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:

• 

  An expensive lemon - 2003 Volvo S40
  By cyr - May 17 - 2:00 am

  Owned this lemon for 2 years. I trusted Volvo for its reliability and Volvo did not deliver it. I have to take this car for repairs every 3 months on average. Only 21,000 miles, but I had 6 problems + 2 recalls. Everything from windshield wipers failure in the middle of a storm, to misalignment of the hood, to check engine lights on for transmission problems, to check engine lights on for unknown reasons, etc..... Brake pads had to be replaced after 15,000 miles. Air conditioning recall + transmission software upgrade recall. To sum it up, Expensive lemon, unreliable, and poor service

• 

  Two Strikes Your Out - 2005 Volvo S60
  By Not Satisfied - May 7 - 4:10 pm

  After 8 months and 11 service calls Volvo replaced my first S60R Lemon. The second S60R I recieved in 9/2004. I am sorry to say this car was also a lemon. The wheel bearings went out, rear tail lights went out, it burned 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles, the chasis started to loosen up after 6000 miles. I just got rid of the car and took a financial hit, but I was tired of driving a loaner more than the actual car. DO NOT BUY THIS VEHICLE (unless you want to know your service people very well)

• 

  Dont buy this car - 2007 Volvo XC90
  By RICH - April 29 - 2:53 am

  Nothing but problems with this car-- ive been to the dealership 6 times and they havent been able to shut the engine light off. I will never buy another volvo

• 

  Volvo=Reliable??? Think Again.... - 2000 Volvo S40
  By Auher - April 8 - 12:00 pm

  Ive never been one to write car reviews, always sort of thought they are all the same enough that while you might have problems, they arent too bad. Then I bought a 2000 Volvo S40 "Certified Pre-Owned." The problems started early on......the wonderful headlight problem. Volvo knows there was a problem was this, the resistor wasnt built into the car properly, and they issued a "Service Bulletin" on it. Amazingly, "Service Bulletins" arent covered under the Certified Pre-Owned warranty. So after burning through 3 sets of Pep Boys headlights in 1 month, I called up Volvo to make an appt. to get my S40s problem fixed. I thought since I even had the Service Bulletin, it would be easy

• 

  This is a Volvo!! - 1999 Volvo S80
  By grod - March 26 - 12:46 am

  I had always heard of the safety and reliability of a Volvo. After every problem from mechanical to electrical (replaced front end twice). Was told trade in value was $4000. This is from the same dealership that took thousands from me in repair costs. Wrecked the car two weeks ago and received $9,000 from insurance. This car is worth more totaled than running.

• 

  TERRIBLE CAR - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Say no to Volvo - February 22 - 10:40 pm

  This car has been nothing but trouble since the day I bought it. AC switches on/off and turns to heat in the middle of summer. You cannot even change the battery without having to tow it to the dealership and have them reset the computer. Now the starter is dead. I will never, ever buy a Volvo again. Stick with Honda (I had a Honda before this car). Volvo S40s dont hold their resale, either.

• 

  Never Again! - 2000 Volvo S70
  By autigergirl - February 15 - 10:00 am

  I had owned a 1992, 940 and absolutely loved it. Now I own a s70 and I am looking for a way to get rid of it. I have had numerous problems, electrical, leaking seals, faulty valves, you name it. Maybe I got a lemon, but my private mechanic tells me I am not alone! The last time I was at the Volvo dealership and complained about the number of problems I was having, the service rep. said, just be glad you dont own a S80! Those people hate their cars more than you do.

• 

  Nice look, poor execution - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By Sarrrrraahhhh - December 3 - 6:49 pm

  I wanted to like this SUV. I did all the research online and the dealership was busy with everyone wanting to drive the XC90. Our first test drive was the T6 Momentum. It was AWFUL! There was a horrible burning smell and a wicked vibration that made my husband feel carsick in the back seat. I changed with him and I started to feel carsick in the back too. The shifting was really rough, the acceleration was poor, the seats were not comfortable at all. The salesman ask if we would be willing to try another. I wanted to like this car so we agreed. We drove the R design. What a different experience, the contour seats are very comfortable, we drove it in dynamic mode which made a difference in acceleration, there was not a vibration. But we were still woozy from the first one so we have to drive it again. The biggest con for us is that there is no strap on the back of the 3rd row. It seems petty, but if you are going to have a car that can almost drive itself, why dont you put a strap on that back of the 3rd row so a shorter person can pull the 3rd row up and not have to climb in the back to push it up?

• 

  LEMON - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By mdstover - November 20 - 8:00 pm

  I purchased this car in September of 2009, 3 months later I am having to buy a new car. This was the biggest peice of crap I have ever owned. The test drive was fine but on our 120+ mile trip home after purchasing it I noticed a sound I hadnt heard before. We called and they offered to fix it. We thought great so we took it all the way back and had them fix it. After 2 weeks they were waiting on a part for the back wiper. I went and got it and would take it back later when they got the part it. Again on the way home a whole new experience. Suddenly my car had major electrical issues. Turns out it was a lemon when the got it and put a band-aid on the problem and passed it on to me.

• 

  Think Twice about a 2016 XC 90 - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By OJ - October 28 - 4:24 pm

  8 day "old", spring break trip ends 200 miles into an 800 mile return journey! Overheating and no AC - engine management system advises to immediately shutdown the engine. Towed into a local dealership. Has taken 8 days to have vehicle repaired and still do not have the car back home. Very poor customer service from Volvo, the Corporation. Have received good but not outstanding service from the dealerships in trying to resolve the issues. I assume Volvo brand and value proposition is based upon the fact that a $64,000 car is actually "a cheap car" and therefore the customer should not really expect superior customer service!