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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  Reasonably good vehicle - 2000 Volvo S40
  By ralrog - February 7 - 10:16 pm

  Weve put 150k miles on the car since it was new and have had a good experience overall. Good gas mileage, comfortable, and swallows a lot of luggage for a car this size. Problems have been the usual complaints for these cars - arm rest broke at 100k, cup holder jammed, and many headlight bulbs. Ive gotten really good at replacing them. No major problems. Currently have an intermittent starting problem that our local dealer doent seem to be able to fix. I usually wont buy a car the first year its made but this one fit our requirements so closely I decided to go ahead. A few early problems but a couple of software updates and it settled down. Good service, good car.

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  Such a dissappointment - 2006 Volvo S40
  By Bethanyraina - February 5 - 1:13 am

  I was so excited when I bought this car. I have always wanted a volvo and did my research on what a great car this was supposed to be. I have had nothing but problems since I bought it. First the air didnt work, then the side mirrors wouldnt work. Then the AC didnt work again. At least all of that was covered by warranty. Now, after 4 years and no warranty, the entire electrical system is failing, telling me the air bags will deploy, brakes dont work, its locked me in and out of the car numerous times, alarm goes off for no reason. It will cost me close to 3k to fix. This shouldnt happen after four years. Very disappointed, and will never buy a volvo ever again.

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  XC70 Electrical Problems - 2003 Volvo XC70
  By Deb - February 2 - 8:23 am

  What a dissapiontment! This car has been in the shop 6 times in the two years Ive had it for electrical problems around the SRS airbag system and the DIM. I got it at 46k. It was at the dealers for 5 weeks last month. Dx: "We dont know whats wrong with your car. But, we got the SRS warning light to go out for you!" I have no confidence in the car or the dealer at this point. Plan to trade it in and get another Honda. Also, the dealer cannot seem to decide if synthetic oil is the best choice. They have used both. Do not get your fingertips in the way of the front doors during closure. Amputation risk!

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  Great car - 2004 Volvo S40
  By Joseph Agiato - February 1 - 3:53 pm

  My wife and I think this is one of the best cars we have ever owned.

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  Swedish Army Knife of Vehicles - 2005 Volvo XC70
  By ljmiii - January 31 - 7:46 am

  The XC70 is a great all purpose vehicle. It is fast and nimble on dry surfaces and has great traction in poor weather. It seats four *very* comfortably. The rear storage space is ample. In short, if you want a vehicle that can do everything fairly well this is the car for you.

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  good car, if you get one cheap - 2000 Volvo S80
  By connor - January 28 - 9:13 am

  well it is a good car, but the fuel economy could improve, i average 19, and 25 on a long trip. the build quality is okay, could improve.

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  ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS - 1998 Volvo S70
  By LAMBERT100 - January 27 - 10:00 am

  The S70 has many electrical problems, some minor and some major. Alternator went at 60,000 and both back door locks at 54,000 and 74,000 respectively. Transmission is showing serious wear and is not easy to change fluid. Many light bulb problems are there every 10,000 miles. We have a Vovo 760 with 190,000 miles and problems have been few , especially considering how much harder the 760 was driven.

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  A reliable car that I want to like more than I do - 2011 Volvo XC60
  By mihali129 - January 25 - 10:12 pm

  I leased this car beginning in 2011 and it seemed like a perfect match for me. I wanted an SUV as I need to get to work in even the worst weather conditions. This is my first Swedish car after years of driving German and Japanese makes. The ride itself is firm. The acceleration is excellent with the T6. The XC60s only driving quirk that bothers me is that it has a very peculiar tight turn radius. Thats fine if you want to make a U-turn in tight space but it actually takes care not to over-steer when parking. The seats are remarkably comfortable in front and back and that cargo space is good. The electronics and build quality of interior materials leave something to be desired.

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  A Premium Crossover that wont break the bank - 2016 Volvo XC60
  By Blaupunkt - January 23 - 2:10 am

  THE GOOD: Competitive pricing, ample cargo space, reliability no issues, nice design, fast shifting 8-Speed Aisin automatic transmission, fit and finish, real leather seats, adaptive display easy to read speed and tachometer, relative quietness, panoramic sunroof, low maintenance cost, regular (87 Octane) fuel, satisfactory handling, little to no turbo lag, quick throttle response in sport mode. THE BAD: Fuel economy not on par with EPA (c/h/m 22/29/24 vs reality 20/24.5/21.3), no ventilated seats available, no sync button for dual zone climate control, short-life wipers, cumbersome and un-intuitive infotainment system, intrusive start/stop system, torque steer and frequent tire spinning with FWD (AWD offers much better handling especially at full throttle from standstill), two stage door opening when locked, some door panel and city safety device rattle. THE UGLY: Raspy and unrefined 4 cylinder engine (especially at higher RPMs where the engine sounds like a turbo-diesel), engine clatter at idle, ordinary ride quality not on par with a premium crossover, clunky transmission, odd lurches from a standstill and sometimes at parking lot speeds. THE VEREDICT: A good value proposition, well planned with the need of some fine tunning in a competitive market segment. Albeit, if you are looking for more refined vehicle manners in terms of engine note (6 cyl Acura RDX) and ride quality (Lexus NX, Mercedes GLC) or engaging driving experience (Porsche Macan, BMW X3, Jaguar F-Pace, Audi Q5) you will probably have to disburse thousands of dollars extra.

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  Stylish, Clever, Fun, Safe - 2001 Volvo V70
  By BHL220 - January 16 - 10:16 am

  I love my V70 2.4 Turbo. The clever packaging, stylish looks, great handling and fun to drive factor. Not to forget that Im not embarrassed to drive a wagon since it looks sporty and more upscale than most grocery getters. Reliability? Running great at 131K w/ some problems along the way. But cmon, this is no Honda/Yota. My Benz that cost 2x as much has 2x the issues and my new BMW has been in the shop more than not, and like my V70, is a first year production model. If reliability is top priority over form, fun and function then go Japanese. Maintain these cars and they last forever, not without faults though. Swede love.