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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  S80 2.9 Reveiw - 2004 Volvo S80
  By Volvo04 2.9 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I had a 99 and they have made every improvement that is mentioned as desires on message boards

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  Excellent Value - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By A.Costello - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Very pleased with the vehicle overall. Moved from a Volvo sedan and experienced some difficulty re-learning to parallel park. It is larger than it appears. Terrific ride. Responsive handling and stops like every other Volvo....when you need it! Test drove many other SUVs but glad I waited for a Volvo.

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  love it! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Kimber - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Very solid vehicle. Drives like a sedan. Steady, great stearing. Yucky gas milage, but hey, if you can afford to buy this, then I guess we shouldnt complain about 2-5 miles per gallon right?

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  Gotta love it - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Stripes510 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I love it! The only SUV of its size with good gas mileage ( a real plus)

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  Wow! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By kid #6 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This car ROCKS! The service and information from the dealership was outstanding. I am glad to be associated with Mooers Volvo.

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  Love it! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Love it - September 26 - 10:00 am

  i went from the "school bus" Lincoln Navigator to the Volvo XC90T6 and I would never go back! The Lincoln was big, bulky and no power. The Volvo is fun to drive and very comfortable. I have 3 tall teenage boys who fit perfectly in the second and third row. The separate headphone jacks are a blessing. They listen to their music and I listen to mine. The exceleration is fast and you dont realize just how fast you are really going until you look at the speedometer

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  SOLID - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By SHAKECITY - September 26 - 10:00 am

  HAVE HAD 5 SUVS BEFORE THE VOLVO AND NONE FEEL AS SOLID AND SAFE AS THIS ONE. YOU LOSE LITTLE WITH THE SMALLER ENGINE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A 5 SPEED TRANS VS 4 SPEED TRANS IN THE BIGGER ENGINE. DROVE BOTH- COULD BARELY TELL THE DIFF. TINY BIT OF TURBO LAG FROM ZERO TO 5 MPH , OTHERWISE NO COMPLAINTS.

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  Miss it a lot - 2001 Volvo S40
  By prodigy1 - September 22 - 8:46 pm

  I bought a 01 s40 with 30k miles on it and NEVER gave me an ounce of trouble. I took very good care of it. The dealers always treated me great when I went in to do major maintenance, such as replace turbo o-rings and timing belt. The dealer prices where not bad at all. Its sad to see so many people had such bad luck with theirs. Unfortunately a year ago my wife fell asleep and flipped it over a couple of times but its a volvo and her and the kids walked away with only seat belt burns. It had 135k miles on it and ran like it was new. I highly recommend this car to anyone. And not all but most of what Im reading in other reviews that are "complaints" are wear and tear maintenance items.

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  ive loved all 4 of my volvos - 1998 Volvo V70
  By bob - September 22 - 4:16 am

  ive owned 2 245 wagons, this XC, and my wife drives a XC90. need i say more----and id buy another. with this 98 XC, my wife was stopped at a light on the saw mill pkwy outside of nyc---2 passengers....rear-ended by a buick that didnt stop---hit her going 45 mph----not a scratch on the three volvo occupants---totaled the buick----we repaired the XC and still runs superbly. with a set of Thule roofracks/adapters--this vehicle almost becomes a small truck. AWD---we live in the hills of new england---not a problem with the volvo. repairs---the usual--lets say if you keep up with preventive maintenance---you wont be stranded or surprised by a huge repair bill. love my volvo wagons.

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  Bought Used - 2005 Volvo S80
  By Statik - September 21 - 12:53 pm

  I researched a few vehicles and liked this car because it could fit four adults and a car seat comfortably. The base engine feels stronger than my v-6 mustang. It has good traction and it is well designed inside and out. I also enjoyed the 100k pre-owned warranty from volvo came with it even though I bought it from a private party. I would recommend this car to others.