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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  love it! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Kimber - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Very solid vehicle. Drives like a sedan. Steady, great stearing. Yucky gas milage, but hey, if you can afford to buy this, then I guess we shouldnt complain about 2-5 miles per gallon right?

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  Gotta love it - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Stripes510 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I love it! The only SUV of its size with good gas mileage ( a real plus)

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  Wow! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By kid #6 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This car ROCKS! The service and information from the dealership was outstanding. I am glad to be associated with Mooers Volvo.

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  Love it! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Love it - September 26 - 10:00 am

  i went from the "school bus" Lincoln Navigator to the Volvo XC90T6 and I would never go back! The Lincoln was big, bulky and no power. The Volvo is fun to drive and very comfortable. I have 3 tall teenage boys who fit perfectly in the second and third row. The separate headphone jacks are a blessing. They listen to their music and I listen to mine. The exceleration is fast and you dont realize just how fast you are really going until you look at the speedometer

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  my car - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Kathleen Weitz - September 26 - 10:00 am

  looks great, engine too loud and car is falling apart. It is like a good looking person without a personality. My other car is a Lexus es 300 and it has it all.

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  Handles like a race car! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By MELCHIORRI - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Great SUV. But, because of it being new I have had a few problems: radio and map go on and off in cold weather. hub cap bolts rusted back struts needed replacement the first month breaks in front needed replacement 1st month. THIS SHOULD NOT DETER YOU. I EXPECTED SOME CONCERNS BECAUSE IT IS A BRAND NEW MODEL. THE DEALERSHIP NEW OF ALL THE PROBLEMS WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN. I AM SURE THIS YEARS MODEL WILL COME OUT IN BETTER SHAPE.

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  SOLID - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By SHAKECITY - September 26 - 10:00 am

  HAVE HAD 5 SUVS BEFORE THE VOLVO AND NONE FEEL AS SOLID AND SAFE AS THIS ONE. YOU LOSE LITTLE WITH THE SMALLER ENGINE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A 5 SPEED TRANS VS 4 SPEED TRANS IN THE BIGGER ENGINE. DROVE BOTH- COULD BARELY TELL THE DIFF. TINY BIT OF TURBO LAG FROM ZERO TO 5 MPH , OTHERWISE NO COMPLAINTS.

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  Too many troubles - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By Renee Blei - September 25 - 6:26 pm

  I have not been satisfied with this vehicles workmanship at all. I have had a wheel hub replaced, rear shocks, front sway bar, 2 rear sway bars, turbo boost valve, front cupholder has been repaired 3 times, floor mat tensioners replaced twice, 2 sets of front brakes, and the worst tire performance of any car I have ever had. I really was in love with this car until recently. It is behaving worse than an American car. Hate to give it up but I will not be able to afford this car much longer

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  Not that great - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By jeff - September 24 - 1:43 pm

  Weve had to bring out car in several times already and its 4 months old. The heat was blowing hot and cold air which turned out to be a software problem. It was also making a very annoying whirring noise, which we were told was normal for rack and pinion steering. It finally went away after our last visit to the shop. Gas mileage is poor. Design on some of the dials arent to great since they have little faint light indcators which are impossible to read in the sun(the fan level indicator, e.g.) The trunk unlock feature is annoying, you cant just pop the trunk.

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  Better Than Average - 2001 Volvo V70
  By TEF - September 24 - 10:00 am

  Special ordered thru Diplomat Sales program with 5-Spd MANUAL transmission and cloth interior. Over the last 10 years, Ive replaced only brake pads/rotors, timing belt and one emission component. Obviously having a manual transmission, spared me the universal problems associated with auto transmissions, but the car has been very dependable by any measure. Other than brakes and rotors that I replaced myself, total repairs by dealers and/or privite shops since 2001 total less than $1,000.