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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  XC60 T6 in a class of its own - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By Tdog86 - May 1 - 10:00 am

  It was between the Lexus and XC60 and I went for the XC60 T6. I have about 9500 mi. on the car and I have no regrets with my decision. Its fun to drive and I havent had any problems so far. Fits the kids comfortably in the back with the integrated booster and serves as an adequate backup family hauler when not using our XC90. Yes, we are now a complete Volvo faimly. I cant say enough about how safe these vehicles are and how safe I feel as a passenger or a driver. Now that Volvo is finally starting to get up to date on the electronics for the end user, that makes me like them even more.

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  Volvo XC60 3.2 fwd - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By JR - May 1 - 10:00 am

  Bought this to replace my Pilot, with the intent to get much better gas mileage and better features. Gas mileage is a little disappointing, 16 in town, 23 on trips. Better than the Pilot, but not that much. Engine overall is average. Interior, ride, handling (much better than Pilot, which is a boat), electronic features all excellent. The main problem is that its just a bit too small, miss the Pilots space way more than I thought. Nice car but if I change my mind, I would. Ok for a small family, I guess. Beware of EPA estimates, they are a crock. No way this vehicle gets 27 highway if you go over 55. You get run over in Calif. if you do less than 70.

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  Love This Car - 2004 Volvo V70
  By REB - April 28 - 11:56 am

  300 HP performance while still averaging 22 mpg with mixed highway/city driving is amazing! We now have over 25,000 miles on the car and it is great. The auto transmission robs you of quite a bit of power compared to the manual.

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  Im happy, its not that bad! - 2001 Volvo V70
  By Happy - April 28 - 10:40 am

  Wow! After reading the poor reviews of the 2001 XC 70, I had to let everyone know about my good experience. Ive owned Volvos and my parents have owned Volvos for many decades. I purchased this car for the turbo and carrying capacity. Ive been pleased. I bought it at 75,000 mi and now its at 100K. Ive kept up with the maintenance, which has been a bit more expensive than my sedans, but I have not experienced the transmission issues nor electronic issues that are posted on this site. Issues have been: alternator, 1 software update, transmission flush, cam seal leak, and common maintenance. There will always be the bad stories that are reported first. Im happy with my car.

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  The Man & His Machine (update) - 2001 Volvo C70
  By jmybowen - April 28 - 3:23 am

  Im the guy who reviewed his "Red HP-turbo coupe" almost four years ago; this is an update. I hit a deer with it three years ago and its a tank! Very safe! Now the cost of ownership: Well, I now have 160k+. I think the transmission is starting to slip. I drive 20k per year; thats about 1k every three months for service,the 17in Mich. A/S tires run about $1,300 every 60K, premium fuel is a must! Dont let anyone else convince you otherwise [160k-remember?]. If youre planning to buy one of these used-& No you can"t have mine!-keep in mind that these things cost you. Its been eight years now. I love it! But my next primary car will be something less expensive & more practical.

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  I just love my Volvos - 2000 Volvo S70
  By Paradise Boy - April 26 - 12:56 pm

  I had ordered this 2000 VolvoS70 SE ASR in 1999 and picked it up from the dealer in December 1999. Right from the start my wife and I had loved everything about it the comfort, drive, style and reliability that comes with a volvo. Now 10 years old and still going strong. I have had to do some maintenance nothing major. We loved it so much that and with the addition of children, in November 2008 we had purchased the 2009 Volvo XC90 to the driveway. The volvo S70 got us hooked on volvos and we never even looked at any other make. We love our two Volvos.

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  Do not buy this car. - 2007 Volvo S40
  By rukewlguy - April 26 - 5:40 am

  I have purchased a Volvo s40 sedan White. I am a casual commuter who does not abuse my car at all. I do full recommended service from Volvo, which costs around $200 - $500 per recommended service. Within 1 year, my car had following problem: 1. Sudden electrical malfunction 2. Sudden deterioration of ride 3. Engine started to make noises and rpm was going up and down by itself 4. Finally, car did not start when it was 11 month old and had about 15,000k on it. These guys never respond to your complaints. So upset with this car and company. Do not buy this car!

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  This is not your fathers Volvo! - 2004 Volvo S60
  By Justaguy - April 26 - 2:00 am

  What an incredible car. I looked for a car for over 2 years and have finally found my "mid-life crisis" car. Great accelleration, no problem with the automatic transmission, beautiful interior (I got the alcama leather), unbelievable sound system. A real pleasure to drive. The Nav-system takes some getting used to (not quite as user friendly as others) but once mastered it is quite functional.

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  Fun, Fun, Fast and Furious - 2004 Volvo S60
  By miklos - April 26 - 2:00 am

  I took delivery through the military sales program. What a major discount! Certainly makes it worthwhile. A four door M3 there is not, this has four doors, family safety, and performance approaching and M3 or the much less reliable Audi S4. It certainly is a blast to drive, and handles very well. I didnt get an appreciation for the "vague, if video game like" steering that some "high performance" reviews have stated. This car is a great value for the money, even if the engine doesnt put out the horsepower thats advertised.

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  Love it!! - 2004 Volvo S60
  By keving - April 26 - 2:00 am

  I had a 2002 S60 2.4T until I totaled it a month ago. Bought a new 2004 S60 2.5T and this vehicle is even better than the previous one. If youre going to buy one, the Prem & Sports pkgs are a must otherwise this car is blah, blah, blah. Handling has been improved with the suspension being tightened up resulting in less body roll in hard corners. The engine has a bit more punch with better 0-60 times than a lot of vehicles in this class (esp for the $$). Sleek design, comfortable, with plenty of punch. Never had a single problem with my previous S60 (had it for 2 yrs).