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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  A great next generation Volvo wagon - 2005 Volvo V50
  By Peter Tang - August 4 - 10:00 am

  Have it for less than 3 weeks and put 800km on it already. Very stable on highway and could be real fast in cornering. Handling is good too. Solid doors and B-pillars (certainly with lots of safety features too) make you feel safe and confident while driving. A modern and roomy interior with ergonomics in mind. Exterior dimension is just right for city driving and tight parking space.

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  Slow Gaz guzzler - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Gatesbuster - August 4 - 10:00 am

  Good looking truck or turtle should I say even with the big engine T6. Performance are awful as well as gas mileage (14 mpg). This is my wifes car and choice and she traded in a bmw x5 with V8 which had better gas mileage (17.5 mpg)I still dont understand why she wanted to trade for this vehicle other than the 3rd seat, good looks and waspie north eastern trend

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  Great car for low price - 2004 Volvo S80
  By Lince - August 4 - 9:33 am

  This is my 3rd Volvo over the years and I would say this is the best so far. Great design in and out. Enough room for 4 adults . Very comfortable ride. I am thinking about brand new Volvo S80 now. I would say this car car is way underpriced as a used car.

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  A breath of fresh air on the road - 2008 Volvo C30
  By boomerboy12 - August 3 - 8:10 am

  Picked up my C30 after my 2007 S40 was totaled by a drunk driver (luckily I wasnt). The cars styling is so unique and the T5 engine smooth as can be (much smoother and more responsive than the 2.4i in the S40). Its a shame that the fuel efficiency isnt as good as what one might hope, but it is still acceptable considering the performance and overall package. Another negative for some might be the small and rather high opening of the hatch. The C30 is more of a looker hatch than one you would want to haul stuff around in. Just keep that in mind and you wont be disappointed.

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  Volvo-worth the price - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By Harry - August 3 - 2:10 am

  I purchased the Volvo after Christmas at the same time my brother in law purchased a Volvo S 40, thinking we would get a better "deal". I had no trade in. I feel I met my objective. The XC 90 I puchased was the advertized "lead" car they used to get you in the store. The fit and finish is very good, performance on the road solid with good pick-up. Mileage is 18 to 21 MPG. The ride is smooth and storage space adequate for hauling lawn furniture purchased at Walmart and golf bags for the weekend outing. The safety features are outstanding. I attended the VOLVO Drive for Life Training at Dodger Stadium on 2/12/05 and now have a much better understanding of what the XC90 can do.

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  A sexy highway cruiser - 2001 Volvo V40
  By Diren Yardimli - August 2 - 1:40 pm

  The V40 is not the station we have come to expect from Volvo. Its neither as masculin nor as bricky as a conventional Volvo (which made me think twice before buying it). Yet the design is slim, clean and as sexy as can be for a station wagon. Its seats embraces you, its steering is solid and secure, its engine sounds confident. Neither the sporthy whiiim, not the cheap sound of most commercial engines. On the road it easily glides through the traffic, easily reaches 200 km/h (even though the official max. speed is 195 for the 1.8).

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  Volvo "Newbee" - 1998 Volvo S70
  By billkcmo - August 1 - 10:50 am

  Never realized that this car would be so fast! Never had an opinion one way or the other about this brand but any 10 year old car that still gets mistaken for new is ok in my book. Very good on long trips. Like knowing that the reserve power is there when I need it. Feels solid and handles well. Dumb not to have a light in the trunk. Gas mileage is the worst feature. Like everything about this car. I am going to keep it in good condition as I cannot think of another car that I would want to trade for.

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  Above Average - 2003 Volvo S60
  By consumer24 - August 1 - 2:00 am

  By far, this is the best vehicle Ive ever owned. Performance is second to none and the car stops on a dime. Its also the safest car on the road. I very much respect a company whose main concern is the safety of passengers. If your in the market, trust me. Throw your BMW and Lexus brochures away. You have no idea what your in for with the Volvo.

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  S40 Rocks! - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Robs S40 - July 31 - 10:50 pm

  I have had the car now for only 2 weeks, but so far its wonderful, I had it built and delivered to the dealership (I wanted navigation). The nav system is easy to use, the surround sound system will make some of your old CDs come to life and the car just has an amazing list of standard features and is one hell of a piece of eye candy in black. I had a Jetta before and this is an excellent upgrade from one of those. If you dont like the latest jetta or you want a little luxury w/o the big outlay of money take a look at this one.

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  Under Rated Volvo C30 - 2011 Volvo C30
  By PKL - July 30 - 8:30 pm

  We really love the new 2011 C30 R Design we purchased two month ago, so much so we ordered a second one. It handles even better than advertised, very tigthly built and EXTREMELY fun to drive. Due its unique design and Volvo doing a poor job of advertising the C30, its seldom seen on the road, which makes folks stop and look. Its not just another Japanese hatchback/econo box. Most important to us was its best in class safety rating. We did our homework before we bought the C30 and it exceeded our expectations in all areas