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:

• 

  Volvo - 1998 Volvo S70
  By SA TX - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I really enjoy driving this car. It is fun. Have I hit 15 words, yet?

• 

  My S40 - 2004 Volvo S40
  By mhanny - October 16 - 10:00 am

  It is an excellent fun car to drive. It is comfortable and it has power out on the hiway. Its look is sleek and aerodynamic.

• 

  Zippy and sexy - 2004 Volvo C70
  By mrsK - October 16 - 10:00 am

  The Volvo C70 is a zippy, sexy, fun car to drive. It has pick-up and glides around curves. It feels sooo good with the top down. The interior is quite nice; the seats are very comfortable. The back seat even has ample room for two. Only negatives are the small trunk and the rear window when the top is up-- -hard to see out of.

• 

  Lake Tahoe Loves the Cross Country - 2004 Volvo XC70
  By Mama Bear - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Our Cross Country has been a true joy. There hasnt been one thing thats gone wrong or thats needed fixing. Our kids love the 3rd row seating and I love to drive! I had to drive 60 miles in 12 inch deep snow and it handled it with ease! My daughter slept through it all. Well done!

• 

  Fun and Safety, All in One Car - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By cobrien049 - October 16 - 10:00 am

  This car is a blast to drive - smooth, quiet, comfortable, with controls all in easy-to-use locations. Third row of seats, integrated booster seat and state-of-the-art safety features make this car very family-friendly. A convenient, sporty, yet sophisticated choice for the discriminating soccer mom.

• 

  My 03 XC/70 - 2003 Volvo XC70
  By VersitileTransport - October 14 - 10:00 am

  2nd owner, got the dealer history before I purchased...no major problems to start. Added heavy duty sways & end links (really helps handling), cool-air intake, chipped it, 3" down pipe, race-cat and 3" all the way back. Its now a fast, TURBO, versatile SUV. I can beat most any ricer before it get crazy and ride in style, haul my drums in any weather. SAFE! Flush your trans now, change oil every 3k, change timing belt, pinion gear oil. Do as much schedule maint. as you can yourself. Check underneath for leaks, dont ignore warning lights. Better yet get a code reader. Ive had my share of little PIA stuff but nothing I cant learn to handle. Stay away from the stealership!

• 

  Volvo Owner No More! - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By Edashcash - October 14 - 10:00 am

  When I first got the vehicle I loved it, but after having it for 2 + years, its not reliable..something is always wrong with it..had so much trouble with the Axles where it would shake rigourously 60-70 mph..the A/C stops blowing out consistently after 20 min..and when its on its too darn cold! The temp. gauge doesnt work so its either freezing or hot.

• 

  BLIS Problem - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By Steve Auyer - October 14 - 10:00 am

  After 3 trips to the dealer when they insisted the RH BLIS was working properly, I complained to VolvoCars USA in NJ. That got teir attention. The dealer kept the car for 2 days and finally diagnosed a failed RH BLIS camera. Their software showed no diagnostics so they insisted the camera was working properly. It was only after being pressured by VolvoCars USA that they took the time to find and repair the problem

• 

  A good find - 2004 Volvo S80
  By azsteve - October 14 - 1:46 am

  Having owned many cars in 30 years and many test drives of rentals during business trips I can say that this has been the best car value for me to date. The 2004 2.5T sedan seems to be a good reliable model year. I get 29 MPG average and cant believe the smooth power. Volvo did a perfect job matching the engine and transmission in this model. I have done ALL of my own auto repair and maintenance in past years including engine and transmission rebuilds. Knowing what I know I am very impressed with the build quality and engineering in this vehicle. I am very happy with the comfort, ride quality, climate control, and interior.

• 

  Wow! - 2005 Volvo V50
  By George - October 13 - 9:40 pm

  I dont think I could say too many good things about this car. My wife and I got the V50 to replace our old Jetta, which was turned into a dump truck during our home rehab. We have a very active lifestyle and wanted room for sailing, kayaking & backpacking as well as our future child & dog. The back accomidates all our stuff while being small enought to park in the city. We also wanted something eco friendly with good fuel econemy etc. The V50 is perfect.