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:

• 

  Pretty Good - 1998 Volvo S70
  By Knac - April 10 - 4:46 pm

  Im a teen driver and this car has been a joy to drive. I have really no problems other than the back lightbulbs not working but it doesnt bother me at all. The S button is really a thrill, my car seems faster than some of the newer cars today.

• 

  S40 2.4i - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Jason - April 10 - 11:36 am

  Awesome little car, fun for 2 people, 4 is definitely a crowd though, unless your friends are small. the performance of the 2.4i just isnt there, but the T5 which I test drove is a blast, the 2.4i is great fun, but if youre a serious driver, get the T5 S40 or an S60R

• 

  I got the 1st one! - 2004 Volvo V70
  By Paul F - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I waited 6 months to get this baby. Dark grey with Atacama. No nav, 6-speed, integrated boosters sunroof, etc. At 220 miles the rear diff exploded and had to be taken out and shipped back to Sweden. Had bad front wheelspin (and wheelhop) for a few weeks before I had the guts to ask what the deal was. By that time the front tires were gone. Ugly. 3 weeks on the rack. Only R with that problem to date. Powers great, seen 130MPH. Traded in my 1999.5 Audi S6 Avant.

• 

  Fun but I wouldnt buy another one. - 2008 Volvo C70
  By Sue - April 3 - 4:23 pm

  I just discovered that this car has no spare tire. I was never informed it was an option. Who ever heard of such a thing? And Volvo is supposed to be so safety conscious. The interior storage space is terrible. Not even a road map fits in any of the side pockets. Is a cell phone supposed to fit in that little well on the seat divider? Whose?

• 

  Great car at 170k - 1998 Volvo S70
  By mulchie - March 31 - 2:14 pm

  Bought this car used, mint w/ 40k in 2005. Now, at 170k I am having my very first problems but they are minor. Replacement headlamp (deer) went rusty. Replacement radio antenna (car wash got the 1st) busted. All mechanics have been mint. Only time shes left me stranded was when a simple $40 item broke in the accelerator cable. Limped into a gas station and she was back on the road in an hour. Also the clutch got rough (5-speed manual). Replaced & now drives like a dream. Body remains mint despite New England winters. No rust anywhere. Drive is smooth. 30mph highway. 25 combined. Sticky buttons -yes- as others have said. I smeared brown paper napkins on them and that dried it out.

• 

  You should be warned - 1999 Volvo S80
  By Jon - March 27 - 1:06 am

  My wife and I had thought this was the car of the ages. We were looking forward to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd badge. As we approach the 1st badge(100K) we must again drive 120 miles to our neighborhood Volvo dealer to be told my control module computer is out(3rd one) and it will be $800 for est repairs and no the unit is not warranted. If you read the posts they speak for themselves. A great car to drive but a nightmare to own. Someone should be slapped for letting this thing out to the market place. I should have bought the Maxima at the time. I could have bought a new maxima this year with the money I would have saved over the last 6 years.

• 

  My Volvo - 2001 Volvo S60
  By 82airborne - March 23 - 3:11 pm

  I have to be honest I read some reviews and was quite in disbelief of the what people said. I just bought a used Volvo that has 217,854 miles on it and it runs perfect. Basically what it boils down to is that my car had 1 owner who bought the car in 2001. If you dont take care of your car it wont run 217,000 miles..period!. i want to hear stuff like the light bulbs are easy to fix but the housing is brittle so be careful. I dont want to hear "this transmission sucks i bought the car in 2001 owned it for 4 years and never changed the oil in it and it blew up..Worst engine Ever!" because then you sound dumb and I learn nothing....so thanks and no i dont work for volvo im in the army i work

• 

  For a Type R Personality - 2006 Volvo S60
  By mooser - March 17 - 4:07 pm

  In a matter of a second my fuel sipping, turbo spooling Saab, as well as my ego, plowed into a short bus. (Literally) A week later Saab went bust. After much deliberation, I picked up a 2006 S60R with a 100,000 warranty for $16k. This car is FAST and makes the noise of 1/2 a Lamborghini Gallardo. The adjustable suspension and stereo are amazing. This car does take some getting used to, however. I cannot start the engine without feeling as though it guzzled an 1/8th of a tank. The turning circle makes you think of Kirstie Alley trying to do gymnastics, when in a parking lot. Once you unleash it on the road however, all of that disappears as fast the cars in your rear view mirror.

• 

  OK Car - 1999 Volvo S70
  By bw626 - March 15 - 3:43 pm

  I bought this car used as a gas mileage car. It was almost ten years old with just over 100,000 miles when I bought it. Since then, the antenna broke, the door hinge broke, the power locks only work on the right rear door. The build quality is ok, but the materials are cheap. The dash is really squeaky and there are a lot of rattles. I like the safety ratings, fuel economy but everything else is just okay. Out of five stars, I give this car a 2.5. Would I buy another Volvo? Maybe a new one.

• 

  Volvo V50 New Review - 2005 Volvo V50
  By BWB - March 14 - 10:56 pm

  We purchased this car after looking at a lot of competitive cars. We liked the minimalist design but full featured interior. After 1 extended trip of 1700 miles in a weekend, we found the car to be economical, comfortable and very stable. We are very happy purchasers of the car.