. One great car after another, and the walnut trim inside against the tan leather completes the look, comfort and feel of this great wagon. If I had to do it again, Id have bought this one sooner.