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:

• 

  Finaly a cool Volvo! - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By Sickpuppy - May 14 - 2:00 am

  I think this is a fine automobile, By far the best SUV I have ever driven. Its slightly under powered but handles beautifully. Interior design is really good and ergonomic.

• 

  Cramped Interior Space - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By JJ - May 13 - 12:00 am

  Nice quality materials...my wife loves it but she is 53" tall and 110 lbs me on the other hand I am 61" 215lbs I find the interior way to cramped especially for knee room...the ride is nice but I feel like Im sliding off the seat due to poor side bolstering...the 2004 seats were better than the latest versions which changed in 2005...bad choice.

• 

  Nice car, horrible reliability - 2003 Volvo S60
  By D - May 12 - 3:53 am

  The S60 has a solid, safe feel, which is ironic as it rattles constantly due to the harsh ride. The design inside and out is fantastic and timeless. Interior quality and ease of controls are excellent, but lacks storage space. Comfort is great, but legroom is tight in back. Visibility is horrendous, as is low speed maneuvering. The car is fun to drive when its pushed hard. Reliability is unacceptable. Ive replaced the starter motor, sensors, seat memory, and a bunch of other computer related things I dont know how to explain. The transmission is dying. The auto wipers have a mind of its own, as do the interior lights and the fuel gauge. The car makes lots of weird noises.

• 

  A tank but enjoy driving it. - 1998 Volvo V70
  By jawether - May 11 - 6:20 am

  Ive put 25k on it since buying 15 months ago with 132k. Since then Ive replaced the sunroof glass due to a leak (got used one for $75), the emergency brake cables rusted, temperature sending unit went bad, spring seat on top of strut mount failed, refastened the rear hatch panel and a radio bulb burned out. Luckily, I was fortunate to do all these repairs myself except the strut work. When everything is working the car is a joy to drive. Regarding the safety factor, I feel like Im driving a vault down the road. Bottom line... do not buy a used Volvo with 100k+ unless you can either do most of the maintenance and repairs yourself, or dont mind paying ~$80-100/hr to have the work done.

• 

  V70 Just Arriving from Europe - 2008 Volvo V70
  By Randall S Over, P.E. - May 10 - 1:16 am

  Picked up the car in Gothenburg, Sweden and drove 1800 miles through Europe. Very easy to handle, beautiful interior, typical great seats and well laid out dash, switches, gauges, etc. Evolutionary update to the design of my S60. If anyone is thinking of the European delivery program, do it, well worth it even with the current value of the US dollar vs the Euro and SEK.

• 

  I love my S60 - 2001 Volvo S60
  By tfoster123 - May 9 - 1:05 pm

  I actually recieved this car at 192,000 miles, but I had been driving it as a family car from 168,000. We LOVE this car. My father and I do all the maintainence ourselves because lets just face it, Volvos prices are nuts. At 198,884 (as of today) there are a few problems. My A/C cuts out after about 15 minutes, and I cannot turn it on if I want to get on the freeway. I also have a very rocky shifting, but have never had any real transmission issues as of now (knock on wood) and the suspension is less than desirable. However for a 18 year old? This was a great car to inherit. Other than the problems listed above, I love this car.

• 

  What a wonderful wagon - 2004 Volvo V70
  By cln - May 9 - 10:00 am

  A great value after $4000 Volvo rebate. All I wanted are in this car. much easier to drive and feel safer than SUVs.

• 

  Just excellent. - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By odb - May 9 - 10:00 am

  Simply fantastic.had driven it for six months now, got nothing to complain about.hope to keep it for a long , long time.

• 

  Car to Avoid - 2003 Volvo S60
  By AVOID VOLVO - May 9 - 10:00 am

  In 11 months of ownership the cruise control failed, transmission doesnt shift right, all bulbs on the rear of the car have burned out at least once each, and the throttle control system required replacement. The transmission problem required 6 different visits to the dealer, and still has not been corrected. The interior has 2 ongoing squeaks and rattles that after 3 attempts, the dealer can not seem to repair. Overall, the quality of the car is extremely poor, performance is very average. The only attribute this car has is comfortable front seats.

• 

  Love it! - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By Debra - May 9 - 3:06 am

  This is a fantastic vehicle. The cargo room of an SUV and the performance of a sport sedan. Solid, heavy, and safe. A blast to drive. Acceleration at highway speeds is pretty impressive. Looks great, too.