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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  Very Good Car - 2002 Volvo V40
  By Jay Bee - May 15 - 10:00 am

  Had my V40 for 8 years, 120K miles. It is a great sport wagon. Excellent cargo room, comfortable for my family of 4. Handles well and was my 50 miles a day commuter averaging 26 mpg mixed driving. Expensive to service but there were no major problems in 8 years. Burns through headlights and bulbs. Dont know why. All over the internet but dealers claim ignorance. My 16 year old just inherited it. Safe, runs great, expect another few good years from it. Over all a good purchase new, and if taken care of, worth the blue book value used. Maybe even undervalued in blue book if clean and taken care of. Just keep after those damn bulb changes.

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  Still a great car after 100k miles - 2007 Volvo S80
  By rustysmith - May 14 - 10:02 pm

  No problems after 107k. Rock solid car. Originally bought it for the seats because of a bad back. Reliability has been superb and fuel economy better than EPA ratings. Seats and leather are world class, and the ergonomic interior is nice. Ive come to love the fuselage-like look and design of the floating center stack console. There are trade offs with everything, though. The cabin lets in a reasonable amount of road noise and the ride is jittery and stiff. As a full disclaimer, I like an old school soft ride to the firm ride preferred today, and the Volvo is more BMW than Buick. That said, Id buy it all over again. Im even happier with my car today than I was four years ago.

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  50 50 s40i - 2005 Volvo S40
  By abqdn - May 11 - 12:03 pm

  Good car but have had fuel pump problems twice in less than a year.

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  You Get what you pay for ( AMEN!) - 1998 Volvo S70
  By JRuss - May 10 - 10:00 am

  After a horrendous bout of "Dodgeitis",or the non-latin transcripton, blown head gasket at 65,000 highway miles, I decided to take the unchartered foreign car route. I read of the legendary durability of the Steel Viking road vessels known as VOLVO and, immediatly decided to "Invest" in a vehicle that could stand the rigors of every day wear and tear. The "Investment",after 4 years and 88,000 miles,is still serving dividends in a civilized fashion.The S70 carries the durability that the price sticker suggests, thus showig that one truly does get what one pays for!

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  What did they do to Volvo??? - 1999 Volvo S80
  By Volvofan - May 8 - 3:10 pm

  I love Volvos. I have a 97 850, a 92 740, a 90 740, and this 1999 S80. Beautiful car, fun to drive, excellent gas mileage. BUT, VERY unreliable and VERY expensive repairs. Try a $700 rear-view mirror, a shifter that just breaks: $700 part alone ($1,400 repair bill at Dealer), a brake Booster (~$600 part alone)? Front Suspension problems, turbo bearings (twice!), pillar headliner falling off, rubber cracking, car dying when accelerating (recall item), etc. Volvos are known for safety, but this car.... All that said, if Volvo would have stepped up to the plate and provided some ack via price redux, ANYTHING... Ill stick with Volvos, only I am purchasing them prior to 1999.

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  2008 Volvo XC 70 Basic - 2008 Volvo XC70
  By Hector Ingram - May 8 - 10:46 am

  Purchased new. Basic model with no options. Very comfortable interior, great seats, clear controls. Reasonable acceleration, sounds fine, smooth transmission. Average fuel economy for weight and off road capability. Well built and feels solid with lots of airbags. Plenty of space. Floaty ride, but comfortable and seems reasonable for a cross over.

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  3 weeks and counting... - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By coachrick - May 5 - 12:20 pm

  We are about three weeks and 600 miles into enjoying our new XC 60. We traded an 07 XC 70 so some comparisons may be in order. This vehicle has a much smoother power band than the XC 70 had...VERY powerful at low RPM and very smooth and quiet. Ride is very tight and smooth, not cushy but actually similar to our 08 C 70...fairly tight cornering, some feedback from dips and rises in the roadway. Havent been over 80 yet but freeway speeds are effortless. Even somewhat loaded, this wagon has plenty of low-end grunt. The wagon we traded was plenty capable...the XC 60 is all that...and more refined. The bells and whistles... Nav, Blis, City Safety, etc deserve their own review--to follow.

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  About the same as others, apparently - 1999 Volvo S80
  By Tom - May 3 - 3:06 pm

  After reading most of the other reviews, I guess Im not any different. Very expensive to fix, and that happens way too often. The Emissions service light is a way too common problem, Ive given up trying to find out what it is. Had to replace the ABS module, Volvo warranty wouldnt cover their product, even under warranty. Power steering leaks, or doesnt, whenever it feels like it. The front end makes funny cracking and creaking noises and I cant find any reason for it either. I thought I was buying a quality, safe car (at least the price I paid for it). Ive had my first and LAST Volvo.

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  2000 Volvo S70 4 Dr GLT Sedan - 2000 Volvo S70
  By Myprettyawfulcar - May 1 - 3:53 pm

  This is my dream car. Bought it certified pre-owned. When I purchased it the check engine light was on. The dealership said come back in and we will turn it off for you. No problems passed 125 point inspection--mint condition. I have taken that car for service and one recall after the other and its even shut down on the highway once. I have had a service bill of $1600, on several occasions and nothing under $700 for the 7 times its needed service in the last 5 years. I love my car and it is pretty to look at but it is a lemon. I just cannot afford the service anymore...which seems to happen every year without fail right around inspection time because that check engine light is on.

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  Wouldnt ever buy a Volvo again. - 2001 Volvo S40
  By KWall - May 1 - 10:06 am

  Ive had my Volvo for almost 5 years now (purchased it when it was 2 yrs. old). Have had many problems with the check engine light coming on. Had to replace an oxygen sensor a total of 8 times! Recently the electric components of the headlight broke, and it cost $1550 to repair! Volvo parts are extremely expensive, and the electric components of the car are too sensitive. The upkeep of this car is so expensive that I will never buy a Volvo again.