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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  Ignore the Complainers, its Great!!! - 2000 Volvo S80
  By Dan_Carlson - November 8 - 2:00 am

  Its true what they say, only the ones with problems are the ones who speak up! I purchased my 2000 S80 shortly after an associate of mine bought his. I now have about 87,000 miles on mine and not an ounce of trouble. A recall was preformed at no charge and Volvo did the free software upgrade. After reading some of these reviews, I contacted my associate to ask him about his. He remembers one repair under warranty but believes it might have just been a recall. Overall, he said the reliability has been superb! He owns the 2.9 and mine is a T6. Compared to my previous BMWs, this car has been absolutely wonderful! I recommend this car to anyone!

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  Our second XC - 2004 Volvo XC70
  By 01XC/Volvo forever - November 8 - 2:00 am

  My wife bought a new Cross Country in 1999, it now has 67,000 miles on it. I liked it so much I bought a new one in 2001, which now has 38,000 miles. Initial purchase price on these cars was more than we were used to paying for a car. However, they are absolutely the best cars we have ever owned. No problems whatsoever. I believe that they are a bargain. Factoring in safety, comfort, performance and build quality, there is nothing else made that comes close. We have taken 4 trips to Florida, 3000 miles round trip each time. These cars are excellent long distance cruisers.

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  Dashboard problems - 1999 Volvo S70
  By Disappointed - November 7 - 2:50 pm

  The dashboard began making loud noises. Dealership informed me that dash has come loose from firewall and needs to be replaced because when screws came loose it broke the clips holding it on. New dash is $2k w/o labor. Volvo has this same issue in 1997 and 1998 models and will not do anything about it. Volvo told me that if it happened within the manufacturer warranty (4yrs) they would have covered it. Extended warranty does not cover it because it is a structural defect. I purchased a Volvo for safety and for the long term. They dont make them like they used to.

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  worst investment Ive ever made - 2000 Volvo S40
  By never_again5 - November 7 - 1:15 pm

  I have had this car for 3 and 1/2 years and I have spent at least 5k on repairs. I bought it for about $3,800. I have nothing but problems from day one. Ive had the engine rebuilt (blown head gasket), which was the most expensive. Had a massive oil leak, which took my mechanic boyfriend countless hours and dollars trying to fix. That was fixed... then on to the rest of the problems. Now, my favorite issue is that it revs when in drive, park, or neutral. It accelerates and decelerates all by it self if my foot isnt on the gas pedal. How fun! I dont have enough room to go over all of the problems Ive had but Ive been so sad about it. The car is so cute and I love the turbo but just awful.

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  Pure Service, not reliable - 2000 Volvo S40
  By ypod - November 7 - 10:00 am

  All I have with thia car are just problems, especially brakes.

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  Wait Until It Gets Older.. - 2007 Volvo S40
  By gadawg89742 - November 5 - 8:07 am

  I have been very disappointed with this car. Ive had my S40 for 4 years now. Wait a few years and your AC compressor WILL go out. My friend and I got our S40s, brand new, within a week of each other and both of our AC compressors went out in the same month 4 years later. The quality over time is just not there with Volvo anymore. So I hope all you people who just got your S40s are ready to shell out a few thousand dollars in the next year. Ill be getting a Toyota...

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  Transmission Problems with the S60?? - 2001 Volvo S60
  By Toc - November 4 - 10:00 am

  We have been relatively satisfied with our S60 but have noticed that the transmission slips from time to time (it seems as if it shifts into neutral for a few seconds and there appears to be no pattern to this problem). We have been to the dealership 3 times for this issue but they were "not able to replicate the problem." At the dealership, there were 3 other customers with S60s and they were all there for transmission problems. Is this a common problem with the S60s?

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  Warning: Read this BEFORE you buy - 2004 Volvo XC70
  By ssears - November 4 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a new 2003 Volvo. Had problems within months of owning it. First it was the keyless entry, then the emissions light, then the dome light when on when driving over a bump in the road. The last straw was an oil pan leak and engine problems. For spending $40K, this car was a piece of junk. I traded it for what I have always know to be reliable a Honda!

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  Love my V70 XC - 2004 Volvo XC70
  By LuvMyXC - November 4 - 10:00 am

  This is the third Volvo that we have owned and is by far the favorite of all three. I dont think I will ever buy anything else but a Volvo, if for nothing else the safety features. I drive a very crazy, interstate highway everyday and its nice to know that should I be involved in a serious accident, there is a high probability that I will survive it. Although not a "luxury car" there are enough really nice features on the V70XC to make it comfortable and a dream to drive. I average around 22 mpg and use ONLY 93 octane fuel. So far, we have experienced absolutley no problems with this car and couldnt be happier with our purchase. 5 stars for Volvo!

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  pimpit - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By xc90pimp - November 4 - 10:00 am

  This SUV is awesome. It definitely is in a class of its own. The style is like no other. It doesnt have that blocky US SUV feel. The ride is the smoothest. Interior lacks a little in the leg room when talking about the second row. But hey the seats are plush and comfortable. And as alwyas all of the safety features are well ahead of other SUVs.