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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  All I ever asked for! - 2001 Volvo S40
  By MY S40 - February 15 - 10:00 am

  My S40 is exactly what I wqas looking for...no problems thus far, EXCEPT the trunk light went out...no biggie. The car has great handling and acceleration

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  love the xc70 - 2004 Volvo XC70
  By drbones - February 15 - 10:00 am

  a reliable safe wagon. great for new england winters. awd but good mileage too

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  So far so good - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By rboilard - February 15 - 10:00 am

  So far Im really enjoying the T6. Very tight and handles well. My only beef is that the fuel tank is to small (19 Gal) @ 15 MPG it seems that Im at the station every few days. Also the braking could be better, bigger discs?? Not a big fan on the sound system as well.

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  good quality suv - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Lowell Wolf - February 15 - 10:00 am

  The suv seems to be a very safe vehicle.The suv is very good looking.It has many nice features

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  A Nice Used Wagon, Shop Carefully. - 1998 Volvo V70
  By JawzX - February 13 - 6:36 am

  I bought this car from a private seller who had all service records since new, so I knew what I was getting into, which was a very well maintained, if high-miles car. It had a large amount of work done to it prior to my purchase, including the Infamous prop-shaft replacement (still needs a torque-tube bushing and rear shocks), so I knew I wouldnt have to worry about that for another 150K miles... The car is very comfortable, performs reasonably, handles well, holds a huge amount of stuff, is great in the snow, parts prices for repair are high. I have no bad things to say about the interior materials or fit of the car, but mine was assembled in Belgium, maybe that makes a difference?

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  volvo dependibility for the small wagon - 2005 Volvo V50
  By rob rix - February 12 - 11:36 am

  Sharp looking. good value. easy handling.

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  hot - 2004 Volvo S60
  By the legend - February 12 - 4:16 am

  The ride is smooth, fast, and powerful or the highway. No match in its class. Not bad for local driving, either, as you can stay in 3rd most of the time to minimize shifting. Cant think of much to improve on, except turning radius. Performance seems to improve as mileage increases, or is it me?

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  Great Machine - 2007 Volvo S80
  By jett - February 11 - 5:33 pm

  The S80 Volvo is a great car. Although I have only had it for two weeks, bought it used, it runs perfectly fine. The ride is smooth and the response of the different modes (comfort, sport, advance) are great. The seat are extremely comfortable, the gas is great for this size vehicle and the ride is ice smooth. I receive compliments every where I go. Some say it looks like a Benz. Its sporty yet elegant at the same time. Great Job Volvo!

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  Consider the T6 if youre looking for an XC70 - 2011 Volvo XC70
  By abmwfan - February 11 - 4:54 pm

  I traded a 2009 XC70 3.2 AWD for a 2011 XC70 T6. The turbo engine significantly improves this vehicle: quieter, smoother, more than adequate acceleration and no noticeable reduction in mpg. The 3.2 is slow, buzzy/noisy and it gets lousy mpg (worst of all worlds). Youre always aware of the engine working at the limits of its capacity to move this heavy vehicle. And, while the T6s base price is $6k higher, it comes standard with AWD and premium/leather package which are nearly always added to the 3.2, so the "base" sticker price of the T6 and 3.2 are essentially the same before other options. Why not get the bigger engine?

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  v70 the family freindly s60 from volvo - 2006 Volvo V70
  By Michael - February 11 - 8:26 am

  I like the v70 its a great family car, my younger chidren have a great view when out "low" window sills. In base form it is a cruising vehicle but peppy enough. Its has over-competent handling for a family car compared to an suv or minivan - it will carve an off ramp suprisingly well- but hardly any one who drives one knows that. The v70 is subtle in its refinement which really shines in the mundane like running errands around town. It will keep up with and pass suvs with 3xs the horse power if you feel so inclined but prefers to quietly glide about - It is not u Dads pontiac grand safari - it is a mercedes within 9/10ths of that vehicle at a 20K discount.