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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  Overall good, WATCH maintenance $$$ - 2001 Volvo S60
  By CB1 - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Bought for safety, performance, style and strong $$ value for features standard. Ride quality good, not very sporty handling (leans too much) and turbo lag with excessive torque steer. 5spd "adaptive" automoatic isnt your average automatic. I was told that the tranny shifts into neutral at a stop. When your foot releases off the brake, it shifts back into gear, creating a buck or feel of drivetrain slop. It is a strange feeling, but appaently normal according to Volvo.

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  Great Car - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By PTB - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Bought it a month ago - now close to 8000 miles with no problems. Im a photographer and this is the best car Ive ever had, visually speaking. Great sweep of sight, great sound system. Ive had it on bad roads with no problems. It takes off when passing. No problems and a great car.

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  04 XC90 - Pound for pound the winner - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By kitt141 - January 21 - 10:00 am

  I did my thorough homework and I landed on this one. Pound for pound, the 04 XC90 T6 AWD beats the X5 3.3, RX330, ML350 and MDX in legroom, headroom, cargo space, passenger seat, wheelbase, width, height, ground clearance, HP, torque, towing capacity and of course, good looks inside/out. I will not mention safety because the rest are just following what Volvo invented. Im just laughing when people complain about gas mileage when they demand V6 and more HP. If youre one of those, then think of a Civic, Hyundai Elantra or Corolla. I dont know why the MDX is competing with the Europeans. The front fascia looks economy not luxury.

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  Greatsporty compact wagon - 2007 Volvo V50
  By igioman - January 20 - 10:13 am

  This car, so far, has impressed us with the acceleration, comfort and overall good looks. We got rid of a SUV, and this is a great alternative. In Southern Italy where we live, it isnt uncommon for people to drive quite fast(80-100 MPH/130-160 KPH) yet this car keeps up with them all. The styling is top notch and is the best in its class. We bought the V50 2.4, Grey metallic with dark beige interior premium sound with 12 speakers. Wow!!. Awesome! We have 3 daughters ages 13, 6 and 1 year and they all fit well even with a car seat.We looked at several other Euro wagons and this Volvo tops them all.

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  Great Ride! needs some storage - 2007 Volvo S40
  By nikman - January 19 - 12:00 am

  Love the 2007 Volvo S40. Handles great, gets good gas mileage, and what a joy to drive! The only downfall is cabin storge. no place for cds coins, Ipod, etc. Other than that, not a thing to complain about. All controls are centrally located and simple to operate. The base model comes with power everything, except seats. If your looking to take a step up from a honda accord, or toyota camery, the 2007 volvo S40 is the car for you! Enjoy!

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  excellent wagon - 2000 Volvo V70
  By kowen - January 18 - 10:00 am

  Wonderful wagon, very fast and comfortable. Experience has been mostly positive but car is not without shortcomings. Stiff suspension makes around town driving an exercise in patience. Numerous rattles throughout the interior make it necessary to crank the stereo. Once on the highway however, the car is very quiet. Dealer feels the nature of being a wagon, coupled with the amount of aluminum used in the build results in chassis flex which causes all the rattling. Another disappointment is the fuel economy. A combination of city/highway miles with a conservative driving style nets about 19 mpg.

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  Too many electrical problems - 1998 Volvo S70
  By kesh - January 18 - 10:00 am

  I liked the car at first but has been too unreliable. I had a battery replaced after 2.5 yrs and the new one went out again yesterday after 1 year only. I have had two door locks go out and multiple electrical parts replaced after the warranty expired. Volvos are very expensive to fix and costs have added up quickly. It seems like I have to take it in to be serviced every few months for one problem or another. Bought it for safety reasons and friends suggestion but never again. I will stick with a Japanese luxury next time.

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  Transformation of Volvo - 2006 Volvo V70
  By Tom - January 13 - 7:30 am

  Having been a Volvo owner for 25 years, I was surprised by how more luxurious this Volvo was from my older Volvos. Great ride,power, and comfort. Also, great upgraded sound system.

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  2002 C70 Review - 2002 Volvo C70
  By Tempel Riekhof - January 10 - 1:40 am

  The C70 is very enjoyable to drive with the top down. Otherwise it is one of the least enjoyable cars we have owned. The suspension is too stiff for a convertible as that has led to numerous squeaks and rattles for which the dealer has no solution. One would never know it has power steering and the turning radius is far too wide. Trunk is negligible as is true with many convertibles. There is no indicator on the dash showing what gear you or in - just a small silly orange arrow pointing up if you are not in top gear. The parking light assembly simply fell out. Leather seats are showing significant wear after only about 30,000 miles. The mechanism for lowering the top works well.

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  1997 Volvo 960 - 1997 Volvo 960
  By dbange - January 9 - 10:00 am

  A very reliable car that exemplifies excellent design and workmanship that provides a true luxury vehicle.