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 truly great car!!! - 2005 Volvo V70
  By Davek - October 12 - 3:33 pm

  This is our 3rd Volvo. We had over a quarter of a million miles on our 1st Volvo (270,000 miles) and it ran perfectly when we sold it. We drove our 2nd Volvo over 18 years. When we traded it in on this 2005 model, the older Volvo ran just as well as the day we drove it off of the showroom floor 18 years ago. This new 2005 V70 is the best of the 3. Its a stylish wagon with lots of power (much more than weve had in the past). It handles superbly. Exceptional fuel mileage (34mpg highway) and just has a very solid feel to it when you drive it. We especially like the smooth ride. Our children like the extra room and comfort of the rear seat area.

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  Best Sport Wagon - 2006 Volvo V50
  By Chris Brown - October 11 - 10:10 pm

  Options: premium package with leather and roof. Im certainly not a wagon fan, and I hate SUVs even more, the big ones are the worst. This car is just plain sexy. It looks great, it drives great, and its so practical. Ride and handling is better than my C240 trade-in, and in acceleration theres no comparison. I like an upscale car, Volvo is one of the top-tier brands, and I was drawn to it for something with more utility than my sedan. I also have a 3-series convertible and its fantastic, but the 3-series wagon is pretty plain-jane, and so is the Mercedes wagons. Besides, the Volvo is at least 6 or 8 grand less with comparable equipment. Highly recommended.

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  5th Volvo - Best Yet - 2006 Volvo S40
  By 06_S40_Owner - October 9 - 8:03 pm

  This is the best Volvo Ive ever owned (240, 850, V70, XC90). It is extremely quick, holds a corner very well, very small turning radius and great fun to drive. I drove every car in this class and this is the best deal for the money. The new 06 Lexus IS feels like you are driving a casket, no sound, no feedback, no feel, wont see the accident coming. The BMW 3 is very nice but much more expensive when equipped the same and has such a vain "look at me, poser" quality not shared by Volvo. Acura suspensions rattle your jaw and bones when rolling over a pebble. This one wins by far just for the feel of driving it.

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  Update on T5 - 2001 Volvo V70
  By hieatt - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Update of prior 01 T5 review after almost 2 years. Still love car, except for minor problems faced by others. "Upgraded" Pirelli tires SUCK - tire performance average and durability terrible - replaced three tires that developed "bulges", repaired many leaks and they are almost worn out after 27K miles. Mechanical dash cupholder broke. Finally, thanks to "daytime running lights" that leave all the lights on all the time, bulbs burn out often - replaced a headlight, turn signal and brake light. Still, these problems minor and tire issue will go away after Pirellis replaced once and for all. Positives of this excellent car completely outweigh negatives.

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  What else is there? - 2006 Volvo V70
  By happyR - October 5 - 9:46 am

  Cant be beat; it took a long time to find the manual transmission I wanted, but it was worth the wait. . Ive got a big dog and love to have a little fun while driving her around: the Volvo simply wins by default!

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  2005 XC 90 V8 - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By mf3681 - October 5 - 1:06 am

  Great initial quality. The V8 is a strong performer with decent in town fuel economy. The vehicle is still in break-in and I expect mileage to improve.

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  2009 V8 R-Design XC90 - 2009 Volvo XC90
  By Merzukhi - October 3 - 7:30 am

  Excellent performer. Excellent road handling. It is what the manufacturer promises you. This beast, under that deceiving dreamy looking eyes(headlights), really swallow gas when you press for performance. I am not complaining, just a statement because fuel is cheap here, so the petrol consumption doesnt bother me.

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  I do like this car! - 2003 Volvo C70
  By zouyi - October 2 - 10:00 am

  I do like this car!

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  Get it! - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By bcrafto - October 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought this for my wife. She absolutely loves it! I have a 98 Mercedes Benz ML320, and in a lot of ways, the Volvo is much nicer. Now I understand that I am comparing a 04 to a 98. We have only had the vehicle for 3 weeks, but I dont have anything to complain about except for the price. I did manage did get $1,200 off of sticker though. That is much better than what I have heard most are paying.

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  Great car. Solid and reliable. Poor gas mileage - 2007 Volvo S80
  By necostanzo - October 1 - 7:00 pm

  I bought this car used with 64,000 miles. It is a great looking car that is extremely well built. Much more solid than the 2005 Audi A6 I owned (that car had more rattles than a 10 year old Yugo). Seats are very comfortable, however the natural tanning process they use is not resistant to normal conditioners and cleaners (I cleaned the dirty drivers seat and it removed some of the tanned leather on the right side of the seat bottom bolster). The gas mileage is poor as compared to other V6s in the 3.2l-3.5l variety. My Audi A6 got about 27-28mpg hwy and this car only gets about 25-26mpg and it is only FWD and less powerful. Saturn Aura got 29mpg. Great car, solid reliable, poor mpg.