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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  Best Decision Ever!!! - 2012 Volvo XC60
  By funkytown - November 17 - 11:24 am

  researched 6 months before buying. when i drove it home from the dealership i knew id made the right decision. i could not possibly love this car more! the turbo really kicks when i need to merge into heavy traffic. car feels substantial i feel very safe. you can feel that youre driving pure quality. havent found a single thing i dislike yet. im inventing places to go every day just so i can drive it more!! money well spent; ill keep this car for a very long time. i just read about a 1966 volvo in new york with 2.9 million miles on it...now i understand why! just wish id bought it 6 months sooner!! and no, i dont work for volvo!

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  Love this car! - 2009 Volvo C30
  By New C30 Owner - November 16 - 8:40 am

  Not the fastest thing out there, but no slouch. Nice balance between comfort and performance. Will do the daily commute in style while still offering some great spirited driving when the whim strikes. Can work as a family care for small families. My kids love riding in it. Cargo is small, but 3 Staples copy paper boxes fit in a single layer with the seats up. Not huge space, but very usable. Width will allow a McLaren folding stroller to just fit. Great storage around the spare tire for all those things you should have like jumper cables and ice scrapers but dont need just floating around the car. Basically a well thought out little luxury car.

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  Safe/Great in Snow, but buy ex. warranty - 2000 Volvo V70
  By Nicole - November 15 - 8:30 am

  I love my XC. I wouldnt trade it for the world, but make sure to get the extended warranty, and make sure your service techs know what theyre doing! Great in snow, handled 2 winters with all season tires like a dream. Wouldnt dream of getting rid of it. Got hit by drunk driver in it, and car was barely dented. Its like a tank!!!

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  poor quality service - 2000 Volvo S80
  By james grifin - November 14 - 10:00 am

  Too many mechanical problems. More than all 4 of my Vorger Vans added to gether with many more miles. Service is very frendly and make efforts to be helpful. But the quality of their mechanics is questionable. It would be very helpful if Volvo would publish a manual for this car,(not an on line manual), so that the owner can show the mechanic how to find or fix the problem.

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  new V70 R - 2004 Volvo V70
  By JRL - November 14 - 10:00 am

  Ive only owned it for a couple of weeks so I ant podt any long or even short term problems. Car is neat except for the seats. Thsy made the R seats with very aggresive bolsters which make it VERY uncomfortable after only a half hout of driving. Ive already taken it to an uhpolstory shop and had the seat modified. (I removed some of the bolstering.) A shame to have to cut into a 44K car

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  XC 90 - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By max69 - November 14 - 10:00 am

  Great solid car. The XC has great rear space, sound system, and comfort. I love the exterior design and the ride hight. Not cheap, but if you want something a little differnt from the norm, this car is a great call. Much more space than the X5, ML or VW-T.

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  Money Pit Stay Away - 1999 Volvo S80
  By ddddam - November 14 - 9:46 am

  I have had almost anything you can think of done to this car Trans, ABS mod, rack and pin, strunts, oil trap, ball joints, and Im still having computer problems my back seat head rest only flip down when it is cold out and when the car feels like it, about once every two months my turn signals will not work and my air bag light stays on. I will never buy another. Thanks for ruining volvo FORD!

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  S60 rattles and repairs - 2003 Volvo S60
  By Jon - November 14 - 3:20 am

  I bought the Volvo based on price (5 speed was deeply discounted) and the supposed reliability. Other than an 88 Tarus I had as a company car, the Volvo has been in the shop more than any car I have owned. At 500 miles the cam sensor went out. So the first 10 days I owned the car it was in the shop for 6. Its has been in for rattles three times. Bad oxygen sensor needed replacing. Fog light "plug" fell out of the bumper. Lug nuts are rusting. And the rattles are still present. I like driving the car the car, the comfort and fuel economy,32 mpg highway at 70, but you have to live with a lot of minor issues that are annoying. Oh, and the check engine light is coming on sporadically.

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  Lemon. They had to take it back - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By SanibelVolvo - November 13 - 11:34 am

  At times the car was horribly unreliable. Other times it was reliably horrible. SERVICE departments were not helpful. They couldnt figure out problems. VOLVO USA was argumentative and in denial. Got a Q7. Everything works. Better performance. FAR better electronics. SUPER reliable. I still miss the XC 90 magic blue color and the seats. (My Q7 has regular, not luxery package seats). Will NEVER buy another Volvo. NEVER.

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  A good BUY - 2001 Volvo S60
  By Sonja - November 13 - 6:56 am

  Bought the S60 2.4T 1.5 years old (used) with 25,000 miles, because of its good ratings and great price. Comparable Audi and VW models would have cost me $10,000 more and seemed harder to get. Its an overall excellent car. The ride can be a little hard due to its suspension. This model EATS light bulbs with the dealer not being able to fix it. Overall very reliable and save vehicle!