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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  Great car until you hit 100K - 2001 Volvo V70
  By johng - January 10 - 4:13 am

  This is my third Volvo. I loved it for the first 100K miles or so. After that, the thing starts to get really expensive to own. It seems like every electrical, fuel injection, and exhaust system has gone bad. New alternator, catalytic converter, several sensors, computer. Not the reliability of the first two cars. BTW, Bosch doesnt make anything that costs less than 200 dollars. If you plan to keep this car or buy a high mileage Volvo, make sure you have the money in the bank to fix it! Also, the leather they used in this thing looks like crap after about 75K of normal use.

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  Disappointed - 2004 Volvo S60
  By M - January 5 - 9:10 pm

  The car is nice looking and safe, but beyond that I have not been impressed. The turning radius is terrible, it takes about 5 turns to get out of a parking space. The automatic key lock has a prolonged delay, and I find myself waiting for my doors to open and lock. The car makes noises when you turn left, and the dealer said "thats just what this car does". Brake pads are not covered under the warranty and they needed to be replaced at 15,000 miles. Overall not impressed with the Volvo, and would not buy another.

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  Finallly - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By TinCup - January 1 - 2:00 am

  After months of waiting with a deposit on a car I had never seen my XC90 finally arrived. The 2.5T AWD drives great. It has a high fun factor for an SUV of this size. Very verstile, very nice. The car gets a lot of attention on the road.

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  Volvo For Life-What a Joke - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By rmapro - December 30 - 4:03 pm

  The XC90 is my 7th Volvo & will be my last.At 60,000 mile service the check engine light came on & the dealer replaced the mass airflow sensor for $600.00. The next day after the repair, the check engine light came on again, the dealer told me the oil trap needed to be replaced, a $1200.00 repair. I found out from a Volvo mechanic that if the mass airflow sensor was bad, the XC90 would barely run, It was running fine when I brought it in. After finding out that Suburban Volvo charged me $60.00 higher then list price for the sensor. I contacted Volvo customer service & they told me that the dealer was independent & could charge what they wanted. She said Volvo would not help.

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  First and last Volvo - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By kyle - December 25 - 4:10 pm

  Great car for the first couple of weeks. Then it would not accelerate. It took four trips to the dealer, and me having to drive the car for them. They had to change the fuel tank, and pump. Lots of noises and clunks, that they cant fix.

• 

  very good car - 2001 Volvo S60
  By anwar - December 22 - 11:23 am

  i bought my volvo s60 for the safety features and looks,so far so good.

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  SAFE! - 2006 Volvo S60
  By puttjunk - December 20 - 10:26 pm

  We were bothered by the high repair costs until we were recently rear ended by a car going 45MPH while we were stopped. All worth it after seeing the incredible damage to her car (probably will be totaled) while ours was not only driveable but barely touched (repair costs TBD). The WHIPS system really worked to reduce the feel of the impact and our 2 year old in the back seat didnt even know we were hit. If safety matters, the S60 is an excellent choice. We often joke that we feel like we are driving a tank - but this time were grateful that we were! All the little electronic issues seem worth it now.

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  A brand new XC 70 - 2008 Volvo XC70
  By Phil Labelle - December 18 - 8:56 am

  I got the car last week. Since then, it has snowed almost everyday. The car handles well in the snow and is very well balanced. So far so good! I will update this review later.

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  S80 suspension is not so great - 2001 Volvo S80
  By Paul - December 17 - 9:36 am

  The local dealer said they will not get any S80 until 2008 while Volvo does a complete redesign. I hope they improve the suspension to be on a par with the Infinity and Lexus. The S80 styling appeals more to me than these competitors but mine is simply awful when it comes to road bumps and manhole covers.

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  Solid Reliability - 1998 Volvo S70
  By hash50 - December 17 - 3:13 am

  Done 213000 km since I bought it new in 98. Still looks great and runs great. Weak points were A/C condenser and ABS which needed replacement at 5 and 7 years. Original suspension lasted until 160000 km! Apart from general wear and tear this car is exceedingly reliable and not expensive to maintain. Excellent value for money compared the German cars of that time (although they are now including everything for a similar price). Very comfortable for long drives, easy to drive and great turning circle. Will keep it for as long as it runs. Very practical styling typical of old Volvos with no need for contortion to get in and out (like in my Benz C180). Feels heavy but fuel economy is not bad.