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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  Volvo Auto Review - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By L Gyarmathy - November 20 - 5:23 am

  Ive owned a number of automobles, ranging from trucks, suvs, sport cars and high performance cars. BMWs, Porche, Honda S2000, and others. This car is great. I see myself keeping this car for sometime. It handles fabulous in all weather conditions, safe, fun and reliable.

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  Great Value - 2002 Volvo S60
  By BGTig - November 19 - 10:00 am

  AWD is a great value. Picked it up at the factory in Sweden. Very good overseas delivery program, which the VW group lacks. A computer chip failed at about 7k miles; drivable, just lit up faulty warning lights. Fixed under warranty. Currently over 17k miles, no other troubles, except I cant reset the "regular service" reminder, as I change the oil etc myself. Have the optional cupholder with no trouble. AWD is very sure footed in snow/ice. Love the interior, except the parking brake should be moved over a bit for more leg room. Giant trunk and decent gas tank size(check out a BMW, for much more money, on these details!) Hope to get an R as our second one.

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  Best Decision Ever!!! - 2012 Volvo XC60
  By funkytown - November 17 - 11:24 am

  researched 6 months before buying. when i drove it home from the dealership i knew id made the right decision. i could not possibly love this car more! the turbo really kicks when i need to merge into heavy traffic. car feels substantial i feel very safe. you can feel that youre driving pure quality. havent found a single thing i dislike yet. im inventing places to go every day just so i can drive it more!! money well spent; ill keep this car for a very long time. i just read about a 1966 volvo in new york with 2.9 million miles on it...now i understand why! just wish id bought it 6 months sooner!! and no, i dont work for volvo!

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  Love this car! - 2009 Volvo C30
  By New C30 Owner - November 16 - 8:40 am

  Not the fastest thing out there, but no slouch. Nice balance between comfort and performance. Will do the daily commute in style while still offering some great spirited driving when the whim strikes. Can work as a family care for small families. My kids love riding in it. Cargo is small, but 3 Staples copy paper boxes fit in a single layer with the seats up. Not huge space, but very usable. Width will allow a McLaren folding stroller to just fit. Great storage around the spare tire for all those things you should have like jumper cables and ice scrapers but dont need just floating around the car. Basically a well thought out little luxury car.

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  Safe/Great in Snow, but buy ex. warranty - 2000 Volvo V70
  By Nicole - November 15 - 8:30 am

  I love my XC. I wouldnt trade it for the world, but make sure to get the extended warranty, and make sure your service techs know what theyre doing! Great in snow, handled 2 winters with all season tires like a dream. Wouldnt dream of getting rid of it. Got hit by drunk driver in it, and car was barely dented. Its like a tank!!!

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  XC 90 - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By max69 - November 14 - 10:00 am

  Great solid car. The XC has great rear space, sound system, and comfort. I love the exterior design and the ride hight. Not cheap, but if you want something a little differnt from the norm, this car is a great call. Much more space than the X5, ML or VW-T.

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  A good BUY - 2001 Volvo S60
  By Sonja - November 13 - 6:56 am

  Bought the S60 2.4T 1.5 years old (used) with 25,000 miles, because of its good ratings and great price. Comparable Audi and VW models would have cost me $10,000 more and seemed harder to get. Its an overall excellent car. The ride can be a little hard due to its suspension. This model EATS light bulbs with the dealer not being able to fix it. Overall very reliable and save vehicle!

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  Still satisfied after 4 years - 2003 Volvo S40
  By Seattle driver - November 10 - 11:03 am

  Having owned this car for over 4 yrs, I remain quite satisfied. Changed brake pads and headlights at 36k miles. Still on original Michelin tires after 43k miles. Drives as well as it did in Nov 2002, smoothly yet with pep if needed. Recommended maintenance done by non-dealer Volvo-only shop for reasonable price. Even my BMW-3-series-owning friends enjoy riding in it with me.

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  good choice in mid size SUV category - 2010 Volvo XC90
  By hookem - November 9 - 10:36 pm

  I bought this primarily because I believe, based on an in-depth research, it is the safest SUV around. I looked at the data behind the NHSA and IIHSs ratings in addition to some detailed rollover test results from something called JRS rollover test. I might have taken this safety stuff a little too seriously. However, looking beyond just the readily available ratings (which, in my opinion, would incorrectly indicate that other SUVs are just as safe as the XC90) revealed that Volvos safety reputation in this case is well deserved. Other pluses: The interior is functional and flexible for our family of 4 (plus grand parents) and to my eyes, this SUV looks better than the others.

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  Unfortunate problem - 2006 Volvo C70
  By elaine morehouse - November 9 - 3:53 pm

  A week after receiving my car, a cable that pulls the headliner taunt while raising and lowering the top, sheared off. The dealership is having difficulty getting the part for replacement and Im still waiting after 11 days. Has anyone else had a similar problem?