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:

• 

  Great personal car - 2005 Volvo S60
  By dsensing - January 24 - 6:40 pm

  Great car for a commuter or a couple. Very smooth ride and I get 30 mpg on the interstate, better than the Camry this car replaced. All the power I need (2.5T). Best front seats in the business, bar none. Back seat good for kids only; adults can tolerate only if front seats are moved well forward. Good sized trunk. Ive had no probs with long steering radius reported in other posts. Best long-range cruiser there is, period, better than Infiniti, BMW or Mercedes Ive owned. Very secure driving experience, feels like Im driving a fast bank vault on wheels. Appearance is very handsome (ruby red ext. with tan leather int., very nice combination). I am very satisfied.

• 

  Sadly, a disappointment - 2004 Volvo V70
  By Dave - January 23 - 6:36 am

  Beautiful car. Very comfortable. Fun to drive. Unfortunately, the engine would stall periodically and unpredictably. The dealer could never fix it and ignored the techical service bulletins I found on line describing the behavior. Huge blind spots that made merging with traffic a white knuckle experience. MPG could have been better. Vehicle maintenance was outrageously expensive.

• 

  The judge is still out - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By lalal - January 21 - 2:00 am

  Fund car to drive and great looking . The worst gas mileage possible and a small gas tank to boot . Wipers ceased to function in the snow and the vovlo roadside is useless on weekends as the dealership is closed on Sunday ....

• 

  My 850 - 1996 Volvo 850
  By Bosco - January 19 - 10:00 am

  The car has been very dependable. The steering has excellent feel, but the handling in corners could be better. The interior space is excellent and the flexibilty offered by having the seat backs fold down is a major plus. In its price class, I think it was an excellent choice.

• 

  My favorite vehicle to date - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By mike - January 18 - 9:53 am

  This vehicle gives a great ride to both the driver and front seat passenger. The second row is great for medium- sized adults and children. As for the third row, I would say that only small children would be absolutely comfortable on a long trip (or a short one for that manner). I feel really good about the many safety features included in the vehicle and that is the main reason I bought it primarly for my wife to drive.

• 

  awd amazing - 2000 Volvo V70
  By jmf - January 15 - 2:00 am

  My first Volvo - love it. Although I would like more power it would be sufficient for most people. The AWD is unstoppable in the snow (and Ive tried). The heated mirrors are nice in New England. The interior is as nice as any car in the price range (love the heated seats) and the exterior is still somewhat stylish (for a volvo) despite the model change in 01. Ive only had it 7 months but so far so good.

• 

  happy owner - 2004 Volvo S80
  By john jacobs - January 15 - 2:00 am

  I like the car and have been very satisfied

• 

  definitely unique - 2001 Volvo S40
  By lami - January 14 - 10:00 am

  if youre looking for an affordable sedan that doesnt look like a taurus or camry, this volvo is your best bet on the US market. this car has been manufactured in the netherlands since 1996, but its look and feel are still very fresh around here. and do not get scared by the small size of the engine. no matter in what situation youll be, this cute volvo is going to move fast and without much effort. mileage is good, performance adequate, the interior design beats all the cheap american/japanese kitch styles invading the market today.

• 

  Never thought Volvo until I test drove this car - 2012 Volvo S60
  By waylone - January 13 - 7:31 am

  I had a Acura TL and then a MB E350 sport Both nice but Gas millage was not great on either. I stopped at a dealer and really like the comfort style and GAS MILLAGE. Only have for 1000 miles so far, but the 250hp is good enough. I was used to 6 cylinder cars, but this has plenty of power. Got the car loaded for $36,500 plus it has 5 year/50K miles service on everything but tires. Also finance rates were 1.9 for 72 months. So far I am getting High 20s on combined city/Hwy. Much better than the Benz, Infotainment system is a little confusing but the sound is good and the nave is better than MB. Good value compared to Audi, MB and BMW go test one an you will love it.

• 

  VOLVO S40 - 2002 Volvo S40
  By danner - January 10 - 10:00 am

  decent car, but has a horrible resale.