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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  No problems here - 2000 Volvo S80
  By happy camper - June 19 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 2000 model at the end of 99. I have only had routine maintenance visits. Great accelaration, good handling (love the STC), and the most comfortable seats I have ever sat in. The transmission has a kink shifting from 2nd to 3rd (it clunks under hard driving) and their is a driver side squak under the chassis. The audio system is awesome and it is great in snow or rain.

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  LUVIT - 2001 Volvo S40
  By TIQSURF - June 19 - 10:00 am

  Love this car. Very reliable with enough getup to get on the freeway easily thanks to the turbo. Great mileage in town and out of town as well. I love the style and all the safety features as well.

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  An Amazing Hard Top Convertible! - 2007 Volvo C70
  By dave_justdave - June 18 - 11:01 pm

  This car is absolutely the most fun to drive of all of the cars I have ever owned. The leather seats are incredibly comfortable, the engine and transmission are very responsive, handling is excellent and you can cruise with the top down knowing that if there is a chance of rain, you can pull over and have the hard top up in 30 seconds with the push of a button. I love the handling, love the interior space - one of the best convertibles on the market still today!

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  Very solid entry level sedan - 2007 Volvo S60
  By cwkim - June 17 - 7:13 pm

  I recently purchased this vehicle as preowned and after reviewing other consumer reports and reviews, and I am very pleased with it so far. I agree with what other people have noted and it seems pretty accurate far as performance and drivability goes for most drivers like me ( everyday commute for BASIC entry level luxury sedan). It has very nice standard features as noted in specs and does seem utilitarian overall and not as sophisticated as a BMW or Lexus but it seems more functional and solid. I would highly recommend it for someone with kids or someone looking for value in a sedan with good standard features and known for safety.

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  Love Me some XC60 - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By Volvo4Life - June 17 - 11:50 am

  Just a cool looking vehicle that offers a great driving experience. We love the fact that weve only seen one other one on the road. Exterior design is edgy, interior is rich, ride quality is smooth, and the vehicle just feels solid and safe to drive. Sunroof is awesome. Only real complaint is fuel economy. We would have preferred the turbo engine for a little more pep but did not want to sacrifice the gas mileage. 3.2 offers good power, though....not sluggish.

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  See review at 6K miles. - 2007 Volvo XC90
  By Dennis - June 16 - 8:30 am

  Now have 17K miles. Had to replace tires. No other problems. Ditto first review only better. Especially now that Volvo has discontinued the V8 engine. Big mistake. Much better then the six at the expense of only a few MPG. If your buying this for the MPG you can do much better. If your buying this just for the pleasure, comfort and fun of the powerful V8, youd be hard pressed to find something better. Great world class vehicle.

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  Had my S60R for 7 months and I love it! - 2004 Volvo S60
  By Iluv2raceit - June 15 - 10:00 am

  The car performs great, has all-wheel- drive (AWD), and luxury to boot, and all for under $38,000! I test drove the BMW 330XI and Audi S4; the S60R is the best deal. The Audi S4 is faster (it has a 40hp advantage), but for $10,000 more, I WILL PASS, THANK YOU. The S60Rs AWD system is superior to both the Audis and BMWs. And, the S60R comes with the Active Chassis System (called 4C) which ontrols both the suspension and the throttle response. Neither Audi nor BMW has this option. So, the bottom line is this: The S60R has it all; luxury, sportiness, performance, and SAFETY.

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  Second time a charm - 2004 Volvo C70
  By Rob - June 14 - 7:30 pm

  I have owned both the 02/LT and the current 2004/HT C70. The 2002 had a "bad" rattle in the back right 1/4 panel and after Volvo could not fix it I traded it in for the 2004. both cars ran well and I love the HT and the mileage is equal to the LT. We get compliments daily and I drive the car 12 months in New England. dont like the CD changer or the difficult method to move the seats up to let a person in the back. Great "empty nester car" and long trips are like sitting in a lounge chair at home.

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  Best in Class, Value and Otherwise - 2009 Volvo C30
  By Paul - June 14 - 7:26 am

  Strangely, this exquisite, sophisticated car is being overlooked in rankings because its drive isnt quite as "fun" as other cars. Meanwhile, it has twice the warranty of the far less dependable VWs, and has a solid reputation for reliability and has best in class safety. Being a grown up, I value those two aspects far more than the fun factor, which to me is represented well enough by the zippy engine, which, btw, is the same engine you get on most of the more expensive Volvos, so its a deal at this price. The C30s cost of ownership due is extremely low due to the expanded warranty package that makes it much more like buying a BMW, but for much less money. Best value anywhere.

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  Try It Youll Buy It - 2004 Volvo S80
  By orchid - June 10 - 10:00 am

  The S80 has matured from a stylish sedan with questionable quality due to its innovative technology to a sexy, stylish and fun-to-drive automobile. Out on a test track where you can open it up, youll find yourself wondering why you never pursued that racing career.