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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  MY Volvo - 2004 Volvo S80
  By LogMarine - March 21 - 10:00 am

  What a great car! Easy to drive, quiet, smooth and elegant interior. When I get in MY S80 I feel like a million dollars. This is my first Volvo and I doubt I will ever buy from any other manufacturer again. I had a terrific buying experience (can you believe that..a terrific buying experience for a car?!?!?) and could not be happier with the vehicle.

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  Must Have - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Buons - March 21 - 10:00 am

  Outside of its safety features that everyone knows about, this Volvo is an exciting, powerful, and beautiful vehicle that you have to see in person to truly appreciate. You can pay alot more money for cars like the Audi A4, or the BMW 325i and not get anywhere near what this car offers. Trust me when i say that this is the time to get into this car. if you wait to long the demand for them will rise and so will the cost. Get it while the getting is good.

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  drives like a dream - 2005 Volvo S40
  By crownbath - March 21 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I are very happy with the S40. You will see the difference in comfort and handling. A Volvo S40 is much better than some of the Mercedes or Volkswagons.

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  The best of the pack. - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Volvo Driver - March 21 - 10:00 am

  I have owned Cadys, Navs, and Chev Vans. This Volvo SUV is great. We drive it in preference to the our S80 because we love it. It drives like a car, has power to spare, and plenty of room for moving the kids to college in one trip. With 20,000 miles so far we have had no significant problems and only one minor wiring problem when they installed the trailor hitch. It pulls heavy trailor loads like they are not there. The back loads easy with the mini tail gate and groceries stay put with the flip up bag holder. The third row of seats hides away so not like the old Nav that you had to pull out the seats. The sound system is exceptional even without the woofer. This is just a great vehicle.

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  A Very Happy Comsumer - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By David Nelson - March 21 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I have very please with this vehicle we now own a Suburban SLT2500 and a Mercedes Benz E Class. This vehicle not only out performs both in many ways, the style, elegance and comfort far exceed both. We drove the X5, ML and Lexus 300 and found the Volvo the most fun to drive. The fit and finish are excellent and dealer service a pleasent experience

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  Nice car but needs touch up - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By L T - March 21 - 10:00 am

  2005 with 3400 miles and no complaints for driving. Our 1992 Jeep Cherokee Limited has better leather and comfort in the front bucket seats and visibility but not as nice a ride. Paint seems to be not as good as the Volvo of past already a couple chips on the front.

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  Perfect Family Car - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By Alex - March 21 - 7:50 am

  We bought this Volvo one summer and have been loving it ever since. The car is very spacious and is very kid proof. If you have small children it is great because its got a built in booster seat and moves forward so the parts and reach the child easier. The XC90 5 Cylinder can be slow at times but when you step on it, it goes and handles very well. The rides very smooth and for the price comes with so many options. You can pay 10000 more for a BMW X5 with all the same features but not the same safety.

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  S60 R - 2006 Volvo S60
  By SCMJ - March 18 - 4:56 am

  The S60 R is an outstanding car. I recommend this car to everybody. The best feature of this car is the active chassis setting. You really see the difference in handling on the different road types. The performance of the car is great. My transmission is auto, the manual trans take away one full sec from 0-60. The quality of the interior is excellent; you will see all the gizmos that the car has. The space of the back seats is very small. But if you have kids just buy a mini van. If you are going to buy a Volvo s60r I recommend you to buy the sport body option. This option gives the car the sporty look that will turn head.This car is also AWD; basically the car is glue to the road.

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  Volvo S80 2.9 A Pleasure! - 2003 Volvo S80
  By Volvo Again - March 17 - 2:00 am

  This car was an upgrade from my 2000 s40 (which I also loved). My husband and I based our decision to lease another Volvo based on its excellent safety features, its comfort and its unique style. We were not let down. This car is a pleasure to drive even without the T6 engine. The design is so different from the other cars out there, that people often stop to look or ask us what it is. I am very satisfied with our choice.

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  Good Buy - 2000 Volvo S80
  By Me - March 17 - 2:00 am

  Best car I owned. Had the car for three years, only rutine maintenance performed. Wish radio was more user friendly, small complaint for an excellent car.