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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  More than expected - 2011 Volvo XC70
  By warren smith - March 23 - 2:00 am

  At 1,000 miles I am impressed with all aspects of my new XC70 T6. I am getting 21+ miles in suburban driving, the seats are very supportive and comfortable. I haul two boats and have had no problems with the ability to pull them. We use the more than ample space behind the front row seats to haul all our stuff home back from our summer place. The Bliss system works as promised but does do false readings in the rain. We have the ccomvenirnce group and climate group of add ons plus the personal communications feature and all work as promised. I find the control panel easy to use and the Bluetooth set up is easy to use.

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  A good car to own - 2001 Volvo S60
  By turbos60 - March 23 - 12:00 am

  Im 24 years old and I got the car when it first came out. I have never had problems with the car except the fuel door falling off. I have over a hundred thousand miles one the car and never had any issues. The next one Im going to is going to be the volvo s60 R. I love the car and would not trade it in on anything. I purchased the evolve programmer and the advanced exhaust system and it opened the car up. if you have the money def get get the evolve kit.

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  Solid car - 2008 Volvo S80
  By stu silbergleit - March 22 - 10:43 pm

  This car feels and is solid. The drive is extremely smooth and the heating system (both air and seats) are excellent. The seats are luxurious, stylish aand very comfortable and supportive.

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  Agree with Edmunds review but.... - 2015 Volvo V60
  By Eric Nesset - March 22 - 5:57 am

  Basically the Edmunds review of Volvos V60 is accurate in my experience, having purchased a new 2015.5 T5 Premier five months and 7000 miles ago. The only nit I would pick are the comments about the controls of the Sensus electronics system. The review mentions that the control via a dial on the central instrument panel is less than optimal. I would agree if this was the only way to control the various systems such as media, navigation, internet, etc. However, all of these systems can alternatively be controlled via the curled knob and a couple of pads located on the right hand of the steering wheel with your right hand thumb. Personally, I hardly ever use the dial on the center instrument cluster and use the steering wheel controls for entering radio, sirius, internet, navigation and phone inputs which I feel is at least as convenient as a central console mouse type control because you can leave both hands on the steering wheel while controlling these systems. After 18 months and 22,000 miles of ownership the car is still performing as new. Gas mileage is averaging about 30 mpg which is exceeding my expectations considering its performance and comfort. The only maintenance has been two Dealer 10K oil changes and checkups at no cost to me. The only changes to the car I would recommend are faster than 3G internet and the cars rather wide turning radius makes parking in tight spots a little challenging. The driver and passenger front seats are very comfortable on all day drives. I have now driven my V60 38,000 miles with no problems. Only routine 10K service and absolutely no repairs or issues with the car. I use it primarily for road trips and average over 30 mpg. The seats are really comfortable on all day drives and the leather looks new but I clean and treat the leather upholstery about twice a year so Im sure that helps. I replaced the OEM Continental tires after only 25K miles because they became very noisy. The Pirelli P7 tires on the car now are much quieter and seem to be wearing well.

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  I love this car! - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By carly - March 20 - 12:16 pm

  This is the best car Ive ever driven. Its perfect for my growing family and its really fun to drive. All the features are so easy to use. I had a Land Rover before this and its like night and day. The Volvos a much better vehicle, for a lot less.

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  First Time Volvo Owner - 2007 Volvo XC90
  By First Volvo Owner - March 19 - 4:03 am

  A very easy car to drive, switched from a small sports-sedan without any problems... Superb interior quality. The controls are well designed and are easy to use. Feels safe inside. The new I6 3.2 engine performs well for a car of this size. Do not expect an X5 performance out of this car but the engine feels just right for this type of vehicle. Can’t wait to take it for another drive. Overall I am very happy with the purchase. I needed a family car that would be fun to drive and at the same time accommodate 4 adults and 2 small children. I think I made the right choice. The other vehicle I looked at was 06’MDX, which is a very solid SUV but it just did not feel like a $40K SUV.

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  s40 - 2000 Volvo S40
  By jonny b - March 19 - 2:00 am

  the best car i have ever owned. nothing wrong here. excellent fuel mileage, and great comfort. a must!

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  Ill NEVER give this one up! - 2004 Volvo V70
  By LORinNOR - March 19 - 2:00 am

  This is my 3rd Volvo wagon. They just keep getting better and better! This model has a much nicer ride, although you give up a little on the turning radius. Love the turbo...not just a mom car! LOL Dont buy until you try!!!

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  Car Review- Volvo - 2004 Volvo V70
  By firstmate - March 19 - 2:00 am

  This car handles great in all weather conditions and is very fun to drive. Its very peppy and easy to handle. The interior is very nice and features qualities found in luxury sedans. I would highly recommend a Volvo to anyone looking for a new car. I plan to keep this for a long time.

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  V70 - 2004 Volvo V70
  By Donlmcmillan - March 19 - 2:00 am

  The v70 has everything you need in an auto for family. It offers a luxury car with most features standard without sacrificing on any safety concerns.Side impact air bags are present in all four doors as well as front impact air bags for driver and passenger in addition to air-bag curtains for the windows.